Introduction
It’s a sad fact of life that a motocross injury can often keep a rider off work for longer than the 28 weeks the government’s Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) goes on for before it stops.
Another sad fact of life is that SSP probably won’t be enough to cover an injured rider’s normal household expenses, let alone any additional expenses such as medical costs to help recovery.
Too many riders we’ve helped have been scrolling through comparison websites for ages but haven’t been able to find any kind of policy that covers motocross injuries.
And this is why we’ve often been asked if it’s possible for them to have some kind of insurance policy in case an injury keeps them off work for however long.
Fortunately, the answer is yes, and there are a range of motocross insurance options available depending on the rider's circumstances, level of participation and the type of protection required.
Fortunately, the answer is yes, it is possible for motocross riders to have insurance - and we can arrange for them to have the exact type of financial protection they need that they’d never find on a standard comparison website online.
At Quote Sports Insurance, we regularly help motocross riders ranging from recreational riders and weekend practice riders through to club-level competitors, regional racers and national-level motocross competitors. Many come to us after discovering that standard insurance policies either exclude motocross completely or fail to provide the protection they need if an injury prevents them from working.
Why Finding Insurance for Motocross Riders Can Be Difficult
When you look at the statistics comparing the rate of motocross injuries compared to injury rates of other sports, it’s not surprising that fewer and fewer insurers are prepared to offer any kind of cover for motocross riders.
For example, with 94.5 injuries per thousand rider hours, motocross is riskier than Premiership Rugby's 75 injuries per thousand hours, or even professional soccer's match injury rate of 36 per thousand hours.
And what are the risks of motocross? Injuries can range from bruising and light strains … to dislocations and breaks of shoulders and wrists … to breaks of longer bones such as femurs … all the way up to serious injuries that can put a rider out of action for months, years and even, sadly, forever.
Motocross injuries can include broken collarbones, wrist fractures, shoulder dislocations, knee ligament injuries, ankle injuries and more serious trauma requiring surgery and lengthy rehabilitation. For self-employed riders especially, even a relatively common injury can result in a significant loss of income.
So it’s not surprising that after so many motocross injury claims, insurers who’d previously provided policies found themselves having to withdraw that kind of cover because it was just too expensive for them.
However, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to get any type of cover for any kind of motocross riding - whether it’s just for fun, or practising for events or even hard-core professional riding. It just means riders need more in the way of specialist help to find the exact cover they need.
Why Comparison Websites Often Do Not Cover Motocross
Even though motocross riders often think it's just a case of looking through comparison websites to find an insurance company that provides health insurance (often referred to as private medical insurance) or any other kind of cover, the truth is very few companies offering cover for dangerous sports include motocross in the sports they cover.
That’s because not only are there so many types of motocross injury to prevent riders from returning to work, but also because there are so many of those injuries.
In short, for many insurers happy to be included on comparison websites, offering cover for such a dangerous sport is bad for business simply because of the number of claims they receive.
In many cases, comparison websites are unable to properly assess specialist sporting risks. As a result, riders may be presented with policies that exclude motocross participation entirely or require additional underwriting before cover can be offered.
So even though comparison websites can be a good way for the general public to find insurance products such as health insurance or private medical cover, riders need another way of finding policies to cover them for motocross, so they come to us for help.
How Specialist Brokers Help Motocross Riders Find Cover
Although comparison websites can work very well for the general public, motocross riders need help to find income protection insurance specifically for motocross - and this is where specialist insurance brokers can save the day. They can identify insurers who provide cover for motocross riders - ones that never appear on comparison websites.
Here at Quote Sports Insurance, we work with a hand-picked panel of insurers who understand the needs of people who participate in extremely high-risk sports. So with our help, riders are able to compare insurance options they’d never be able to find on comparison websites - however hard they look.
And since risks can vary depending on riding styles, there’s always the need for some fact-finding before we can find and present the most suitable insurance options to each individual rider we help … and we know exactly which questions to ask.
