Specialist Self Defence Instructor & Club Insurance
Comprehensive cover for self defence instructors, classes, workshops and programmes of every kind, with licensing, compliance, governance, and club tools included at no extra cost.
The Smarter Way To Insure & Licence Your Self Defence Classes
Self defence insurance that works as hard as you do.
- Underwritten by AXA XL via Lloyd's
- FCA-Registered Introducer Appointed Representative
- ISO 9001:2015 & ISO 27001:2022 Under UKAS Accreditation
- Not-For-Profit, With A Legal Asset Lock
At BMABA CIC, we provide comprehensive, specialist insurance built around what real self defence instructors actually need. Whether you run weekly community classes, women's self defence programmes, school and workplace workshops, or conflict management and physical intervention training, this isn't a generic policy dressed up with martial arts branding. It's cover shaped by more than a decade of hands-on industry leadership, designed and managed by a not-for-profit organisation that actively supports, advocates for, and reinvests into UK martial arts.
From instructor insurance and student licensing to free cover for sanctioned events and seminars, plus free club cover for qualifying organisations, we offer a single, easy-to-manage solution covering your insurance, compliance, safeguarding, and growth needs. Practical, contact-based training and scenario work are ordinary parts of practice for approved disciplines, with self defence, self protection, personal protection, conflict management and physical intervention all named on our approved list, and multiple styles covered at no extra cost. All from one place, and all underwritten by AXA XL via Lloyd's, accessed through our FCA-registered broker.
As an organisation certified to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 27001:2022 under UKAS accreditation, and an FCA-registered Introducer Appointed Representative, our governance is as strong as our values. Trusted by more than 100,000 members and 6,500 instructors, assistants, and volunteers across around 1,500 clubs, including self defence providers of every size and background, we are the independent martial arts association the sector has been waiting for.
If you're searching for self defence instructor insurance, self defence class insurance, or cover for self defence workshops and programmes, you're in the right place. It all lives under one membership, one login, and one renewal.
Everything Your Club Needs. In One Place.
Six covers, one membership, one login. Explore each below to see just how far our cover stretches.
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Instructor Insurance Named and Open Allocation cover for instructors across more than 200 disciplines.
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Student Insurance Affordable, scalable public liability insurance and licensing for every student at your club.
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Club Cover Business-level protection for your club as a legal entity. Free for qualifying clubs.
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Event Cover Free, unlimited sanctioned event cover, including full contact and multi-day competitions.
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Live Blade Cover Cover for live blade demonstrations, test-cutting, and exempt weapon importation.
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Referee & Officials Specialist cover for referees, judges, and ring officials at competitions and tournaments.
Why Clubs Choose BMABA Over A Standalone Insurer
Built by martial artists. Backed by AXA XL. Every penny of profit reinvested into UK martial arts.
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Flexible And Affordable Monthly or annual plans with no extra charges for multiple styles or weapons. Tiered pricing that gets more cost-effective as your club grows.
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Insurance And Membership In One Your policy includes CPD training, safeguarding tools, licensing, club management software, digital certificates, and compliance dashboards. All included, no extra fees.
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Expert Guidance, No Pressure Clear, jargon-free support before you join, throughout your policy, and if a claim ever arises. Our team know insurance and martial arts. No call centres.
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Martial Arts-Specific Protection Public liability, professional indemnity, abuse cover, products liability, personal accident, and contents. All crafted exclusively for martial arts, underwritten by AXA XL via Lloyd's.
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Regulated, Accredited And Impact-Led Certified to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 27001:2022 under UKAS accreditation, FCA-registered, and Cyber Essentials certified. A multi-award-winning social enterprise with governance to match.
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Trusted Across The UK More than 100,000 members and 6,500 instructors, assistants, and volunteers across around 1,500 clubs. Every style, every size, every stage.
A Professional Home That Actually Gets Self Defence
BMABA CIC isn't just somewhere to buy a policy. It's a professional home for your self defence work, alongside thousands of instructors nationwide, from community class teachers and women's programme leads to workplace trainers and physical intervention specialists. We understand the nuances, because we work with them every day.
- Members' Map & Local Networking Our national club finder maps BMABA clubs across the UK and filters by style, including self defence and the wider reality-based family. Find nearby providers, connect with local instructors, and build referral, cover and guest teaching relationships in your area. Explore Club Listings
- Credibility Where It Counts Schools, workplaces, councils and community groups increasingly ask who stands behind a self defence provider. Verified membership of a governing body certified to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 27001:2022 under UKAS accreditation, with safeguarding, DBS and first aid infrastructure built in, answers that question before it's asked.
