Some pretty weird things have been insured in recent history, most notably body parts. Foul-mouthed chef, Gordon Ramsey, has his tongue and tastebuds insured for $10 million against loss of function, disease or aging. German model, Heidi Klum, has insured her legs for $2 million (and would you believe one is worth more than the other according to her insurance policy?).
Other things that have been insured include cover for alien abduction, weddings (they aren’t cheap, so it makes sense in a weird sort of way if someone backs out at the last minute), and hole-in-one insurance. Golf clubs around South Africa have a rule that if you score a hole-in-one, you’re obliged to buy a round of drinks for everyone at the pub. If you’re playing on a quiet weekday morning, it might not set you back that much, but if the club is packed full, say on a public holiday, you can be seriously out of pocket if you make that elusive shot.
Now, there’s another odd thing you can insure: your fantasy football team. Join us as we take a look at this strange phenomenon and why it makes sense for fantasy players.
What is Fantasy Football?
Fantasy football is a type of game you can play as a sports fan while the soccer season is on. You get to put together your own fantasy team and ‘manage’ it, using any active players in the league. You’re given a budget that you can spend as you see fit on players—but know that some are more expensive to ‘buy’ than others, so you have to manage and balance your budget carefully.
Your players are then awarded points according to how well they play in every week’s matches. There are fantasy leagues for all kinds of sports and teams all over the world. In the US, the most popular is American football. In the UK, it’s the English Premier League (soccer).
How Fantasy Football Teams Are Insured
Of course, if one of your team’s players is injured during the real-life game, that player’s fantasy league points will suffer, which, in turn, affects your score for the week. And that’s where insuring your fantasy football team comes in.
Some insurance companies overseas are allowing sports fans to insure their fantasy teams against real-life injuries to their key players. They’ll pay out money as compensation to fantasy owners if their team suffers that week due to a player becoming injured.
What's Insurance Got to Do with it?
You might be wondering why someone would spend money on fantasy sports insurance if it’s just a game of harmless fun? Well, like all sports around the globe, fantasy team owners can take their league very, very seriously. There are prizes to be won if you win or are a runner-up. And people create leagues of their own within the leagues, putting an entry fee into a pot, for example, and the winner will take all.
What Prizes Can You Win Playing Fantasy Football?
The prizes you can win playing fantasy football are worth a lot of money. If you take the UK Premier League, for example, the winner for the 2022/23 league gets a week-long holiday in the UK, match tickets, a smart watch, a copy of FIFA 23, a laptop or SIM-free smartphone, noise-cancelling headphones, a Nike manager jacket, and a goodie bag with all sorts of, well, goodies, like a rucksack, a mug, and more. And that’s just the first prize. Runners-up also get VIP tickets to matches, laptops, speakers, earphones, and more.
What Other Sports Have Fantasy Leagues?
Most of the world’s fantasy leagues are in the US. These include, but aren’t limited to:
- American football
- Ice hockey
- Baseball
- NASCAR
- F1
- Cycling
Can You Get Fantasy Football Insurance in South Africa?
You can’t get fantasy football insurance in South Africa just yet, but don’t think that will always be the case. Insurance companies around the world, including right here, are evolving as they always have. Perhaps, one day, you’ll be able to take out fantasy sports insurance. Just a few years ago, you might have wondered what cyber insurance was—now it’s a common type of cover.
You might not be able to get your fantasy sports team insured here, but you can get all of life’s most important things covered. When you get a quote with us for your car, home, business, or life and we’ll arrange for a reputable insurance company to give you an estimate of what it will cost to insure you or your possessions. They’ll call you, so you don’t need to worry about following up on your quote.
Our system is fast, reliable, and uses modern technology to pair you up with the insurer most likely to meet your insurance needs. And the best part? You can save loads of money. We make sure you get the best possible price, saving up to 29% on your cover, no matter what type. To get started, you can fill in the form on this page.
