Contracts, Insurance and Liability in Corporate Events: An HR Checklist

This is the least discussed and most risk-carrying topic in corporate event planning: if something goes wrong at an event involving physical activity, who is liable?

This article is not legal advice; it is a practical list of the questions to ask at the quote and contract stage, prepared to be used together with your legal or procurement team.

Nine clauses a contract needs

1. Scope of service — itemised

"Corporate sports event organisation" is not a definition of scope on its own. Equipment, staff numbers, transport, catering, consumables and extras should each be written separately. Exclusions should also be listed explicitly.

2. Staff numbers and qualifications

The number of instructors, guides and marshals should be written as a figure, and whether certified first aid staff will be present should be stated. This matters for both service quality and liability.

3. Headcount and the final-numbers date

How many days in advance numbers can be updated, what happens if they fall, whether additions are accepted. It is normal for 10–20% of registrations not to attend; without that date in writing, you pay for those who did not come.

4. Payment terms

Deposit percentage, balance due date and invoicing arrangements. If your procurement process does not pay deposits, say so at the quote stage — a mismatch discovered later delays the event.

5. Cancellation and postponement

Three separate scenarios should be written:

• Company cancellation: What refund applies up to which date
• Provider cancellation: Full refund, alternative date, or compensation
• Force majeure (weather, natural disaster, official restrictions): Who decides, when, and what happens to the deposit

6. Weather and the alternative programme

For outdoor events this should be a separate clause: at what hour and by whom the decision is made, the right to an alternative date, and any indoor plan B.

7. Insurance

Who arranges which policy and what it covers. Detail below.

8. Limits of liability

Damages arising from the provider's fault should be separated from those arising from a participant's own conduct. If the contract contains a one-sided clause stating "all liability rests with the participant", show it to your legal team.

9. Image use consent

Who may use the photographs and video taken at the event, and where. If the provider will use them in their own marketing, that requires separate consent from employees.

Insurance: the most commonly skipped topic

Which policies exist?

• Personal accident cover: Applies if a participant is injured. Usually arranged daily, based on the participant list.
• Third-party liability: Damage caused by the provider to third parties or property during the event.
• Venue insurance: The venue's own policy — it may not cover your participants.

These are three different things and none substitutes for another. "The venue has insurance" does not mean your participants are covered.

Sports that may fall outside cover

Standard personal accident policies may classify some activities as hazardous sports and exclude them:

• Skiing and snowboarding
• Climbing and bouldering
• Water sports (diving, rafting, sailing)
• Air sports (paragliding, bungee)
• Motorsports

For these, get written confirmation that the policy covers the specific discipline. "We have insurance" is not a sufficient answer.

Is the employee's own health policy enough?

Company private health policies usually cover treatment but not event liability, and hazardous sport exclusions can apply there too. A daily event-specific policy is a low-cost, high-protection item.

The health declaration process

Collecting health declarations is necessary for both safety and liability at events involving physical activity. A practical structure:

1. A short declaration in the registration form: Heart conditions, blood pressure, pregnancy, recent surgery, mobility limitations, allergies and medication.
2. Yes/no questions; do not ask for a diagnosis. "Do any of the following apply to you?" is enough; if detail is needed, speak to the person individually.
3. Who sees the information: Only the event lead and field team. It should not be passed to managers.
4. Delete after the event. A retention period should be set and communicated.

Data protection considerations

Health information is special category personal data and subject to stricter conditions than ordinary personal data. If you collect it during event registration:

• Explicit consent should be obtained, with a separate and comprehensible consent text
• The purpose must be limited: event safety only
• A retention period should be set and the data deleted at the end of it
• If shared with the provider, their role as a processor and the transfer conditions should be in writing
• Separate consent is needed for photography and video; that is personal data too

A practical suggestion: rather than sending raw health declarations to the provider, pass on only the operationally necessary summary — for example, "three participants need a lower-intensity alternative".

Voluntary participation

More a matter of principle than law, but with legal consequences: participation in events involving physical activity should not be made compulsory. An injury during a compulsory activity creates an entirely different footing for liability.

The practical solution: define an alternative programme at every event for those who do not wish to take part. This reduces liability risk and, paradoxically, raises attendance — people join more readily when they know they do not have to.

A short checklist

• ☐ Scope itemised, exclusions listed
• ☐ Staff numbers stated as figures
• ☐ A final-numbers date for headcount
• ☐ Cancellation terms written for all three scenarios
• ☐ A weather clause and a plan B
• ☐ Who holds personal accident cover and what it covers — in writing
• ☐ Confirmation that the relevant discipline is covered by the policy
• ☐ Health declaration process and data protection consent ready
• ☐ Separate consent obtained for image use
• ☐ Participation voluntary, with a defined alternative programme