- A Community, Not Just A Certificate Membership brings a national community of like-minded instructors, politics-free forums, national campaigns, and recognition for the work you do on the ground. You stay fully independent, with a governing body in your corner whenever you need one.
Multi-Award Winning & Nationally Recognised
What Sets Us Apart?
We know self defence isn't one-size-fits-all, and yet too many insurers and associations act as if it is.
From weekly community classes and women's programmes to school workshops, workplace sessions and physical intervention training, self defence is delivered in more shapes than almost any other discipline. That lack of understanding can lead to insurance grey areas around contact work and venues, demands for belts many systems never used, or governance frameworks that don't fit how you actually teach.
We've built a platform that respects how self defence really works, whether you teach one evening a week or deliver programmes full time. That's why self defence instructors across the UK choose BMABA for style-agnostic governance, expert support, and practical tools. Not just paperwork.
Explore Pricing- Practical, Contact-Based Training Covered Scenario work, contact drills and pressure testing are how self defence is properly taught, and they sit within cover, with rubber, wooden and training weapons covered as standard in supervised instructional settings.
- Classes, Workshops & School Programmes. You're Covered. Cover follows the person, not the venue, so weekly classes, one-off workshops, school programmes and workplace sessions all sit within the same policy. No box-ticking, no forced affiliations. Just protection that works.
- Any Genuine Background, Recognised Whether you came up through a martial art, a service career or years of dedicated self defence teaching, our eligibility routes recognise genuine experience on its own terms, with every lead instructor properly vetted. Membership means something because it's checked, not self-declared.
- No Politics. No Hidden Agendas. We don't tell you what curriculum to teach or how to run your classes. You stay in control. We just provide the tools and cover to help you thrive.
Your Self Defence Organisation And BMABA. Side By Side.
BMABA works happily alongside Your Self-Defence Organisation A Personal Safety Network Your Certification Body A Conflict Management Provider Your Martial Arts Association A Community Safety Programme
We will never suggest, even for a moment, that you can't or shouldn't be part of a self defence-specific organisation or network alongside BMABA. Plenty of our instructors hold certifications and memberships from the system they trained in while using our insurance, governance, safeguarding and tools day to day. We support and champion instructors belonging wherever feels right for them.
And a word on loyalty. If any organisation ever suggests you owe them exclusivity, or leans on your certifications or your standing because you chose to insure or affiliate elsewhere, that tells you something important about whose interests they're really protecting. A body confident in its own value doesn't need threats to keep its members. We'd rather earn your membership, every single year.
We’re The UK’s Independent Martial Arts Association Backing Your Club
Unlike insurers who offer nothing more than a certificate and a premium, we’re a not-for-profit, community-first organisation built to serve you. Not shareholders.
When you insure with BMABA CIC, you’re not just ticking a legal box. You’re unlocking a complete ecosystem of tools, training, governance, and support. All included, and all at no extra cost.
- Full instructor and club licensing
- CPD-certified safeguarding & compliance training
- Free club management and billing software
- Certification, licensing & support
- Plus loads more
Self Defence Doesn't Come With A Belt. We Built For That.
Self defence instructors come from everywhere: martial arts backgrounds across a dozen styles, service and security careers, safeguarding and education roles, and years of dedicated teaching that never produced a certificate. It's also a field with more than its share of self-appointed experts, which is exactly why proper verification matters more here, not less.
Here's how eligibility honestly works. Ideally, we want to see a base discipline held at black belt or equivalent: a Karate black belt teaching self defence, for example, joins on that grade and is covered for both Karate and self defence together, since multiple styles cost nothing extra. Where self defence, self protection, close quarters combat or another reality-based system is your standalone art, our Black Belt Equivalency Process assesses it on its own terms: teaching history, references, service backgrounds and system training all count, and we can work with what you've got to a degree. It's free, confidential, and carries no penalty if the answer isn't yet.
And because our in-house compliance team proactively vets the credentials of every lead instructor joining under our name, BMABA membership is an accolade that's earned and verified. Not a self-declared badge from a self-declared body. For the schools, workplaces and parents who book you, that difference is everything.
