Why Your Paintball Field's GL Policy Probably Has Gaps

I review paintball insurance policies every week. Most field owners think they're covered. Then I show them
what's actually in their policy.

Here's the problem. General liability sounds comprehensive. It's not. It covers third parties getting hurt
on your property. Spectators, staff, vendors. The parking lot slip-and-fall. The parent who trips over a
tank and breaks an ankle.

You know what it doesn't cover? Player injuries during gameplay. That paintball welt that turns into a
lawsuit. The kid who claims he lost hearing from a close-range shot. The ankle twisted running between
bunkers. Those are participant injuries. Different coverage. Different premium.

I had a field owner in Texas call me after his carrier denied a claim. Player took a neck shot at close
range, sued for $75,000 in medical bills and "nerve damage." The owner had $2 million in GL coverage.
Carrier said sorry, that's a participant injury, not covered under your policy. He settled out of pocket
for $42,000.

Here's What Gets Missed

1. No participant injury coverage at all. Some agents genuinely
don't know this exists. Others assume your waiver is bulletproof. It's not. Even perfect waivers get
challenged. You need insurance.

2. Property coverage that excludes your actual property. I've
seen policies that cover the building but exclude outdoor structures. Your netting, bunkers, air fill
station? Not covered. Storm takes out $30K in field infrastructure? You're buying new bunkers.

3. No coverage for rental equipment. You rent out 200 markers
every weekend. Fire takes out your rental inventory. Some policies categorize rental gear as "stock"
instead of equipment and limit it to $5,000. You've got $80,000 in markers. That's a gap.

4. Products liability that doesn't cover what you actually sell.
You sell masks, tanks, and CO2 in your pro shop. Someone claims a mask you sold failed and caused injury.
Your GL might have a products exclusion or a sub-limit of $50,000. One lawsuit blows past that.

What to Do About It

Pull out your policy. Not the one-page certificate. The actual policy. Look for these words: "participant,"
"player," "recreational sports participant." If you don't see them, you probably don't have participant
injury coverage.

Check your property schedule. Is your field equipment listed? Bunkers, netting, air systems? If it's not
scheduled, it might not be covered.

Look at your business personal property limit. Add up the actual replacement cost of everything you own.
Markers, masks, tanks, computers, retail inventory, furniture. If your limit is $50,000 and you've got
$200,000 in stuff, you're underinsured by $150,000.

Call your agent. Ask specifically: "Does this policy cover player injuries during normal paintball
gameplay?" If they hesitate or say "your waiver handles that," find a new agent.

We see this constantly. Good fields with bad coverage. It's fixable. But you need to know what you're
actually buying. Read the policy. Ask questions. Don't assume you're covered just because you're paying
a premium.