Unstaffed gym insurance

sligolad1

Would it be difficult to get insurance for an unstaffed gym set up as a "private member's club" or something similar? Obviously including all health and safety aspects possible (e.g. key fobs,CCTV, panic buttons, induction, regular maintenance etc) but without a staff member onsite the majority of the time. Would this be ridiculously expensive and unworkable or likely to be possible?

Eggs For Dinner

I doubt it's available. Risk management is essential for insurers. If there is nobody on site to take care of activity, equipment supervision/maintenance, spills etc., anything could happen. I'm not saying the cover is not out there, but I can think of a 100 reasons why it is a bad idea for insurers

sligolad1

Eggs For Dinner wrote: »

I doubt it's available. Risk management is essential for insurers. If there is nobody on site to take care of activity, equipment supervision/maintenance, spills etc., anything could happen. I'm not saying the cover is not out there, but I can think of a 100 reasons why it is a bad idea for insurers

I wonder how some GAA clubs and 24hr gyms get insurance for this but possibly as part of a large organisation they are able to take on bigger premiums etc?

Mjolnir

sligolad1 wrote: »

I wonder how some GAA clubs and 24hr gyms get insurance for this but possibly as part of a large organisation they are able to take on bigger premiums etc?

I can understand asking the question in another forum but the obvious solution is to ring some insurers within the industry and ask them.
I'd be amazed if many actual gyms would give information on the actual amount they have to pay.

The most the majority of us can offer is anecdotal evidence of their existence. There are small independent operators with unmanned gyms as I previously mentioned but they may have the means to pay a large insurance cost.

A gaa/rugby/soccer club may have their gyms simply included as part of the grounds and training facilities.

Best bet ring, ask and find out how many hours it would need to be manned in order to qualify to criteria.

I've no direct experience. I would assume it is very expensive. I would also assume it's not as expensive as paying staff wages. Hence, it is a real thing.

I would imagine you would need to have a member of staff who makes checks on the facility every X amount of hours, though. Not sure to ensure that everything is clean and there's no spills on the floor, but also to ensure that a group of lads don't just lift all your gear into the back of a van and away with them.

There will always be an insurance company that will cover it, but they'll work out how likely you are to claim, and go from there. I'd imagine, if you just have one facility, then it may not make sense, as any 24/hr gyms I'm aware of have generally got more than one facility. (ie; insurance may be more expensive than 1 staff member per year, but might be less expensive than 2 staff members, so it makes financial sense to do it if you don't need 2 full time staff; one at each facility).


There was a 24hr gym in Drogheda, and it was a one-off gym, but from what I gather (I was interested in this, and was looking at joining) their 24hr business model was very short lived. Not sure why it was cut so short, but it's not still an option with them.

Vikings

Have some experience with this - Michael Kennedy insurance group issued a policy underwritten by AXA for a member's club gym for 2 clubs I know of. Will depend on size of gym and number of members. One policy was in region of ~3,600