- The Equivalency Process A simple, structured assessment of your real training history, teaching experience and background. Free, confidential, and with no penalty if the answer isn't yet. How Equivalency Works
- Every Lead Instructor Vetted Our compliance team verifies the credentials of every lead instructor who joins, protecting your classes, your students and your reputation under our name. When you display our badge, it means something. Eligibility Criteria
- An Accolade, Not A Rubber Stamp Because entry is checked rather than bought, membership carries weight with parents, schools, workplaces, councils and community groups. Your teaching stands alongside verified instructors of every art, not beneath anyone's self-declaration.
How Far Does Our Cover Stretch?
A flexible approach to cover, providing only what you need via our Group or Club products. Explore each cover below.
Both formats include as standard: £5M Public Liability, £1M Professional Indemnity, £500K Abuse Cover, and £1M Products Liability. Worldwide cover applies, excluding the USA and Canada.
Also included as standard with every named instructor policy: free cover for sanctioned events, live and pre-recorded online lesson cover, temporary instructor cover for sickness and holidays, maternity and paternity provisions, birthday party cover, and holiday camp and food preparation cover. These are not extras. They come as standard.
Optional additions include a £10M Public Liability upgrade at £37.00 per year, Contents Cover up to £5,000 at £75.00 per year, and Personal Accident cover across three tiers.
Instructor insurance starts from £67.99 per year for named cover and £77.99 for open allocation at volume. Membership is separate and starts from £22.99 per year at volume. The more instructors your club registers, the lower the per-instructor cost across both membership and insurance.
Cover is underwritten by AXA XL via Lloyd's, accessed through our FCA-registered broker.
Importantly, member-to-member cover has been explicitly confirmed in writing by AXA XL. Student-on-student incidents during training are covered, something not guaranteed by all providers.
You can choose between Named student cover, where each student is individually registered and issued a lifetime licence, or Open Allocation cover, where you insure a number of active student slots without naming individuals. Both options integrate directly with the Lifetime Student Grade Register, our national safeguarding framework, and our Club Management Platform.
Optional Personal Accident cover is available across three tiers for students wanting additional protection for injuries sustained during training, at £4.99 per student per year or £0.49 per month.
Pricing scales significantly with volume. Named student cover starts at £3.70 per student per year for smaller clubs, reducing to £0.54 at 1,000 students or more. Open Allocation starts at £2.40, reducing to £0.49 at volume.
Cover includes £5M Public Liability, £1M Professional Indemnity, and £500K Abuse Cover for the club as a legal entity.
For qualifying clubs, Club Cover is provided completely free. If you hold a RegulationReady Bronze score or above, insure your instructors through BMABA, and register your students through BMABA, the full annual Club Cover cost is gifted to your club. That is our investment in clubs that take governance seriously.
For clubs not yet qualifying, Club Cover is available at £169.99 per year or £16.99 per month.
If your club requires Employer's Liability or premises cover, we operate a referral process to connect you with appropriate providers.
For clubs wanting to formally register, licence, and recognise their assistants and volunteers, dedicated registrations are available. These provide formal BMABA recognition, access to MyBMABA, exclusive CPD including the Instructor Training Pathway (ITP), safeguarding, concussion management, SEND, and first aid training, and full integration with your club's compliance framework.
Assistant Instructor registration costs £24.99 per person annually, or five for £100.00. Volunteer registration costs £9.99 per person annually, or five for £39.96. Monthly options are available at £2.49 and £0.99 respectively.
Cover extends to events with up to 500 participants and up to 250 students. Full contact and multi-day events are included. All attending competitors must hold a valid BMABA licence, which is nationally transferrable across the UK. Non-BMABA competitors can be added to student licences or covered at £2.50 per head.
Our dedicated event management platform is available to help you plan, manage, and document your events from start to finish.
For clubs not yet qualifying for free event cover, or for events requiring bespoke arrangements, our team can discuss options on request.
Referee and Officials cover is available from approximately £3.33 per month, making it one of the most affordable specialist covers in UK martial arts.
If you run events and want to ensure your officiating team are properly covered alongside your competitors and instructors, this is the cover to add.
Border Force letters and certification are available on demand through your MyBMABA account, providing the documentation you need quickly and without unnecessary process. This is particularly relevant for disciplines including Iaido, HEMA, Kenjutsu, and traditional weapons-based practice.
Cover requires supervised use, controlled environments, and use justified for traditional, instructional, or technical martial arts purposes. Safe storage and transportation practices are required as standard.
It’s Not Just Insurance. And That’s The Point.
BMABA is a not-for-profit membership organisation, not a commercial insurer. Your insurance is bought as one with membership, typically for a price comparable to insurance alone elsewhere, and everything else we offer comes with it: CPD, safeguarding, licensing, club software, tools and human support. A legal asset lock means our income is reinvested into martial arts, never distributed as profit.
