Player Injury Schemes
The GAA Injury Benefit Fund is a Self-funded benefit fund funded entirely from GAA funds with no outside involvement. Each player needs to ensure that they have adequate cover in place to meet their own individual needs and personal circumstances. The GAA Injury Benefit Fund is only in place to cover benefits which cannot be claimed elsewhere and is a benefit cover only.
In summary, the GAA Injury Benefit Fund is in place to cover benefits which cannot be claimed elsewhere. Therefore, if a claimant is seeking to claim benefit from the fund, they must exhaust all other avenues before making a claim under the GAA Injury Benefit Fund.
All Claims will be subject to rigorous scrutiny – please ensure the following:
- Player must be registered on the GAA Injury Fund (this is date/time stamped)
- Only injuries that arise from an Official training/match event will be considered – Mentor must sign declaration.
- Secretary must sign declaration
- County Board must sign declaration
- Official letter signed by secretary must be provided
- All required documents must be completed in full
- Claim must be submitted within the 60-day deadline
The GAA’s Medical, Scientific and Welfare Committee have developed the following advice and resources for players in relation to injuries.
O’Dwyers Injury Scheme Process
- Head mentors must notify BOTH Club and Juvenile Secretary by completing the ‘Clubs Injury Reporting Form‘ if a player gets injured during a training session or match.
- If the injury occurs during a match, the mentor must ensure that
- The injury is recorded in the referee report.
- If a mentor, is notified only after a game of injury, the mentor must contact the referee straight away to have it recorded into his/ her report.
- The relevant Secretary will record injury for club administrations.
- The Club/Juvenile Secretary will make contact with player over 18 or a parent under the age of 18.
- The GAA insurance process will be explained to the player or parent of a Juvenile Player
- Club or Juvenile Secretary will assist the claimant with the forms and the process
Injury Schemes (GAA, LGFA, Camogie)
GAA Injury Scheme – Male Members (Adult & Juvenile) and Nursery
The Scheme provides benefit to male members playing Hurling, Gaelic Football and Handball whose clubs are registered with the scheme.
The Injury Scheme is funded entirely from Club and GAA funds. There is no legal obligation on the GAA to provide such a Scheme. Risk is an inherent factor in sport. When members voluntarily take part in club activities, they accept the risks that such participation may bring.
The Injury Scheme does not seek to compensate fully for injury but to supplement other Schemes such as Personal Accident or Health Insurance. The Scheme only provides cover for unrecoverable losses up to the limit specified under the Scheme.
Ultimately, the responsibility to ensure that adequate cover is in place lies with the individual member.
The Scheme is administered by Willis Insurance and runs from 1 January to 31 December each year.
The most common claims made under the Scheme are for medical and dental expenses and these are summarised below. The Scheme also covers claims for loss of wages, supplementary hospital benefit and permanent disability, information on these is available from the GAA website.
Medical Expenses
If you have medical insurance such as VHI or Laya Healthcare etc, a claim must be made with your medical insurance provider in the first instance. Otherwise unrecoverable medical expenses are covered up to a maximum of €5,000 subject to an excess of €60 for each and every claim. Willis Insurance check whether there is medical insurance in place for the individual applying to the Scheme.
Physiotherapy must be medically prescribed and is limited to €200 in total per claim.
Dental Expenses
Non-recoverable dental expenses are covered up to a limit of €5,000, excluding the first €60 of each claim.
How do I claim?
The claim form can be downloaded from www.gaa.ie, and here by clicking Claim Form
The claim form should be fully completed and forwarded together with all relevant supporting documentation (official medical receipts are required – invoices are not acceptable) to the O’Dwyers Club Secretary at secretary.odwyers.dublin@gaa.ie for signing.
All claims are required to be reported to Willis Insurance within 60 days of the incident. Claims reported outside the 60 day period will not be processed. Claimants must allow 5 working days for the claim form to be validated at both the Club and County Board level.
