The IRONMAN® triathlon is widely considered one of the world’s most rewarding single-day sporting competitions. To conquer a 2.4-mile open water swim, cycle 112-miles, and then finish a marathon, it takes strength and grit. Athletes dedicate up to a year or more of their lives training for one of the greatest challenges of their life. Event directors invest large amounts of time and energy into giving athletes the best possible experience as they pursue the perfect race.

Whether it’s a 5K or half marathon, athletes and directors want the same thing: to be safe, have fun, and set personal records. But as any event manager knows, you always need a plan B—and sometimes a plan C. Race directors have contingency plans, emergency medical professionals, liability insurance and more to manage risks and safeguard the participants.

Unfortunately, some registered athletes never make it to the starting line. Most of the above efforts won’t ever impact them. For them, as well as athletes who hesitate to sign up because they’re concerned about unknown factors that might keep them from competing, our Event Registration ProtectorSM eliminates the problem of non-refundable, non-transferable race fees. By insuring their investment, we offer peace of mind for their worries about race day.

To shed more light on athletes' top concerns and why they might choose to protect their event registration, we polled our customers. As you might expect, six out of ten athletes who insure their race fees are primarily concerned with getting sick or injured. The next two biggest concerns were missing out due to weather cancellations and work obligations.¹

With Event Registration Protector^SM, a participant who misses an event for reasons such as a covered injury, illness, work/family obligation, travel delay, and covered emergency, can get 100 percent of their registration fees reimbursed. It may also cover existing medical conditions if specific criteria are met. For more on this, check out the top 7 reasons athletes need registration protection.

Among athletes who insure their race fees, nearly one-third of them are running half and full marathons. Similarly, nearly a third of our customers report spending $100-$300 on their total cost to participate, which may include travel.

Recognizing that more male athletes compete in cycling and ultra events than females, roughly a third of all male athletes that bought insurance participated in races typically more expensive, such as long-distance triathlons and cycling competitions. One out of five customers reported a total event cost of more than $300.

Insurance isn't just for big endurance races. Nearly half of our customers spent under $100 on their total cost to participate. And one-third of them compete in shorter events like 5Ks and 10Ks. Moreover, our registration protection starts at just $7.99, an appealing price point for popular local races.

Many athletes have an active racing season, exposing them to a higher risk of injury or other reasons to miss competitions. A third of our customers reported registering for three to four races a year, and one-third register for five or more per year.

Since its launch five years ago, more than 750,000 participants have protected over $55 million in race fees through Event Registration ProtectorSM. We partner with more than a dozen major race registration and event ticketing online providers. From community 10Ks to the IRONMAN® World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii (which we proudly sponsored in 2016), Allianz helps athletes safeguard their investment so they can train with confidence.

As race directors and sports event management staff strive to give their participants the best experience possible, we’re able to help better serve the athletes who never get to toe the line.

Terms, conditions and exclusions apply.
Insurance benefits underwritten by BCS Insurance Company or Jefferson Insurance Company, depending on insured's state of residence. Plan(s) may not be available in all jurisdictions. Allianz Global Assistance and Allianz Travel Insurance are brands of AGA Service Company. AGA Service Company is the licensed producer and administrator of these plans and an affiliate of Jefferson Insurance Company. The insured shall not receive any special benefit or advantage due to the affiliation between AGA Service Company and Jefferson Insurance Company. Non-­Insurance benefits/products are provided and serviced by AGA Service Company. Consumer may be responsible for charges incurred from outside vendors for assistance or concierge services. Contact AGA Service Company at (800­) 284-­8300 or 9950 Mayland Drive, Richmond, VA 23233 or customerservice@allianzassistance.com.

Citations:

1. Allianz proprietary research, 2016