Build your own bespoke cover. Toggle what you need, leave off what you don’t.
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Instructor Cover & Membership £5M Public Liability, £1M Professional Indemnity, £500K Abuse Cover and £1M Products Liability, plus full BMABA membership and everything that comes with it. From £90.98membership and insurance combined, per instructor, per year, at volume Activate & See Real-Time Pricing
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Student Licensing & Insurance £1M Public Liability per student with member-to-member cover confirmed in writing, plus student membership and a formal BMABA licence. From £0.49per student, per year, at volume Activate & See Real-Time Pricing
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Club Cover Business-level protection for your club as a legal entity: £5M Public Liability, £1M Professional Indemnity and £500K Abuse Cover. Free for qualifying clubsotherwise £169.99 per year Activate & See Real-Time Pricing
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Optional Extras Contents Cover at £75.00, a £10M Public Liability upgrade at £37.00, and a menu of specialist bolt-ons. Add what you need, leave off what you don't. Add what you needleave off what you don't Activate & See Real-Time Pricing
- Free unlimited event cover for qualifying clubs
- Live blade cover available as an optional extra
- Referee & officials cover available as an optional extra
- Personal Accident cover available from £3.99
The Membership That Can Pay For Itself
Here’s the honest version. You might not want to change the providers you already use, and that’s completely okay. Many are excellent, and we’d never ask you to cancel anything. But your club has to have insurance anyway, and ours is priced like an insurer’s while including everything below. Use what you want, when you want. If you don’t, no pressure. If you do, the savings add up fast.
Tick the things your club is already paying for, and watch them become free.
Coaching Levels 1 and 2, SEND Level 1 and concussion (CHIMA) training are included as standard. The wider CPD library needs Silver membership or above.
Tick what you already pay for elsewhere, and watch it become free.
About these estimates*
These prices are estimates based on middle-of-the-road paid providers, and your numbers will vary. We’re not suggesting we’re the best at every one of these. Plenty of specialist tools are excellent, and you’re welcome to keep using them. We just think we’ve built a bloody good system, and everything above is included with membership. Per-person training costs are counted once here, the wider CPD library needs Silver membership or above, and exact membership pricing is always shown in the signup builder.
And the core compliance stack lives here too. One login, one renewal.
- First Aid Training
- Safeguarding Qualifications
- DBS & PVG Checks
- Coaching Qualifications
- Concussion & Head Injury (CHIMA)
Attendance Payments Memberships Waivers Bookings Student Profiles Sorted.
Your entire admin in one place, completely free with membership. Attendance registers, class bookings and timetables, payments and memberships, registrations and waivers for workshops, rich student profiles, and so much more. No per-student fees. Not now, not ever.
- Attendance registers
- Bookings & timetables
- Payments & memberships
- Registrations & waivers
- Student profiles
- Safeguarding & compliance
Plus So Much More As Standard
Just some of the tools and resources included with membership.
- Instructor Certification & Licensing
- Student Insurance & Licensing
- Free Instructor Qualifications
- Safeguarding Qualifications
- Lead Safeguarding (DSL) Award
- Enhanced DBS Checks
- First Aid Training
- CHIMA (Concussion & Head Injury)
- Instructor Training Pathway (ITP)
- Cadet & Assistant Instructor Licensing
- Trauma-Informed Coaching CPD
- SEND Level 1 & 2 Awards
- Mental Health First Aid CPD
- Risk Management Awards
- Safeguarding Code For Martial Arts
- Safeguarding Model Policies
- National Grading Integrity Scheme
- Lifetime Student Grade Register (LSGR)
- Stock Grading Certificates
- Template Documents & Forms
- Best Practice Guidance
- Free Club Website (Flo by BMABA)
- Link-In-Bio Site Builder
- WordPress Hosting & Free Migrations
- Professional Webmail
- AI For Martial Arts
- AI Lesson Planner & Pedagogy Tool
- Dojo Planner (Syllabus & Curriculum)
- Club Planner & Digital Whiteboard
- Digital Risk Assessment Tool
- Workspace For Martial Arts
- Strategic Dashboard
- SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) Toolkit
- Website Analytics & Tracking Tools
- Domains & DNS Management
- CANVA by BMABA
- Marketing Toolkit For Martial Arts
- Free Taster Session Bookings
- Club Management Support
- Logos & Accreditation Marks
- Printing & Design
- Clothing & Uniform
- Cyber Toolkit
- Cash Grants & Funding
- Budgeting Apps
- Local & National Networking
- National Club Listings & Advertising
- Entrepreneur's Support
- Event Management Checklists
- Plus So Much More
Free Club Management Software. Exclusively Built By Us, Just For Our Clubs.
