What insurance do you need to organize an MTB race?
Organizing a carrera of mountain bikes is no easy task. Beyond planning the route, ensuring the participation of bikers or getting sponsors, there is one aspect that raises many doubts: the mandatory insurance for cycling events. And if you are going to organize an MTB event, whether competitive or a ride, you need to know exactly what coverage is required to avoid legal or financial problems.
Imagine a muddy technical trail: moving forward without the right equipment can be a real challenge. The same thing happens with insurance if you don’t have clear information. Lack of knowledge, the variety of policies, and the absence of specific advice make this one of the main concerns for mountain bike race organizers.
The legislation is very clear: if an accident or injury occurs during the event and the participant goes to Social Security, a procedure will be initiated to determine if the damage happened in an organized event. If so, it will be the organizer who assumes the cost of medical assistance. That’s why taking out the right insurance is not just a legal obligation, but also a way to protect yourself from any unforeseen event.
What insurance do you need to organize a mountain bike event?
There are two mandatory policies you need to organize any kind of event involving mountain bikes:
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Civil liability insurance: Covers damages that may be caused to third parties during the event. This insurance protects the organizer against claims for injuries, property damage, or losses resulting from the cycling activity.
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Accident insurance for participants: This is mandatory and covers personal injuries that each biker may suffer during the route. This includes medical assistance, hospitalization, or, in extreme cases, compensation for disability or death.
These insurances are especially relevant in MTB events
, since the routes usually include technical descents, narrow trails, or sections of varying difficulty, which increases the risk of falls or impacts. If you are thinking about organizing a mountain event, whether it is a federated race or a popular ride, make sure you have both insurances active before the day of the start.
Key to safe and successful cycling events
More and more cycling enthusiasts are participating in mountain bike events. And with this growing influx, the organizer's responsibility also increases. Having the right insurance not only guarantees a legal event, but also instills confidence in participants, sponsors, and authorities.
In addition, having all legal and safety aspects well covered will allow you to focus on what matters: designing a good route, attracting the best cyclists, and establishing your event as a reference in the world of mountain biking.
Civil Liability Insurance
Covers economic damages caused to third parties or material objects as a result of holding the carrera. With this insurance, you are also covered in case you have employees in the organization and they suffer a work accident. In addition, Civil Liability Insurance takes care if any of the supplies offered to participants cause personal or material damage. For example, if the food at the refreshment station causes food poisoning. Civil liability insurance also covers defense expenses if necessary, such as lawyers' fees, as well as expert costs or bail if for any reason you receive a complaint.
Accident Insurance
As its name suggests, it covers the medical care of participants in the event if necessary, as well as disability resulting from the activity itself or death. That is, if one of the participants dies during the event—hopefully this never happens—or is left disabled due to an accident, this insurance covers you against any liability. Never organize a mountain bike event without taking out insurance. There are two Royal Decrees that require insurance for sports events. These are Royal Decree 849/1993 of June 4 and Royal Decree 1428/2003 of November 21, which applies to popular or professional competitions held on public roads.
The price of insurance depends on several factors, such as the number of participants, the type of event to be held, or the time of year.
The law also specifies that when the registration of participants in the event is formalized, Organic Law 15/1999 of December 13, on Data Protection, must be considered. That is, you must inform participants about how you will use the data you ask for at registration, such as name, phone number, or email. On some occasions, although it is neither mandatory nor very common, the two aforementioned insurances are complemented by Damage Insurance. This covers expenses arising from property damage, deterioration of objects, or even covers the frustration of expected outcomes, known as loss of profit. It is especially recommended if there is a risk of theft or weather circumstances such as floods or fires.
Three tips before taking out insurance
Before taking out insurance, we recommend that you follow these tips. This way, you will save money and anticipate any issues before they occur.
1. Visit several companies
Although it may seem obvious, it is advisable to request quotes from several insurance companies and ask them all the questions you have. Some offer discounts and special deals. Go to recognized companies and ask if they have specific insurance for sporting events, since the proliferation of popular competitions is prompting insurers to launch products tailored to them. A good idea is to go to the meeting with the insurer with a list of questions. When you have all the information and know the price, visit at least one or two more companies to compare coverage, policies, and, of course, the cost.
2- Inform your team
Once the insurance is contracted, make sure that everyone on the organizing committee is aware of its coverage. On the day of the carrera you will be in charge of many things at once, and in the event of an accident, any of you will know the steps to follow and can pass them on to the affected person.
3- Include insurance in the budget
A common mistake is to create a budget with the expected income and expenses... leaving out the cost of insurance. This leads to last-minute worries and may mean having to cut back on the financial allocations initially planned for other items. At this point, the big question arises: How much does it cost to take out this type of insurance? The cost depends on many factors. In fact, not even the insurance companies themselves provide clear information until you give them the details of the event you want to insure. But, generally speaking, they usually cost between €100 and €350. The price difference depends mainly on the clauses you want to include. . But it also depends on how many participants are expected and the route that will be taken. Even the season of the year or the day of the week chosen, which are usually Saturdays or Sundays. The province where the event is held and the type of route—whether it is more or less dangerous—also have an influence. The range is very broad, but the obligation to take out these insurances should not be neglected.