Practice Riding vs Motocross Racing
When it comes to the answers we need in order to find the most suitable insurance option for any rider, one of the first questions we ask is what kind of riding we’re looking to cover.
Would it be recreational riding just for the fun of it, at a speed that feels safe, and with absolutely no competitive pressure?
Or would it be practice riding with the intention of improving specific skills, measuring progress or preparing for upcoming competition?
Or would the rider need cover for club-level competition, regional racing or national-level motocross events, where both the demands and risks can be significantly higher?
Insurers prepared to cover motocross often offer different levels of cover depending on the rider's level of participation. Some may only consider recreational riding, while others may be prepared to consider practice riding, club-level competition, regional racing or even national-level motocross competition. Every insurer has different underwriting criteria, which is why specialist advice can be particularly valuable when arranging cover for motocross riders.
Can Self-Employed Motocross Riders Get Income Protection?
Many motocross riders are self-employed tradespeople, contractors, business owners or individuals who rely heavily on their ability to work and earn an income. For these riders, a serious injury can have a significant financial impact if they are unable to work for several weeks or months.
Income protection insurance may provide a monthly benefit if illness or injury prevents the policyholder from working, subject to the insurer's terms, conditions and underwriting criteria.
The availability of cover, exclusions and policy terms can vary depending on factors such as occupation, health, income and the type of motocross participation involved. This is why specialist advice is often important when arranging cover.
How Income Protection Can Work for Motocross Riders
Income protection is especially appropriate for motocross riders since not only does it generally provide higher monthly payments than Statutory Sick Pay (80% of normal employment income or £123.25 a week - whichever is the lower- and it’s taxable, too), but payments are also made in the case of injury in or out of work, as well as for illness.
Because there’s no such thing as “one size fits all” in the insurance world, income protection can come in different shapes and sizes: riders can choose how long to wait before payments begin, and whether they want to receive backdated payments once their waiting period is over.
And there are many options when it comes to when payments come to an end - they could continue for months, for years or even up to retirement age.
Tailoring Cover to Suit Budget and Risk
Of course this kind of protection does come at a cost, but that’s not to say premium rates are set in stone. Policies can be adjusted to help riders manage the cost of their cover.
Variables include the length of the waiting period before payments begin: the longer the wait, the lower the premium.
The length of the benefit period is another variable: the shorter the period (remembering that payouts can continue up to retirement age), again, the lower the premium.
And there’s the actual monthly payout amount to consider.
So before we discuss any case with our specialist panel of insurers, we need to establish the rider’s level of motocross (recreational, practice or competition), their preferred wait time before payments start, how long they should go on for, and how much they should be.
And then we also have to ask the rider those standard insurance questions regarding health, marital status, smoker/non-smoker, that kind of thing.
Occupation can also play an important role. For example, a self-employed builder, electrician, plumber or groundworker may have different underwriting considerations compared with someone working in an office-based role.
Once we have all the answers we need, we can then go to our panel and, with their help, tailor the exact policy that gives a rider and their family peace of mind, financial protection should it ever be needed … and which suits their budget.
Additional Protection Riders Sometimes Consider
In addition to an income protection policy, riders could also benefit from:
Personal Accident Insurance (Accident & Sickness Cover)
This provides a lump-sum payout for accidental injury, disability or death, covering medical expenses and protecting against loss of income
Fracture Cover
This also provides a lump sum payout which can vary in size depending on which bone is broken
Hospitalisation Cover
Payment to cover part or all of expenses incurred while in hospital
Life Insurance
Provides a tax-free lump sum to beneficiaries in the event of the death of the policyholder
Critical Illness Cover
Provides a tax-free lump sum on diagnosis of a specified serious medical condition
Health Insurance (AKA Private Medical Insurance)
Provides faster access to scans, consultations with specialists and treatment to begin recovery from an injury sooner than receiving treatment from the NHS.
And unlike SSP, these benefits are generally tax-free.