BMABA’s Club Management Platform is our in-house, professionally developed all-in-one system. It’s free for all of our members, and comes with a tonne of essential and groundbreaking features as standard.
- Attendance & Grade Tracking
- Student Records Management
- Class Bookings & Timetables
- Flexible Payments & Memberships
- Grading Certificates Generator
- Licence Slip & Documents Generator
- Customised Branding & Functionality
- Data Freedom & Ownership
- Leads & Prospects Management
- Online Video Training Library
- 1-to-1 Tuition Management & Billing
- Events Management & Ticketing
- Secure Safeguarding Case Management
- Manage Events & Competitions
- Student Portal & Member's Content
- Concussion & RtP Management
- Digital Incident Log Book
- Digital Risk Assessments
- Task Management
- Registrations & Waivers
- Built-In Club Community & Forums
- Manual Invoicing
- Accounting & Budgeting
- Staff Management & Staffroom
- Calendar & Scheduling
- Business Management & Planning
- Easy To Use Parent Accounts
Raising Standards, Protecting Clubs
With RegulationReady and Club Colours, every BMABA club gains free access to the most advanced governance framework we know of in martial arts: a gold-standard system built in-house, operated under our ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 27001:2022 certified processes, and recognised nationally through SCiMA.
Mapped directly against the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts (SCiMA) and formally approved by Sport England, our frameworks allow clubs to earn full SCiMA recognition directly through the MyBMABA platform, automatically and at no cost. We are the only independent martial arts body, and one of just two organisations nationwide alongside Sport England’s own NGBs, granted the authority to issue SCiMA certification in this way.
This isn’t a policy pack gathering dust. Your safeguarding, leadership and compliance are checked dynamically against live data, giving you instant certification, public recognition and complete transparency. For a self defence provider, that means your curriculum, your delivery model and your teaching culture stay yours. Your governance quietly meets some of the highest standards in the sector, included free for every member.
Ministerial Commendation And Parliamentary Recognition
“Organisations such as the British Martial Arts and Boxing Association support unaffiliated martial arts providers to adopt the safeguarding code… Providers with recognition under the code can display a logo on their promotional materials to show participants that their safety measures have been vetted.”
BMABA CIC has been recognised at the highest levels of Government for our commitment to safeguarding in martial arts. During a House of Commons debate on combat sport safety, the Minister for Sport, Stephanie Peacock MP, highlighted the British Martial Arts & Boxing Association by name for our work in supporting independent and unaffiliated clubs to adopt the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts. This direct mention in Parliament demonstrates that our efforts to raise standards and protect participants are shaping the national conversation on safety in combat sports.
Following that debate, the Minister for Sport wrote formally to commend BMABA’s work, praising our role in raising safeguarding standards across the independent martial arts sector. She described our contribution as “extremely useful” to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s ongoing policy development, and thanked us for our ongoing efforts to make martial arts safer for children. This recognition reflects the trust placed in BMABA to help Government address urgent safeguarding challenges highlighted by recent tragedies within combat sports.
For our members and the wider martial arts community, this recognition underlines BMABA’s credibility as a leading voice for independent martial arts in the UK. It demonstrates that our grassroots-driven mission, to promote safe, inclusive, and properly governed martial arts for all, is influencing national policy and gaining ministerial support. Being referenced in Parliament and commended in writing by the Minister for Sport reinforces that BMABA is not just a governing body, but a sector-shaping organisation working to protect participants and secure the future of martial arts.
“I appreciate your ongoing efforts to make martial arts safer for children.”
Because We’re A Martial Arts Governing Body. Not A Corporate Insurer That Doesn’t Understand What You Do.
Insurers don’t speak up for martial arts. They sell policies. When the sector faces serious pressure, whether it’s COVID lockdowns, safeguarding reform triggered by coroner inquests, or growing calls for national regulation, most insurers stay silent. They won’t fight for independent clubs, push for better standards, or represent your voice where it matters.
BMABA CIC is different.
We lead from the front, representing our clubs at the highest levels with Sport England, DCMS, media, and beyond. We don’t just react. We help shape the future of martial arts in the UK. Whether it’s safeguarding, concussion protocols, or governance reform, we’re the voice for instructors who would otherwise be left out of the conversation.
