Public liability insurance

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someblokecalleddave

someblokecalleddave

Well-Known Member
Public liability insurance

I didn't know where to post this and thought that here might be best?

Here's the situation. I play cricket for a club and everything is okay. Unfortunately they have nets on a night when I work late, so I can't get along to the nets.

On a more positive front there's a bunch of blokes I work with who played cricket when they were kids and a few years ago we all got together and formed a work based team (This is how I got into cricket) which existed for 3/4 of a year and folded. Three years on they're still not dedicated/interested enough to go through divorces and reationship break ups by joining a real team but are interested in having a knock about in the nets over the winter and maybe through the summer get a game or two together.

So looking to get in the nets at any opportunity and get some batting practice and bowling practice in, I approached a school with the facilities and have virtually scored a deal where we'll have access to nets for 2 hours for 40 quid. But..... I've just had the school email me saying that they'll need to see our insurance?

So - what's that all about then? As 3 years ago at another school (That charged us double that price) we were never asked about any insurance? I'm assuming that the school has public liability insurance - so in the event that their nets fall on our heads and kills one of us we're okay, but why would we have to be insured as we're not a club - we're just a bunch of disparate blokes that want to have a knock about on a Saturday. We haven't got a constitution, we don't pay subs - we're not really a team and the intended matches in the summer may never happen because we may never get 11-12 blokes together to play.

Anyone have any idea what they're asking for and why?
 
Re: Public liability insurance

Probably legal reasons mate.

If you sprain your ankle at the nets for instance and are not insured then the school is held liable.

Personally I think you're being too honest mate just go to nets anywhere and practice by some crappy stumps if you have to.:)
 
Re: Public liability insurance

I could be wrong Dave but it sounds like a misunderstanding to me. It sounds like they think you will be coaching.

Go back to the school and tell them what you have just written here; that you just want to hire their hall to have a knock about... in the same way you would hire the hall for a football party or similar. Let us know what they say.

If you get this going, I have a group of guys who would love to give you a friendly 20/20 match when the season starts. PM me if you are interested, it could be fun :)
 
Re: Public liability insurance

My club has been asked for the same thing, also by a school. Obviously, as a club they have something in place and it may be that you'll have to look into getting something similar as well, if you want to practice.

I guess they are covering their backs in case anything goes wrong, especially as you'll technically 'own' the net/hall for the hours you're using them rather than the school. A lot of places have seemingly become very H&S concious over the last year, for example the place that I would normally net have now placed strict rules on the numbers allowed in the net, making it pretty much unecomonic to use them.

I would try explaining to them that you're not a club as such, just a number of blokes looking for a net. They may be able to work something out for you or not.
 
Re: Public liability insurance

Liz Ward;307876 said:
I could be wrong Dave but it sounds like a misunderstanding to me. It sounds like they think you will be coaching.

Go back to the school and tell them what you have just written here; that you just want to hire their hall to have a knock about... in the same way you would hire the hall for a football party or similar. Let us know what they say.

If you get this going, I have a group of guys who would love to give you a friendly 20/20 match when the season starts. PM me if you are interested, it could be fun :)
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Cheers Liz, for the offer of a game, I'll keep that in mind but as I said depending on how much interest is generated over the next few months it may never come together. I will go back to the school with the thoughts/comments everyone has made - maybe there's a chance that we could write up a waiver that says we wont hold the school liable for anything we create ourselves e.g. a sprained ankle - ball in the ribs etc. Or that if anyone else enters the hall we'll stop etc.

It just galls me to think that you've got a situation where on one hand the government and NGO's are on banging on about the need for people to get fit and that 50% of the UK's population are over-weight and that we should all be getting more active and engaging in sport and yet when you try and do something (As we are) someone seems intent on throwing a spanner in the works. I've looked at one or two online websites and it looks as though if we go for the insurance option we're looking at 185 quid or something, so it'll kill it dead there and then.

I'm on a rant now.....

The blokes that will get involved are the types that are just a smidgeon away from being encouraged to get involved in a team. If we could get this together - there's 2 or 3 of them that with just a bit of encouragement might make the step from here to playing regularly? Also if this happens - we'll need a cricket pitch at some point and I know for certain all the cricket pitches in our area are under threat because of under-use, no wonder when if you try and form an informal team you just seem to have the world seemingly throwing barriers in front of you rather than encouraging you!

Anyway - I'll see what happens and let you know if we get it together.
 
Re: Public liability insurance

mas cambios;307883 said:
My club has been asked for the same thing, also by a school. Obviously, as a club they have something in place and it may be that you'll have to look into getting something similar as well, if you want to practice.

.
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Mas - have you any idea how much your club pay? I've had a quick scan around the internet and it's looking like a figure of 180 quid which is far too much - when this may only happen a few times and we have to stop because we're only getting three of us turn up?
 
