By: The Newry Clinic

It may have passed under the radar, but GAA players of all codes and at all levels should pay great attention to the new GAA injury scheme (insurance policies) announced for 2010.  Major changes have taken place to these policies, changes which aren’t exactly favourable to the paying, playing member.  For the same annual subscription as last year, the claimable benefits for a player following injury have been greatly reduced both in monetary amount and in the scope of conditions/injuries that warrant pay out.

For example, if we take the modern day epidemic of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, an initial appointment with a consultant is needed at approximately €150.   An injury that is experienced in almost every club, maybe to more than one player every year, the necessary surgery for this injury costs over €5000.  An MRI scan will be needed to confirm diagnosis of the injury costing approximately €300 on average.  A minimum of 20 post operative physiotherapy sessions are also needed, with an approximate average of €40 per session, comes to €800.  Therefore the total cost of medical expenses for an ACL injury comes to almost €6350.  The GAA insurance will only pay out a maximum of €4500, minus €100 excess, therefore a total of €4400 (why is the €100 excess needed?)

In the North of Ireland, the average cost of an MRI scan for such an injury is £400 (€452), so the €300 reclaimable is someway short of this.

Cover is not provided for the unfortunate player who does not require surgery for an injury but may require long term treatment e.g. someone with a lumbar spine disc problem or severe ankle sprain.  Some of these conditions can require physiotherapy for 6 months or more.

In an attempt to provide a disclaimer for anyone who wishes to play Gaelic games, the GAA state ‘risk is an inherent factor in sport, as in life.  When members voluntarily take part in club activities they accept the risks that such participation may bring’ 

And rightly so, but if a player wishes to insure him/herself fully against these risks it would make sense to seek insurance from a different provider e.g. VHI/BUPA where all the possible eventualities are covered.  Perhaps the GAA would prefer if players would seek their own individual insurance cover with other providers.  In a further twist, if a player has other medical insurance cover, the GAA insurance will not pay out!

Therefore the choices players have to make, is should they pay the smaller GAA insurance premium but be inadequately covered against the risks of the sport, or should they seek to pay a higher premium with another company but be fully insured against all possible scenarios?

Maybe it’s a topic the new fully affiliated GPA can get their teeth into if their agenda is not ‘pay for play’ but instead player welfare.  Or will we in the future see elitism in a different disguise, whereby separate GAA insurance policies are drawn up for the county players?