And because we know how unclear insurance can be, we don’t just hand you a lengthy policy document. We translate everything into plain, martial arts-specific guidance through our handbook, so you know exactly what’s covered, without the guesswork.
- Monthly or AnnuallyWe’ll support your cashflow with flexible payment options. Pay monthly or annually, whichever suits your club best.
- Bespoke ArrangementsCan’t find what you need? We’ve quoted and configured countless unique club setups. If your structure is a bit different, we’ll do our best to help.
- Always UpdatedWe’re constantly releasing new features, training, resources, and tech. All existing members benefit, not just the new ones.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you can’t find the answer to what you’re looking for, please jump onto web chat and we’ll be happy to help.
Multiple styles are covered at no extra cost, so if you're qualified in each discipline you teach, your self defence classes and martial arts classes combine under one policy. If your system isn't listed by name, the list can be revised with our insurer on request wherever a genuine discipline requires endorsing.
Incidents between students during training fall under the student public liability policies, where member-to-member cover has been explicitly confirmed in writing by AXA XL. For partner-based practical training, that's exactly the cover you need, and it is not guaranteed by all providers.
Just as importantly, the organisations booking you increasingly ask what stands behind you. Verified membership, enhanced DBS support, safeguarding qualifications and first aid training, all available through one login, answer those questions before they're asked. If your delivery model is unusual, ask us and we'll confirm the details in writing.
Where self defence, self protection, close quarters combat or another reality-based system is your standalone art, our Black Belt Equivalency Process offers a respectful, structured route that assesses genuine experience on its own terms: teaching history, references, service backgrounds and system training all count, and we can work with what you've got to a degree. It's free, confidential, and carries no penalty if the answer isn't yet. Every lead instructor is vetted by our compliance team either way, which is exactly why membership means something.
Dual affiliation is common, sensible, and entirely your choice. If you're unsure how the two would fit together, ask us and we'll give you an honest answer, including if we think staying put serves you better.
For self defence work specifically, where schools, youth groups and programmes for vulnerable people are often the audience, this safeguarding infrastructure isn't just a policy condition. It's the credential that wins the booking. All of the training involved is available online through membership, most of it free.
If you want to develop them properly, our Instructor Training Pathway (ITP) gives your assistants a measured, certified route from supporting sessions to qualified instruction, with formal registration, CPD access and full integration with your compliance framework available from £9.99 per year for volunteers.
When you join, you don't just get an insurance policy. You gain access to a full membership package including licensing, instructor support, safeguarding training, live verification, digital certificates, club management software, and much more. All included at no extra cost, with the total price typically equal to or less than what you would pay for insurance alone with a standalone provider.
That is possible because we are a not-for-profit. We don't pay shareholders. We reinvest into better tools, resources, and support for the martial arts community.
We want you to be informed, confident, and in control of your decision. Here are the core handbook articles covering the main aspects of cover:
Most small clubs typically start with instructor insurance, which includes Public Liability, Professional Indemnity, and Abuse Cover as standard. You may also choose to register students, but there is no pressure to include anything you don't need straight away.
Our team is here to talk through your options. Use web chat or contact us directly and we will help you find the right starting point.
For students, you don't need to name each individual. You cover the number of active student slots at your club and manage your records accordingly. Our free Club Management Platform makes this straightforward.
For instructors, you purchase the number of active insurance policies needed at any one time. If ten instructors rotate but only two teach simultaneously, you can hold ten memberships and two active insurance policies. It is a flexible and cost-effective way to protect your team.
To access free event cover, clubs complete our online compliance checklist, provided through our free event management platform, which gives you all the tools and resources needed to plan and run your event compliantly in one place.
The only condition is that all students attending must hold a valid BMABA student licence. Licences are nationally transferrable, so students from other BMABA clubs are covered automatically. Any participants without a BMABA licence can be added to student licences or covered at £2.50 per head.
A Completely Free, Easy-To-Use Club Management System That Makes Running Your Club Simple.
BMABA’s Club Management Platform is our comprehensive, all-in-one system, built exclusively for our members and completely free to use. It handles everything from student records, grading, billing, and attendance through to safeguarding, compliance, finances, budgeting, communications, and so much more, all under one simple, intuitive roof.
