INJURIES, INSURANCE and MEDICAL COSTS

1.1.1 INJURY REPORTING

Corrib RFC adopts and complies with the Injury Reporting Policy of the IRFU and must report all serious injuries to the IRFU.

An injury that must be reported is defined as any injury occurring during rugby training or game, which requires that the injured player is transported to and/or treated in hospital and all suspected/confirmed concussions.

The IRFU requires that all such incidents, including experiences of concussion, must be recorded on an IRFU personal serious injury form.  All injuries incurred during training or during a match played representing Corrib RFC, must be reported to the relevant team manger or coach. 

Whichever method of reporting is used by the Team manager or Coach, the Club Welfare Officer or Club Secretary must also be informed. Injury reports should be completed within 48 hours of the Manager/Coach becoming aware of the injury/incident.

1.1.2 MEDICAL EXPENSES

It is the policy of Corrib RFC to reimburse players the cost of Public Hospital A&E costs, which is as of today, €100. Senior players and underage players will only be entitled to submit a receipt for an A&E charge in a public hospital. If a player attends another hospital, they will only be refunded the cost up to a maximum of €100.

Corrib RFC encourages all senior players to have adequate personal insurance in place to avoid loss of earnings or medical costs.

1.1.3 Additional Personal Accident Cover

The IRFU and Corrib RFC stress that the cover provided by the Compulsory Personal Accident Scheme for Clubs below, is minimum only and it is recommended that individuals should purchase additional cover.  Details of the cover offered by Aon can be accessed here IRFU optional top up individual cover

• IRFU Injuries and Insurance Policy 2019/2020
• Players should understand, acknowledge and accept that there are risks of injury (including serious injury) and death in the course of playing and training for Rugby and the player voluntarily accepts such risk of injury or death. 

It is emphasised that this Compulsory Personal Accident Scheme for Clubs does not provide payment of medical expenses or loss of earnings, nor does it cover fatal collapse unless a physical accident precedes same whilst in training or on the match pitch.

It is the player’s individual responsibility that they have adequate insurance in place.

Additional Personal Accident Cover in addition to the IRFU Compulsory Personal Accident Scheme for Clubs, described below, can now be purchased by individuals as per the options outlined on the following downloadable application form:  IRFU optional top up individual cover

The insurers AON have communicated additional information that should be noted:

• Cover applies as a direct result of an accident at a specific date and time. Normal wear and tear, gradually operating causes or pre-existing conditions would not be covered.
• Because this is an accident policy legally some of the Accident Disability cover must be purchased to access the Medical Expenses or Weekly Benefit covers. Accordingly, some of Option 1 or Option 2 needs to be chosen if cover under either Option 3 or Option 4 is required.
• The Medical Expenses Limit is per accident and the insured pays the first €100 of each claim.
• Medical Expenses cover includes Physio and Dental costs but only following a specific accident.
• Medical Expenses cover will apply only after any private health cover is exhausted.
• The weekly benefit cover is not income related but rather pays a flat weekly amount in the event of Total Temporary Disablement following an accident. The first four weeks are excluded and payment of any benefit would start in week five (up to a maximum of 26 weeks).

On all Top Up policies the cover would never be intended replace any individual’s Private Health Insurance or Income Protection Insurance covers (but rather supplement same).

Contact can be made directly by individuals with the AON offices, James Joyce Street, Dublin 1 (tel 01 266 6434 or via aon.com) in relation to any enquiries or quotations required

The IRFU and Corrib RFC stress that the cover provided by the IRFU Compulsory Personal Accident Scheme for Clubs below is minimum only and it is recommended that individuals should purchase additional cover.

1.1.4  IRFU Compulsory Personal Accident Scheme for Clubs

The Irish Rugby Football Union arranges Group Personal Accident cover for all players and certain officials who are members of affiliated Clubs. The Union believes it has a responsibility to provide a minimum level of insurance cover and therefore the scheme is compulsory for all Clubs.

Whilst the Union and the Clubs can arrange substantial insurance benefit within their financial means, it still ultimately remains the individual player’s responsibility to ensure that he/she has adequate insurance cover.

The Compulsory Group Personal Accident Scheme cover and conditions are described in the document linked below.

Compulsory Group Personal Accident Scheme for Clubs 2019/2020
It is emphasised that this Compulsory scheme does not provide payment of medical expenses or loss of earnings, nor does it cover fatal collapse unless a physical accident precedes same. This Compulsory scheme is intended to cover serious injury only and, whilst the “Severe injury” benefit at €1,500,000, may appear substantial, it will not necessarily be sufficient to cover the future needs of a seriously injured young player.

As Insurance Brokers for the Irish Rugby Football Union, Aon provide Compulsory Group Personal Accident cover for Clubs in respect of fixed amounts following death or serious injury.

A summary of the benefits which are payable following an accident are listed below for convenience but does not supersede complete information in the Compulsory scheme document :

1. Death €500,000
2. Loss of 2 limbs and/or the loss of both eyes or 1 limb and 1 eye €500,000
3. Loss of 1 limb or the loss of 1 eye €250,000
4. Permanent Total Disablement (subject to restrictions – see Compulsory Cover) €650,000
5. Severe injury involving loss of use of two legs and two arms Additional: €850,000
 

1.1.5  Adequacy of Cover

The benefit provided by this compulsory scheme is substantially greater than that provided by other Unions or by other sports bodies. Whilst the Union and the Clubs can arrange substantial insurance benefit within their financial means, it still ultimately remains the individual player’s responsibility to ensure that he/she has adequate insurance cover.

It is emphasised that this compulsory scheme does not provide payment of medical expenses or loss of earnings, nor does it cover fatal collapse unless a physical accident precedes same whilst in training or on the match pitch.

This compulsory scheme is intended to cover serious injury only and, whilst the “Catastrophic injury” benefit at €1,500,000, may appear substantial, it will not necessarily be sufficient to cover the future needs of a severely injured young player.

The scheme is intended to provide a reasonable benefit to seriously injured players.

• The death, loss of sight or loss of use of limbs benefits are payable regardless of an individual’s occupation. Permanent total disability benefit is payable only if the player cannot continue his/her normal occupation or one for which he/she is educated or trained.
• It is important to note that the cover is restricted to a maximum pay-out for any one event of €20m regardless of how many individuals are affected. In the event of a large number of death or disability claims resulting from the one event exceeding €20m in total, then the pay-out by insurers would be a maximum of €20m divided between all claimants.
• Whilst the current compulsory cover is far greater than the cover provided by other sporting bodies, no-one could accept that this would be sufficient to compensate a seriously injured player