Hello all,
I’m not sure if this is the correct forum to post this, but I just needed to get the opinions of all of the combat/MMA fighters on something. I currently work as an athletic trainer in the collegiate setting and on the side have assisted with a few professional MMA fighters in terms of injury prevention and recovery from specific injuries.
I had recently been contacted by a group who is trying to establish an association that would help provide benefits to MMA fighters, one of those benefits being medical health insurance.
Of the professional MMA fighters I have interacted with, most, if not all, do not have some sort of personal medical insurance, and the only medical support they receive are for injuries sustained while fighting in an event for an organization. I was curious as to those on this forum who train for professional fights, or even those who just train for leisure, who has personal medical health insurance?
If you would like to help, post if you do or do not have health insurance and if you fight professionally or just train for the enjoyment. Any other information you can give on what you feel would benefit MMA/combat athletes from the medical field would be great too. I am supposed to have a phone conversation regarding this issue in the next week or so, so any and all help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
I have personal medical insurance through work. It actually covers me for martial arts (was surprised to see this.)
In the UK, a friend of mine has partnered with an insurance company to set up a policy specifically for grappling sports.
Blue, do you know if there would be a way to contact your friend in the UK who has partnered up with an insurance company just to see what their policy for grappling sports is set up like?
[quote]LevelHeaded wrote:
Blue, do you know if there would be a way to contact your friend in the UK who has partnered up with an insurance company just to see what their policy for grappling sports is set up like?[/quote]
Sure, let me pm you some details for him.
Most guys I know have insurance from their 9-5’ like Rich Franklin used to do. I’d be interested in the info on this as it develops.
http://www.grapplingartsassociation.org/
OK send a message through the contact us bit on the website above. If you don’t get a response, PM me and I will hit up Jude directly.
[quote]Barachiel wrote:
Most guys I know have insurance from their 9-5’ like Rich Franklin used to do. I’d be interested in the info on this as it develops.[/quote]
That seems to be the only situation where MMA fighters are getting health insurance. In a few cases, I have heard of some fighters who work at a gym/training facility sometimes getting insurance through them, but not all the time. In general, the fighters I have spoken with and know, who have fought in a variety of promotions, have all told me that the bulk of them do not own any personal medical health insurance.
Holding down the 9-5 job makes it very difficult to concentrate on your MMA career. And even then, some of those insurance companies won’t cover injuries sustained due to MMA training/fighting.
I’m hoping to gather more information and interested to see where this all leads.
sounds like mma fighters need to quit their shit jobs and get one of the many that will provide you with benefits. stupid gay skinheads.
[quote]goldengloves wrote:
sounds like mma fighters need to quit their shit jobs and get one of the many that will provide you with benefits. stupid gay skinheads.[/quote]
Thanks for the great insight. It greatly assisted with the information I was trying to gather. You should be commended for your unselfish, meaningful contribution to this discussion. [/sarcasm]
[quote]LevelHeaded wrote:
goldengloves wrote:
sounds like mma fighters need to quit their shit jobs and get one of the many that will provide you with benefits. stupid gay skinheads.
Thanks for the great insight. It greatly assisted with the information I was trying to gather. You should be commended for your unselfish, meaningful contribution to this discussion. [/sarcasm][/quote]
if there’s anything else i can do to help just let me know.
I train for pleasure, so don’t know if this will help, but I self-insure with Humana One. It’s not expensive, as insurance companies go, & so far they’ve taken good care of me.
Sometimes uninsured people can get insurance through associations they belong to that can get group rates - I know this is true for artists. I wonder if there are any athletic associations you might be able to go through?
Thanks for the info Miss Parker. Right now, there is a group that is trying to actually start an association for MMA/combat athletes, I’m guessing it would be similar to the NFL or MLB players association. They had contacted me regarding gathering some information and to find out what benefits MMA/Combat athletes would most want, etc. So hopefully in the near future, there will be a prominant association set up to assist those athletes.
[quote]Miss Parker wrote:
I train for pleasure, so don’t know if this will help, but I self-insure with Humana One. It’s not expensive, as insurance companies go, & so far they’ve taken good care of me.
Sometimes uninsured people can get insurance through associations they belong to that can get group rates - I know this is true for artists. I wonder if there are any athletic associations you might be able to go through?[/quote]