THE SHORT ANSWER
When you enter a race, a competition or another sports event, insurance may be included through the organiser, the sports federation or a licence. This is not the case for every event. Read the invitation and the entry terms to see which cover exists, for whom and during which parts of the event.
Your own accident and home insurance are separate agreements with their own terms, and competitions or risky activities may be limited there. This guide is for you as a participant or a spectator. Insurance for those organising an event is a separate matter that is not covered here. [1][2][3]
Keep these points in mind
- Look for the insurance statement in the invitation or entry.
- Competing can affect what your own policy covers.
- Personal cover and ticket purchases are separate questions.
STEP BY STEP
How to check your cover
Find the insurance statement in the invitation
Read the invitation, the entry terms and the organiser's insurance information before you pay. Note who provides the insurance, which participants it covers and whether you need a licence. Keep the terms together with your entry confirmation.
The Swedish Cycling Federation's 2026 guidelines for recreational rides are one example. There, the invitation is expected to state whether the ride is sanctioned by the federation, which means accident insurance applies. The guidelines also state that participants take part at their own risk. Check whether your entry terms contain similar wording.
[1]Understand what the fee and licence include
In the cycling example, the organiser pays a fee for each registered participant that includes collective accident and liability insurance. It applies during sanctioned rides and on the way to and from them. A social ride does not always need sanctioning, and it is the sanction that makes participants insured through the fee. Do not apply these rules to another sport.
If you hold a licence through a sports federation, licence insurance may be included. The Swedish Sports Confederation (RF) explains that active athletes are often insured through their federation's licence insurance. Ask the federation for the current statement and read which competitions, training sessions and journeys it covers.
[1][2]Read your own accident policy
According to a comparison by Konsumenternas, an accident policy may not pay for injuries during risky activities, such as bungee jumping and climbing, or if you are a professional athlete. Such cover may require a specific policy for that activity. Read how your terms describe sport and competition.
Specialist sports insurance can add extra cover, but often with low benefit amounts. Disability benefits can be paid from several policies for the same injury, whereas costs are reimbursed by one policy only. The organiser's insurance and your own policy may therefore play different roles.
[3][4]Competing or travelling to the race: read the exclusions
The Swedish Cycling Federation points out that home insurance may cover some costs after an accident, but that its validity can be affected if you take part in a competition. Describing a ride as recreational when it was in fact a timed competition with results may mean that home or other personal insurance does not apply. Describe the event accurately when you report an injury.
If the race is abroad, also read the travel cover. According to Konsumenternas, several insurers exclude sports competitions and organised training, and what counts as a risky activity varies. Clubs often have their own insurance; ask the club or the insurer before you travel.
[1][5]
As a spectator, the ticket is a separate question
When you attend a sports event as a spectator, the purchase terms and consumer rules decide what happens if it is cancelled. According to the Swedish Consumer Agency, you can claim your money back if an event is cancelled or moved, whatever the reason. The main rule is a refund of the full ticket price. Contact the organiser or ticket seller in writing, preferably by email.
There is no statutory right of withdrawal when you buy tickets for an event. Ticket cancellation cover is an insurance product, and it often applies only for certain reasons, such as illness. Read the terms before relying on being able to cancel.
[7]Keep the organiser's statement with your policies
Keep the organiser's or federation's insurance statement and your private policy documents in My Forsio. You then have the documents in one place when reading amounts, periods and exclusions. If cover through the entry is unclear, the organiser or insurer needs to confirm it.
Forsio does not confirm a licence, an entry or a right to start. A missing statement from the organiser means Unverified, not that cover is absent. The insurer decides what can be paid after an injury.
Fictional example
One race. Three things to check.
Robin has entered a cycling event and holds a private accident policy, but has not read the invitation.
- Insurance through the entry
- Unverified
- Own accident policy
- Terms on competition need reading
- Next check
- Invitation, sanction and exclusions
The entry fee and the private policy do not by themselves show which cover applies during the race.
Common questions
Is insurance included in the entry fee?
Sometimes. In sanctioned recreational cycling rides, the Swedish Cycling Federation says accident and liability insurance is included through the fee the organiser pays. Other sports and organisers may work differently. Read the invitation and the entry terms. [1]
Does the organiser's insurance apply on the way to the race?
That depends on the terms. In the cycling example, the accident insurance applies on the way to the ride, during it and on the way back. Read your own statement for which journeys and times are included. [1]
Does my home insurance apply if I am injured during a race?
Home insurance consists of parts such as property cover, liability cover, legal expenses cover, assault cover and travel cover. Read your terms to see whether any part applies to an injury to yourself. Taking part in a competition can affect its validity, according to the Swedish Cycling Federation. [6][1]
What happens if I injure someone else during the race?
If someone claims compensation from you, the liability cover in your home insurance may apply. If you are found liable, the policy can pay the compensation to the injured person, within the limits in the terms. In sanctioned recreational cycling rides, participants also have liability cover where no other insurance exists. [6][1]
Am I insured as a spectator at a sports event?
In the cycling example, the participants' insurance covers registered participants. As a spectator, your own insurance and the ticket terms are the starting point. If the event is cancelled, the main rule is that you can claim back the full ticket price. [1][7]
MY FORSIO
Bring the documents together when life changes.
Keep insurance documents in one place in My Forsio. Read periods, limitations and details that need confirmation. Free for individuals.
Sources and references
Sources checked
This guide explains general principles of Swedish insurance. Your policy schedule and terms set out what applies to you.
- Swedish Cycling Federation: 2026 guidelines for recreational rides and participant insurance
- RF: basic club insurance and licence insurance for active athletes
- Konsumenternas: risky activities in accident policies
- Konsumenternas: sports insurance and payments from several policies
- Konsumenternas: sports competitions and risky activities when travelling
- Konsumenternas: the parts of home insurance and liability cover
- Swedish Consumer Agency: cancelled and moved events