Ladies Football Injury Fund (Adult & Juvenile)
The Ladies Gaelic Football Association Injury Fund provides benefit to female members playing Gaelic Football.
The Injury Fund is not an insurance scheme. Players who have medical insurance must claim from their policy and submit a statement of account of their medical claim. Risk is an inherent factor in sport. When members voluntarily take part in club activities, they accept the risks that such participation may bring.
The Injury Fund does not seek to compensate fully for injury but to supplement other Schemes such as Personal Accident or Health Insurance. The Injury Fund only provides cover for unrecoverable losses up to the limit specified under the Fund.
Ultimately, the responsibility to ensure that adequate cover is in place lies with the individual member.
The Scheme runs from 1 June each year to 31 May the following year.
Full information on the Injury Fund is available from the website www.ladiesgaelic.ie by following the “Injury” icon or clicking on Injury Fund
The most common claims made under the Fund are for medical and dental expenses and these are summarised below. The Fund also covers claims for loss of wages.
Medical Expenses
If you have medical insurance such as VHI or Laya Healthcare etc, a claim must be made with your medical insurance provider in the first instance. Otherwise unrecoverable medical expenses are covered up to a maximum of €5,000 for any one injury.
Physiotherapy sessions are limited to 6 sessions and 90% of physiotherapy costs may be paid.
Dental Expenses
Non-recoverable dental expenses are covered up to a limit of €3,000.
How do I claim?
The claim form can be downloaded from www.ladiesgaelic.ie by clicking on the “Injury” icon, or by clicking Claim Form
The claim form, together with all relevant supporting documentation (official medical receipts are required – invoices are not acceptable) should be fully completed and signed by the injured player, team trainer and forwarded together with all relevant supporting documentation (official medical receipts are required – invoices are not acceptable) to the O’Dwyers Club Secretary at secretary.odwyers.dublin@gaa.ie for signing.
All claims must be reported within 8 weeks of the date of injury. Claims reported outside the 8 week period will not be processed. Claimants must allow 5 working days for the claim form to be validated at both the Club and County Board level.
Camogie Injury Fund (Adult & Juvenile)
Willis operates the Camogie Players Injury Insurance Scheme for members of Cumann Camogaiochta na nGael.
The Scheme provides cover for unrecoverable losses up to the limit specified under the Scheme. Players who have medical insurance must claim from their policy and submit a statement of account of their medical claim. Risk is an inherent factor in sport. When members voluntarily take part in club activities, they accept the risks that such participation may bring.
The Scheme does not seek to compensate fully for injury but to supplement other Schemes such as Personal Accident or Health Insurance.
Ultimately, the responsibility to ensure that adequate cover is in place lies with the individual member.
Full information on the Injury Scheme is available from the website www.camogie.ie by following the “Administration” then “Insurance” icon.
The most common claims made under the Fund are for medical and dental expenses and these are summarised below. All benefits will be halved in the event that protective head gear is not worn. The Fund also covers claims for loss of wages and permanent disability.
Medical Expenses
If you have medical insurance such as VHI or Laya Healthcare etc, a claim must be made with your medical insurance provider in the first instance. Otherwise unrecoverable medical expenses are covered up to a maximum of €5,000 excluding the first €75 for each and every claim.
Physiotherapy only claims where there is no other medical expense is subject to an excess of 10% of the cost of medically prescribed treatment.
Dental Expenses
Non-recoverable dental expenses are covered up to a limit of €5,000 excluding the first €75 for each and every claim.
How do I claim?
The claim form can be downloaded from www.camogie.ie by clicking on the following the “Administration” then “Insurance” icon, or by clicking Claim Form
The claim form should be fully completed and forwarded together with all relevant supporting documentation (official medical receipts are required – invoices are not acceptable) to the O’Dwyers Club Secretary at secretary.odwyers.dublin@gaa.ie for signing.
All claims must be reported within 30 days of the date of injury. Claims reported outside the 30 day period will not be processed. Claimants must allow 5 working days for the claim form to be validated at both the Club and County Board level.