Protecting the next cricket generation

Professional cricketers are constantly raising the bar when competing in their chosen sport. As England’s T20 weekend* victory has shown, the margins between winning and losing have never been so thin. This intensity creates an enormous level of pressure for athletes to push themselves to their absolute physical limits to help secure a victory for their team. While most professional athletes will train to prevent the possibility of an accident occurring on the field, many won’t consider the financial repercussions of an unexpected permanent, career-ending injury.

Injuries – planning for the inevitable

While temporary injuries are an unavoidable element of competitive, professional sport, a permanent injury that prematurely ends one’s sporting career is understandably something most players don’t expect or want to think about. In October last year, Derbyshire wicketkeeper Harvey Hosein was forced to retire from professional cricket at the age of 25 due to four concussions and seek an alternative career. Training and protective equipment will protect players on the field, but off the field, the best protection is to plan for the cost of an unexpected career-ending injury financially.

Former England player Simon Jones, MBE, who retired due to a career-ending injury, explains, “Every player wants to go on the field with a positive mindset. No one wants to think about getting permanently injured, but it’s important to raise awareness of financially planning for the unexpected. In the event of a career-ending injury, players will be able to recuperate, knowing they are financially protected.”

Covering loss of earnings

The Professional Cricket Association (PCA) offers basic PTD cover for all current players. However, in recent years, it has become clear that while the cover provided by the PCA is significant, its limits are far below the potential career earnings of many cricketers, especially in the modern landscape of multiple white-ball franchise tournaments. We anticipate that leading players’ salaries over 10 years of international and franchise cricket could be more than six times annual earnings. It, therefore, makes sense for many players to explore increasing their level of cover.

Jones continues, “We don’t think twice about insuring cars and houses or buying life insurance, but as a sportsperson, your body is your most important commodity. Many pros put off thinking about the effects of injury, but I know from personal experience that tomorrow could be too late. When I started my playing career back in 1996, there wasn’t any awareness of how important protection is; I wish I’d thought about protecting myself and that income.”

Getting an insurance quote with the help of a specialist sports broker is the best option. Insurers will consider a player’s age, injury history, role in the team, and the value of their contract, before a more detailed medical questionnaire establishes the final figure.

*https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2022/jan/23/west-indies-v-england-mens-second-t20-live

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