It was recently announced that Universal would be developing a theme park near Bedford.
The park is set to open in 2031 and is expected to be “one of the largest and most advanced in Europe, with 8.5 million visitors expected in its first year,” Sky News reported.
According to Adrian Browne (main image, left), QBE UK casualty portfolio manager, insuring an amusement facility is not a walk in the park: “Insuring an amusement park is complex - involving high volumes of public interaction, technical machinery operating at speed, and a diverse, often seasonal workforce.”
According to Marc Loud (pictured top right), ACII and director at Park Insurance, public liability cover should top the list when it comes to insurance priorities. “It covers claims from the public who may suffer injury or property damage while visiting the park,” he said. “It is essential to ensure that the coverage is adequate to handle the potentially high number of visitors and the variety of incidents that could occur.”
Browne identified some of the main risks amusement parks typically face, including mechanical ride failures, slips and trips, crowd surges, and food and retail-related incidents.
He said underwriters need to carefully examine five key areas: “the liability split between ride manufacturer, installer, and operator; ride safety certification and manufacturer compliance; ongoing maintenance regimes and enforcement of service schedules; operator training and supervision protocols; and safety signage, queuing systems, and guest behaviour management.”
Loud also urges brokers to consider higher liability limits, especially for parks with larger crowds or more thrill rides: “Given the high-risk nature of amusement parks, consider high liability limits - typically upwards of £10 million or more, especially for large parks or those with more thrill rides.”
He also emphasised the importance of employer’s liability insurance: “Employer’s liability insurance is required by law in the UK for any business with employees. It covers injuries or illnesses suffered by employees while working at the park.”
Kristian Ives (pictured main image, right), underwriting manager, crisis management sport & leisure for UK & Lloyd’s at AXA XL, said brokers may want to explore property cover for weather-related risks: “Brokers could recommend a property policy, which includes material damage coverage as well as business interruption. Flood cover is subject to risk location because different parts of the country have higher exposure to flood risk, and therefore insuring against flood can be restrictive.”
According to Browne, other areas of concern include crowd safety and terrorism.
He said: “This is particularly topical with the development of the legal framework around venue management and Martyn’s Law.”
Loud also stressed a broker’s role in protecting businesses from disruption. “Brokers are crucial partners in helping amusement parks prepare for and reduce the financial impact of business interruptions, especially from things like ride malfunctions, temporary closures, or other unexpected issues.”
Ives added that coverage for mechanical breakdowns may be included in some policies. He said: “Brokers could recommend to their clients business interruption cover to mitigate a significant downturn in revenue as a result of damage caused by an insured peril, the obvious being fire. There are certain business interruption extensions such as denial of access, loss of attraction, failure of public utilities, which can be added to the insurance policy, but, generally speaking, each of these would have very specific terms and conditions for how they apply.”
Loud argued that brokers are essential in supporting risk management for high-footfall environments: “Good insurance brokers play a key role in helping amusement park owners understand, assess, and manage the risks that come with hosting large crowds and dealing with the possibility of accidents.”
Browne echoed the point: “With high daily footfall, constantly moving crowds, and an environment filled with high-energy attractions, proactive risk management is essential.”
He explained that risk profiling can help identify vulnerable areas in a park: “Brokers and insurers should request footfall and incident data to identify crowd patterns, high-density zones, and areas of elevated risk — such as queue lines, ride entry/exit points, food courts, or first aid stations. A solid understanding of this data guides safety measures and resource allocation.”
Browne also emphasised the importance of on-site risk assessments: “Engineers and specialist partners carry out on-site assessments to highlight potential exposures before they escalate - from ride maintenance protocols and employee training to crowd control layouts and emergency access…[in-house health & safety teams].. bridge the gap between operational and insurance perspectives.”
In the event of a serious incident, pre-loss planning can prove critical.
Browne implored: “…Help clients prepare for worst-case scenarios such as major ride failures, fires, or large-scale injury events. ..structured pre-loss planning supports faster, clearer decision-making in a crisis - protecting lives, brand reputation, and business continuity.”
