Determining the need for an integrated football club insurance policy : a case study on Malta

Abstract

Football is without doubt the most popular sports in Malta. Local football clubs are comparatively small when compared to overseas clubs, but nonetheless still command a considerable following by the locals. However, as a result of being so small, the majority of local football clubs are faced with an uphill struggle each day, especially when it comes to finances. This research study first of all seeks to determine what level of insurance coverage do local football clubs who compete in the top two levels of Maltese football currently have. In addition, this study ultimately seeks to determine whether or not there is a need for a football-specific integrated insurance policy to be introduced in Malta. In order to carry out this research, two separate survey questionnaires with different questions were distributed to both local football clubs who compete in the top two divisions of Maltese football as well the local general insurance companies. What this study established, was the fact that although there are a lot of Maltese football clubs which currently have some kind of insurance coverage, in majority this insurance does not cover all the risks that such a football club faces, and thus one can say that the majority of Maltese football clubs are not adequately covered. Moreover, this study also established that although there is a general interest in the aforementioned integrated insurance policy which covers every aspect of a local football club, local firms are reluctant to offer such a policy as they are afraid that due to their general lack of finances, local clubs won’t able to sustain the annual insurance premium that such a policy would require. Finally, one can say that all research conducted suggests that the only possibilities for such an integrated insurance policy to start being offered and demanded in Malta, would be if either the local football clubs had to expand and have better finances or if the Malta Football Association had to make having insurance coverage, compulsory for all Maltese football clubs.