Women's sport is on a rapid ascent as indicated by several sell-out crowds at the ongoing Women’s Rugby World Cup, but the systems that protect female athletes are still catching up. As participation grows, so too does scrutiny around how risks are insured, managed, and priced. For Imogen Mitchell-Webb (pictured below), partner and head of sports at Horwich Farrelly (HF), this moment is a wake-up call for brokers.
"I generally become involved after the event, when an incident's happened," said Mitchell-Webb, who supports governing bodies, clubs, and manufacturers across the full lifecycle of a claim. "But increasingly, we’re asked to identify risk management gaps upfront, before claims arise."
Among the most pressing concerns in women’s contact sports like rugby are anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. "World Rugby data suggests women are up to six times more likely to suffer ACL injuries than men," Mitchell-Webb said. The reasons range from biomechanics - hip and pelvic differences that affect knee movement - to hormonal fluctuations that influence ligament strength.
"You can’t change anatomy or hormones," she said, "but you can implement targeted training and conditioning to build muscle support and reduce injury risk."
Concussion is another major risk, though the gender differences are less conclusive. "Some say women are more susceptible due to neck strength or hormonal cycles," Mitchell-Webb said. "But World Rugby’s latest elite-level data actually showed men had slightly higher concussion rates."
Still, risk mitigation must be gender-aware. World Rugby’s "Contact Confident" program, designed specifically for women, teaches neck stabilisation, safe falling, and reaction training to reduce injury severity.
Brokers should also watch for issues in equipment design. "Most kit is based on templates designed for white male bodies," Mitchell-Webb said. "Ill-fitting boots, for example, can cause studs to catch in turf, leading to twisted knees and preventable injuries."
A critical issue for brokers is that many injuries in women’s rugby don’t fall under traditional liability policies. "If no-one is at fault - say, a player ruptures their ACL in a non-contact scenario - it won’t be covered," Mitchell-Webb said.
In these cases, athletes must rely on personal accident (PA) insurance - coverage they must buy themselves. "Top-flight female rugby teams are still semi-pro in the UK. With a squad salary cap of £220,000, spread across 45 to 50 players, how many can afford robust PA premiums each year?" she asked.
Add to this the question of whether policies account for pregnancy, menstruation-related absences, or maternity leave. "It’s not clear that the current PA products on the market will cover absences related to these scenarios," she said. Brokers should be asking insurers what’s available, and what’s missing.
Mitchell-Webb believes the insurance sector has a pivotal role to play in pushing for better protection in women’s sport. "Proactive risk management is really the only way to reduce claims," she said. "Insurers and brokers should be actively supporting clubs in reviewing their processes."
She praises World Rugby’s investment in research and data transparency, calling it a model that could be replicated across other risk categories - ACLs, spinal injuries, and online abuse.
Clubs, too, need a policy rethink. "Women’s teams often start as add-ons to men’s clubs, so procedures are retrofitted - not designed with women in mind," she said. "That applies to everything from training regimes to safeguarding and online abuse policies."
These blind spots carry real consequences. "Sexist or body-shaming comments often don’t trigger automated moderation tools," Mitchell-Webb said. "They stay online too long and cause serious harm. Policies need to be reviewed through a female lens."
Insurers like Miller have begun to tailor products for female athletes - but the need for broader broker engagement is urgent. "Everyone with a stake in women’s sport should be investing in its safety," Mitchell-Webb said.
Her message to brokers is direct: "Ask the questions. Review what coverage exists. Identify the blind spots. Because when a claim comes in, you need to be able to show you saw this coming."
In a maturing market with rising visibility and legal exposure, proactive brokers won’t just manage risk - they’ll help shape a safer, more equitable future for sport.
