There are protections for on and off the pitch: medical expenses are covered in case of accidents, the civil liability of clubs and injuries to players.
FR Group Insurance Brokers is the company that offers this package to clubs.
‘There is basic insurance, which is called fan insurance, and which consists of reimbursement of medical expenses if an accident occurs at the Monumental stadium, in this case the Superclásico or 1,000 meters around the ticket office; 4 hours before and two hours after the game,’ explains Jaime Risopatrón, commercial manager of FR Group Corredores de Seguros.
The coverage of medical expenses per accident is up to 20 UF (545,120 pesos), and if a spectator dies by accident it covers 200 UF ($5,451,192). Risopatrón emphasizes that the coverage excludes a fan who suffers an injury due to a confrontation with fans of the rival team.
‘The conflict between bars is out. The typical thing it covers are falls of people in the stadium, who bend their foot; that a projectile arrives from somewhere, even once a person who was electrocuted because there was a cable in bad condition was covered, ”he specifies. This coverage is for those who go to the stadium and also for those who are working, such as guards, vendors, ball carriers and even journalists.
Civil liability
These insurances are taken by the clubs, they have financial risks when organizing such massive shows: they can be challenged for not taking the necessary safeguards to prevent episodes of violence inside or outside the stadium (this insurance covers up to 3 kilometers around).
Or if, for example, it is found that an accident caused by crowds at the entrance to the stadium was the responsibility of a club. Risopatrón tells, by way of example, that compensation of close to 130,000,000 pesos was paid for an incident between baristas in 2015 at the Elías de Figueroa stadium before the match between Wanderers and Colo Colo began. ‘These civil liability insurance policies have multiple coverages and do not only have to be due to violence.
For example, if arriving at the stadium the club bus runs over fans who approached the machine. That accident is covered. In the case of Wanderers, for example, the money from the tickets had to be returned. It allows the club to respond to financial risk. For example, if today the Superclásico is suspended, that costs from 300 million pesos and for a club that is a lot of money,’ Risopatrón details.
Even the players
Players are also protected by the insurance program if they are injured before and during the game. ‘Not all clubs have this insurance, but those of the U and Colo Colo are covered for injuries that occur in the game, but also any physical problem they have from concentration, transfer and warm-up. The insurance covers the expenses associated with the footballer’s recovery.
Source: LUN