- Attendance & Grade Tracking
- Student Records Management
- Class Bookings & Timetables
- Flexible Payments & Memberships
- Grading Certificates Generator
- Licence Slip & Documents Generator
- Customised Branding & Functionality
- Data Freedom & Ownership
- Manage Events & Competitions
- Student Portal & Member's Content
- Concussion & RtP Management
- Digital Incident Log Book
- Digital Risk Assessments
- Task Management
- Registrations & Waivers
What Cover Does & What It’s For
A plain English guide to each type of cover we offer, what it protects against, and who needs it. Summaries only. Always read the full policy wording in the handbook.
Cover levels: instructors hold £5,000,000 as standard once a recognised coaching qualification is held (our free Level 1 qualification satisfies this), with an optional upgrade to £10,000,000 available at £37.00 per year. Clubs hold £5,000,000 and students £1,000,000 as standard.
Public Liability is the most common type of claim in martial arts and is considered essential for anyone delivering instruction or participating in organised training.
Cover level: £1,000,000 included automatically for all instructors and clubs.
For example, if you recommend a course of action to a student that leads to financial loss, or if something published on your website or social media results in a defamation or copyright claim, Professional Indemnity is the cover that responds. It does not cover physical injury. That is the role of Public Liability.
Cover level: £500,000 provided automatically for all instructors and clubs, subject to holding our safeguarding qualification and a verified enhanced DBS.
If an instructor is accused of inappropriate conduct, this cover helps fund legal defence costs. It can also protect the club if it is implicated in a safeguarding oversight or failure in duty of care. Cover applies even where allegations are ultimately unfounded, which is precisely when legal costs can be most significant.
Cover level: £1,000,000 included automatically with all instructor insurance policies.
This cover is often overlooked but is relevant to any instructor or club that sells or distributes physical goods, even informally.
Personal Accident is available across three tiers for both instructors and students: Bronze at £3.99, Silver at £7.50, and Gold at £11.50 per year, with the higher tiers adding enhanced benefits including loss of income protection of up to £200 per week. Monthly options are available.
This cover is particularly valuable for instructors who are self-employed and would have no income protection if they were unable to teach due to injury.
To access event cover, clubs complete a straightforward online compliance checklist through our free event management platform, which provides all the tools and resources needed to plan and run events compliantly.
The only condition is that all students attending must hold a valid BMABA student licence. Licences are nationally transferrable, so students from other BMABA clubs are covered automatically. For any participants without a BMABA licence, cover is available at £2.50 per participant. Full contact and multi-day events are included.
Cover level: up to £5,000 as standard, at £75.00 per year or £7.31 per month. Higher limits are available on request.
For example, if an instructor's pads, gloves, or weapons are stolen from a secure location, or if mats stored at a facility are damaged by flooding, Contents cover helps replace the items quickly. It is particularly useful for instructors who transport significant amounts of equipment or who own specialist kit. Conditions apply around unattended vehicles and secure storage, so read the policy detail before relying on it.
This includes disciplines such as Iaido, HEMA, Kenjutsu, Ninjutsu, and any other style where live blades are used for traditional or instructional purposes. Border Force letters and certification for exempt weapon importation are available on demand through your MyBMABA account.
Safe storage, supervised use, and controlled training environments are required as standard conditions of cover.
Available from approximately £3.33 per month, it is one of the most affordable specialist covers in UK martial arts and ensures your officiating team are properly protected alongside competitors and instructors.
What Do Our Members Say?
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Matthew Johnson Can't Rate Them Highly EnoughHaving left my previous association in November, and being very daunted by the prospect of being responsible for all my own compliance and everything else I can honestly say BMABA have made the whole thing possible and even pleasant. The training resources are great, it's been fantastic for me to be able to quickly up skill my team, the insurance is really easy to sort out, the team are super friendly and helpful, the perks on Gold membership are also fantastic.
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John Tomsett Outstanding Club Association and Insurance ProviderI have been a customer of BMABA for two years now, and I am extremely impressed with their services. First and foremost, the customer service provided by BMABA is exceptional. Their team is responsive, professional, and genuinely dedicated to ensuring that our needs are met. Whenever we had a query or require assistance, they responded rapidly and effectively.
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Georgina E Really impressive, 21st century MA organisation. 10/10Found these guys in Martial Arts Illustrated doing a piece on professionalism in martial arts and thought, as an instructor, they might be worth looking at further. Really impressed from the moment I hit their website through to now, 3 months on as a member. Great staff, Giovanni is rediculously knowledgable and our club is now growing under the banner of what has got to be the best martial arts org in the UK.
