The groundbreaking research project making insurance fit for female athletes

Understanding the data deficit

Football, cricket, rugby, netball, and Olympic sports have seen huge spikes in popularity and investment. But behind the success stories, there is a data deficit that needs to be addressed. To shape better support systems, understanding the landscape in which female athletes compete is crucial.   

There is a need for deeper analysis of the unique physiological, social and professional challenges that female athletes face. To move the needle and improve the insurance cover for sportswomen, we’re partnering with Loughborough University in a ground-breaking research programme.

Effective insurance policies and welfare systems are only as good as the data they’re built on. And at the centre of the challenge is a major data gap.

Data on female athletes is currently limited, fragmented and inconsistent. Injury statistics, health reporting and risk modelling are heavily skewed towards men. Women’s bodies do not mirror those of men, so their experiences don't either. Injury rates differ and injury symptoms can present differently in female athletes. Recovery and rehabilitation timelines and long-term health outcomes can also vary.

Many health issues experienced by female athletes don’t meet traditional injury definitions and are excluded from formal reporting altogether. Hormonal fluctuations. Menstrual cycles. Contraception. Pregnancy and postpartum recovery. Pregnancy loss. Fertility-related concerns. All of these are under-reported and under-analysed. They also tend to be poorly integrated into performance and medical systems, which further distorts the available data.

Female athletes shouldn’t have to settle for being insured, supported or governed using male-derived assumptions. That’s why we’ve partnered with Loughborough University, a global leader in sports research, to build a tailored evidence base that will help to address this data gap.

Breakthrough research to address longstanding gaps

Howden and Loughborough University’s female-focused research project combines literature review, injury surveillance and athlete insights with interviews and insights from medical and performance support staff.

Dr Laura Barrett of Loughborough University said, “This project is vital because it explores longstanding gaps in how we understand injury and risk in women’s sport. By recognising the unique physiological and environmental factors shaping female athletes’ experiences, we can build the robust evidence base needed to improve protection, support, and opportunity for female athletes.”

Howden Sport & Entertainment is committed to the long-term sustainability of women’s sport. Through this partnership, we’re driving insurance products that are informed, credible and fit for purpose, by addressing gaps in existing policies.

Louise Clark, Head of Corporate Affairs, Howden Sport & Entertainment said, “Female athletes face a distinct set of risks and considerations from an insurance perspective. Understanding these differences through evidence-based research is essential if we are to drive meaningful change and ensure protection truly reflects their needs.”

Equipped with this new data, insurers can consider systemic biases and change policies to genuinely reflect female athletes’ risk profiles at every stage of their sporting careers.