The requirement is to have insurance for all those at a Thistles recognised event participating in Organised Competitive Amateur Field Hockey ("Hockey"). Thanks to Paul Bateson's sterling work we think we have found it. This is annual cover for:
-- Personal Accident and Travel (players, coaches, and umpires)
-- Employers Liability (volunteers, coaches etc.)
-- Public Liability (spectators, opposition players, etc.)
To be covered partners would have to be members, possibly an Associate Plus membership - no fee but pay for the annual insurance. It also covers days tacked on to a Thistles recognised event as a holiday. Travel cover is provided worldwide (except USA) with age limit up to age 90 and no requirement for disclosure of prior medical conditions.
Now come the complications.
PREMIUM. All insurance policies have a basic premium that Thistles has to pay regardless of uptake - lets call it £10k per annum. We have, lets say, 250 members. With all members covered it costs each of us £40. (Above 250 the premium rises proportionately.)
EXISTING INSURANCE. People have their own favoured insurance for reasons that make sense to their circumstances however Thistles has no way of knowing if that insurance is compatible with "Hockey". All I can say is the one real world example so far: in Spain the player fortuitously used a public hospital because when he enquired of his insurance they advised they would not have paid out for private treatment because it was "Hockey".
SCOTTISH HOCKEY INSURANCE. Thistles events are outside of the auspices of Scottish Hockey and not all are members of S.H. For masters age players their cover, even with international extension, has low age cut-offs and gaps in the cover we need.
RISK. Thistles cannot be at risk. Consider the recent case of poor Adam Johnson who died playing Ice Hockey; no criminal charges but who is to say what civil suits will follow and against whom - England Ice Hockey for example.
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EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE DISCUSSIONS
5th May: At the Executive Committee meeting 5th May this was discussed in depth. John Lees presented that the add-on cost to his normal travel insurance for playing Hockey is £60. My own is £100. So we are to present to the AGM the proposal that Membership Fees be increased to £65 per annum and this will include insurance for every playing member. Even though this may overlap player’s own choice of insurance at around £40 each this is excellent value for money and fulfils in full the need for Thistles not to be at risk. This would commence 1st January 2026.
Update 23rd May discussions: An analysis highlighted risks that we could take on the full all-inclusive insurance and not recover sufficient funds from members to pay for it. If we could get Thistles and (preferably) SMH to take this all-inclusive policy under a joint "head" agreement then the risk of not recovering the costs is removed. Initial discussions with SMH are underway.
Therefore for the presentation to the AGM on fees for 2026 we have moved the recommendation to increasing the Membership Fee 2026 by £10 to £30 per annum to include the Public Liability Insurance part of the all-inclusive. PLI is the insurance that covers members injuring other people or damaging property whilst playing and protects members and Thistles club itself. Jim has proposed limiting the cost to members to £10 and subsidising at least in 2026 any extra needed to start the policy. This would mean from 1st January 2026:
Playing Membership = £30 to include PLI insurance
Associate Membership = £0
Guests would be charged £10 for insurance
Life members who are playing would be charged £10 for insurance