There are a lot of dangerous sports out there. Many athletes put their health and lives on the line every time they compete. One of the more dangerous sports, boxing, involves getting hit for and hitting other people for a living. Yet, in a sport where one of the major rules is “protect yourself at all times” many fighters are left unprotected when it comes to insurance. When it comes to health or life insurance, most fighters, even the champions you see on TV, a lot of times don’t have something as simple as a health insurance policy. Whether it’s the fault of the management, the family, or the fighter’s themselves doesn’t matter.
The short answer to the question above, is an absolute yes.
Health Insurance
A boxer’s body is the tool he or she needs to do their work. Without it, there is no career. Because it is one of the most strenuous activities the human body can go through, injuries will happen. It’s not a matter of if, but when.
“Most boxers, having grown up with in lower income brackets, never learned of the importance of health insurance, or even it’s existence.” Says Brawler, founder of Brawl Bros.
“Because of this, they go their whole career without coverage and end paying a ridiculous amount in hospital bills post fight or when incurring injuries during camp.” he adds.
This is an especially troublesome revelation because most fighters, aren’t on the championship level and aren’t receiving the high purses that can help offset those costs. Most fighters are one rough fight away from financial ruin.
“It’s up to their management team and coaches to remind fighters that this is required” says Brawler. It can be the difference between paying a $5,000 deductible and $50,000 hospital bill.
Keith Thurman, the welterweight world champion, had to pay out of pocket for his recent surgery, only realizing after the fact, that having health insurance could have saved him a lot of money.
Disability
Speaking of injuries, when they happen you are usually out of commission for a few months. Most fighters just take it as part of the process and sit without the ability to earn an income for months and sometimes years. What most fighters don’t realize is this is optional. A good disability policy can safeguard you against being unable to fight due to injury. It won’t provide you the same income a fight would, but at least provide a small cushion of income, which is a lot better than living off of saved cash.
Life Insurance
Now comes the dark conversation of insurance, especially in the fight game.
Nobody wants to think about the possibility of their own death, but that is the reality of life. One of the things most fighters fail to realize is that their life is at risk. This in turn, puts their family at risk. A lot of fighters fight to live, and their fists is how they support their family. Putting their life on the line when they step into the gym and into the ring is how they put food on the table.
Yet, most fighters don’t have life insurance and depend on their organizations or team to provide it for them. In most cases, fighters don’t think they can even get coverage because of how risky their business is. But the truth is if you work with an experienced agent, you can get the coverage you need with the right companies on the market that offer it.
The likelihood of death isn’t high in a boxing ring but it happens. Just like it isn’t high for the everyday civilian, which is why we protect ourselves in the first place.
Get Covered
Insurance is a valuable product that can help us avert financial disaster for ourselves and our loved ones.
Without it we put everyone around us at risk unnecessarily. The reason most people, especially fighters dont get insurance is because they don’t understand it, and most agents out there, don’t do a good job of explaining it.
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We’ve worked with many professional fighters for both boxing and MMA and can help you get the right life insurance, health insurance or disability coverage. If you are a fighter contact us today at 888-492-1867 or drop us a comment below.