Re: Public liability insurance

Dave,

It is a different situation when coaches (members of the ECB CA) are involved; one of the things our subscription covers. I have to check the small print but I believe we are covered up to £5m, which covers an array, including public and products liability. I believe most clubs are covered up to £2m but that is not specific to hiring halls.

Our local school hires its sports hall out during non school hours. If it is for personal use ie sports parties etc, no extra insurance is needed, however, if you are using the facilities for charging to accommodate others, you need insurance as you will be responsible for these 'others'.
 
Re: Public liability insurance

someblokecalleddave;307887 said:
Mas - have you any idea how much your club pay? I've had a quick scan around the internet and it's looking like a figure of 180 quid which is far too much - when this may only happen a few times and we have to stop because we're only getting three of us turn up?
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I'm not 100% certain but the figure you've been given is in the ball park.

I would suggest trying the ECB , a link to their PDF is here - http://static.ecb.co.uk/files/extracover-insurance-for-cricket-clubs-2008-2340.pdf

That gives some contact details and some rough prices, they may be able to advise further. I would have thought that at best it'll be £50 or so.
 
Re: Public liability insurance

Thats disgusting, a few guys can't even go down to the nets and have a hit out.
 
Re: Public liability insurance

I've been chasing up another option at another school -

Update on our attempts to get some net practice in. I approached a local school that we used a couple of years back which was expensive and basically said - 'Look there's 4 of us maybe 6, we want to use your hall - no one uses it Sunday afternoons can you do us a deal"? They've come back with yeah you can have it for half price. So I'm just waiting on the forms and keeping my fingers crossed that they're not too full of H&S Bull****.

So it's looking promising.
 
Re: Public liability insurance

That one sounds more like it and will hopefully go through without any extra forms to fill in.

I understand why some places tack on the H&S but sometimes they do take the mick with it - whatever happened to a bit of common sense?
 
Re: Public liability insurance

The other place has come through with a result. Same price, same size venue, but more nets and this time proper mats and all this without the Spannish Inquisition with the insurance! First session this Sunday. On top of that at work I've negotiated that I don't teach on Thursday nights (My teams nets) this semester so for the first time in two years I'm going to be able to get some net practice - W'hey! Any advice for when I'm batting?
 
Re: Public liability insurance

mas cambios;307883 said:
My club has been asked for the same thing, also by a school. Obviously, as a club they have something in place and it may be that you'll have to look into getting something similar as well, if you want to practice.

I guess they are covering their backs in case anything goes wrong, especially as you'll technically 'own' the net/hall for the hours you're using them rather than the school. A lot of places have seemingly become very H&S concious over the last year, for example the place that I would normally net have now placed strict rules on the numbers allowed in the net, making it pretty much unecomonic to use them.

I would try explaining to them that you're not a club as such, just a number of blokes looking for a net. They may be able to work something out for you or not.
Click to expand...

Fair enough if it is near a school or if the school also uses the ground and the nets.
Mightn't be a bad idea to ask your club to book the indoor cricket centre so that your teammates can practice their bowling. I think you will find that many cricket clubs do this as well as using the same centre for gym use and also to use the pool.

I read this because Mount Clear cricket club can't use the nets at all when there is school on. Because school starts back this week, they can only use the ground after hours.
 
Re: Public liability insurance

someblokecalleddave;317624 said:
Any advice for when I'm batting?
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Hit the ball!

Seriously, just do the basics, work on your defence as this is vital and then on some attacking shots (drive etc).

Keep it simple, don't over complicate things.
 
Re: Public liability insurance

C'mon you aussies, the situation here in the UK is that most clubs don't have their own indoor facilities and if they'd got outdoor nets they're probably unusable by the time November comes as we're up to our necks in rain, frost, snow and freezing weather till mid March. So most cricket that happens in the UK virtually shuts down at the end of October. Some clubs have indoor cricket through the winter, but most as far as I can make out do virtaully nothing till about now and then they start indoor nets. As I said earlier 98% of UK clubs other than professional (County level) and maybe University teams do not have access to their own nets so they have to hire school sports halls that have cricket facilities and that's what I've been trying to with all the problems mentioned earlier with regards the insurance issues. Luckily we've sorted a place now and our first practice is tomorrow.

With regards Mas's advice - yeah that's what I'm doing, I had my first club net session on thursday and it went really well and I was surprised that they had a coach. He blokes had a look at what I do when I bat and he's going to work with me next week on my front foot drive as I'm still bringing the bat round sideways somehow. So it's all looking very promising have a look at my blog - http://mpafirsteleven.blogspot.com/2009/01/grays-nets-1.html
 
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