Why Underwriting Expertise Matters
Underwriting is the process of calculating the risk of insuring a person - in this case a motocross rider - in order to decide whether to offer cover in the first place, the terms of the policy and the amount to charge for premiums.
Underwriters may also consider the rider's level of participation, frequency of riding, competition history and whether they participate recreationally, during organised practice sessions or in competitive events.
This is why specialist brokers discuss each motocross insurance application with insurers to make sure it's appropriate before completing all the necessary paperwork and submitting it.
This way, it prevents riders from applying for policies that decline their application in the first place... or after a policy is arranged, discovering far too late that motocross injuries are, in fact, excluded.
Getting Advice from a Specialist Broker
Getting advice from a specialist broker really is the best option for a motocross rider: there’s no need to scroll through comparison websites for income protection - or any other kind of – insurance, and then picking through all the fine print only to find yet again that even though the insurance company says it covers dangerous sports, motocross isn't actually on their list.
Because the market for motocross income protection insurance, accident cover and related protection products can be relatively limited, finding the most appropriate solution often requires access to a range of specialist insurers and providers.
The right option for one rider may not be the right option for another. Insurers and underwriters may take a range of factors into account, including:
• Occupation and the physical demands of the rider's work
• Employment status (employed, self-employed or business owner)
• Sick pay arrangements and any existing financial protection
• The rider's level of motocross participation, including recreational riding, practice riding and competitive racing
• Medical history and any pre-existing health conditions
• Height, weight and Body Mass Index (BMI)
• The amount of cover required and the rider's available budget
Because every rider's circumstances are different, specialist advice can help identify the most appropriate options available, explain the differences between policies and avoid applying for cover that may not be suitable.
This is why many motocross riders choose to work with a specialist broker who understands the market, can access a range of insurers and providers, and can help tailor recommendations to their individual circumstances and protection needs. It saves them a great deal of time, ensures they've got exactly the right kind of coverage they need ... and the service doesn't cost them a penny.
Speak to a Motocross Insurance Specialist
Finding suitable insurance as a motocross rider can be challenging, particularly when many mainstream insurers exclude motocross participation altogether.
At Quote Sports Insurance, we specialise in helping motocross riders explore income protection insurance, accident cover, fracture cover, life insurance and other forms of financial protection designed to provide valuable support when it is needed most.
Whether you ride recreationally, practise regularly or compete at club, regional or national level, our experienced advisers can help explain the options available.
Because every rider's circumstances are different, we recommend obtaining personalised advice before making any decision about insurance cover.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can motocross riders get income protection insurance?
Yes, they can - and they really should, no matter whether they’re riding just for the fun of it, or practising for more serious events and especially when taking part in those more serious events.
Do insurers cover motocross racing?
You’re unlikely to find an insurer covering motocross racing when looking through comparison websites. Specialist insurance brokers, however, can find you the insurer providing the most appropriate policy for your needs.
Why do many insurance policies exclude motocross?
Not all insurance companies provide policies that cover dangerous sports, and the more dangerous the sport, the fewer the companies that offer coverage for it. So since statistically speaking motocross is a seriously dangerous sport with a high incidence of injury, very few insurance companies want to take the risk of insuring riders.
What happens if a motocross injury stops me working?
If you can’t work after a motocross accident, you’re entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) for up to 28 weeks. Although it’s useful, it’s unlikely that SSP is going to be enough to cover your regular outgoings - let alone any additional expenses related to your recovery. And that’s why an income protection insurance policy can be such a lifesaver.
Can self-employed motocross riders get income protection insurance?
Yes. Many self-employed motocross riders choose income protection insurance because they do not have access to employer sick pay. Subject to underwriting, cover may provide a monthly benefit if illness or injury prevents them from working.
Does income protection cover motocross injuries?
This depends on the insurer, policy terms and the rider's level of participation. Some policies may exclude motocross completely, while others may consider cover following full disclosure and underwriting.