Club cricket insurance: Latest advice from Howden for 2024

In this content collaboration with Howden, we catch up with Colin Mico to find out the latest on cricket club insurance for 2024.

An insurance broker for 40+ years, Colin is a qualified coach at Caterham Cricket Club, as well as advising the Surrey Cricket Foundation and county boards. He knows the grassroots game inside out and therefore the challenges that clubs of all sizes face.

From 1 October 2023, he became Head of Recreational Clubs for Howden Sport & Entertainment, which means that in addition to cricket, Colin’s remit now includes all recreational sports clubs, other than golf.

That might be of interest if you’re part of a wider sports club and all sections want to consider cover under one provider. (Here’s a recap of the key club cricket insurance benefits and how to get an online quote).

Part of Howden’s strength is the sheer number of grassroots clubs who trust them. (The wider company is also rated excellent on Trustpilot). Cricket dominates though, making up about a third of their clients in this area.

As for cricket, all clubs need insurance protection for eventualities we hope never happen but sadly sometimes do. I see it all too often from vandalism to storm damage or flooding.

If you’re with another company and looking ahead to renewal, it’s going to be partly about a quote and also having an insurer on your side, with an in-depth knowledge of club cricket. Howden can offer both.

Many come to Howden who are the official insurance broker partner of the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

That’s partly for the combination of great customer service and stable premiums but also to ensure the policy meets the needs of each club, their members and visitors.

ECB News

Catching up with Colin, we got to talking about news from the ECB and the appointment of Leshia Hawkins who has been appointed as the new Managing Director, Recreational Game.

Colin told me: “It’s great to see Leshia being given her chance to transform the relationship that the ECB have with the recreational game after all her success with Cricket Wales. I think that it makes a very strong trinity for club cricket with the two Richards. (Richard Thompson, ECB Chair and Richard Gould, ECB Chief Executive).

To add to that, my own view is that it’s a positive to have a prominent figure with a proven track record of supporting the recreational game as part of the ECB Leadership Group. With a remit to ensure “that every region is supported to deliver recreational cricket to the best of its ability across its communities”, according to the ECB Website.

Saltaire Cricket Club pavilion in the snow

Off-season insurance advice

Thoughts turn to any off-season advice from Howden for cricket clubs with their insurance.

Colin said: “Make sure your club is secure and safe, particularly if you are closing up until next April.”

It’s an obvious one but looking after properties with a water supply can avoid common problems when the temperatures plummet:

“Make sure that the water system is drained, and the supply turned off at the stop cock, or that there is background heating during the cold snaps if the club is going to be open at weekends. This will stop the pipes from freezing and leading to an expensive escape of water claim.”

A top tip from Colin is for those cricket clubs that aren’t usually open in the winter months as a change in usage can affect your insurance:

“You may also want to check your insurance policy to see if there is any restriction of cover whilst unoccupied – common restrictions are theft, building damage caused by attempted theft, and escape of water.”

Review sums insured

One of the issues that cricket clubs can face is under-insurance. That means that the amount they’re covered for no longer equals the amount required to fix whatever problem they’re seeking protection from.

An example might be that you insure your pavilion for £200,000 but a year later, it would now cost £240,000 to rebuild, like-for-like – which leaves the cricket club with a shortfall, unless you review and change your policy, if needs be.

Colin’s advice is: “If you are renewing your insurances in the first quarter of 2024, it might be a good idea to start reviewing the sums insured given the high rate of inflation in the building industry between 2019-2022.”

Get in touch with Howden

Contact Howden to review your current cricket club insurance well before the renewal date. If you’re not with them at the moment, it’s always worth having a chat to see what they can offer too.

It gives you time to ask questions, arrange any paperwork and get the best cover at the best price for your circumstances.