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Michael Willington Definately recommended. Unbelievable Association.The BMABA are unlike any other org I've come across in this industry. Their honest, professional, politics free and most importantly, they know what they're doing. Website is leaps and bounds ahead of the rest, insurance is comprehensive and their overall customer service is just unlike anything else I've had in 25 years of martial arts. Amazing through and through. Would definitely recommend.
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Jonathan D BMABA – the Martial Arts Association you NEEDI joined the BMABA right in its infancy (I believe I was their second member!). Giovanni is the most helpful, respectful and genuine person who has turned the possibility of a non-political, highly respected and supportive Martial Arts Association into a reality. I could bang on for hours about the BMABA but don't take my word for it – go and visit the BMABA website and see for yourself.
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Fabian Burdett 2020 This team deserves a MedalAs we all know 2020 has been the year from hell for martial arts. One thing that has come out of that is BMABA have done everything in their power to keep clubs like mine up to date with what's happening and tried to push the government to notice us. Couldn't wish for a better association to be a part of. Once again big THANK YOU to you guys for all the help. 💙🐺👊
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Matthew Robert Cooling-Stones These guys are the real dealAs i'm heading into the brave world of starting up my own small self defence club in our village, i can say with complete honesty and satisfaction that BMABA have been the most supportive and upfront association i have come across. i have seen and had first hand experience with the Mcdojo's offering you the greatest adventures of a life time. but these guys are the real deal… i hold my head high, and say with great pride "i am a BMABA member"
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Anna Martensson Highly IMPRESSED by the BMABAAs someone with 22 years of experience in martial arts, who saw enough big egos and leaders who only look after their own benefits… I am highly IMPRESSED by the BMABA. I wanted to make sure they don't just promise the world but actually deliver. They support us all the way and constantly look for new ways of making our whole industry better for ALL of us. THANK YOU!!
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Adrian Jackson Always quick to respond and thoughtfulAlways quick to respond and thoughtful. Great service delivered at a very reasonable price and very supportive of the community. Been a member for a couple of years now and recommend highly
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Daniel Leaver Simply the best organisation I have ever worked withSimply the best organisation I have ever worked with. Everything is so stress free and I am definitely sticking with them for the rest of my career.
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From A £20 Start-Up To A Nationally Recognised Powerhouse. Built From Scratch, Driven By Purpose. That’s BMABA CIC.
We’re not here because of government grants, NGB status, or Sport England funding. We’re here because thousands of instructors and clubs believed in a better way. BMABA CIC is entirely independent, self-funded, and not-for-profit. We have never taken shortcuts or silver spoons, but we have earned recognition at the highest levels of UK sport, including Sport England, DCMS, and national media, purely on merit. More than £2.4 million generated to date, reinvested into the UK martial arts community.
No gimmicks. No politics. No hidden shareholders.
We built one of the UK’s most trusted martial arts ecosystems from the ground up. A comprehensive, style-agnostic governance system. Sector-leading safeguarding and compliance. Affordable insurance. Free club management software. Dozens of tools, licences, guidance, and expert support, all included, all in one place.
We didn’t inherit a legacy. We forged one.
Whether you’re stepping out for the first time or have always been proudly independent, this is your home. To high places by narrow roads isn’t just a slogan. It’s how we got here.
Disciplines Covered
We cover more than 200 disciplines and styles, including the full self defence family from self protection and personal protection to conflict management and physical intervention, with multiple styles covered at no extra cost, and the list can be revised with our insurer on request wherever a genuine discipline or style requires endorsing.
See the full approved disciplines list
- Aiki JuJitsu
- Aikido
- Aiuchi Ju Jitsu
- Aiwakai Karate Do
- Ashihara Karate
- American Kempo
- Angampora
- Arnis
- Atemi
- Ba Ji Quan and Tai Chi
- Baguazhang
- Bajiquan
- Bajutsu
- Bando
- Bartitsu
- Bataireacht (Irish Stick Fighting)
- BMABA Approved Disciplines & Styles
- Bojitsu
- Bojuka
- Bojutsu
- Bokator
- Bokh (Mongolian Wrestling)
- Brazilian Ju Jitsu (BJJ)
- British Combat Judo
- British Folkstyle Wrestling
- Budokon
- Bujinkan Budo
- Bujinkan Budo Tai Jutsu
- Bujutsu
- Bushi Kempo
- Bushido
- Butthan
- Canne de Combat
- Capoeira
- Catch Wrestling
- Ch`uan Fa
- Ch`uan Shu
- Chambarra
- Cheibi Gad-Ga
- Chi Gong
- Chinese Kickboxing
- Choy Li Fut
- Choi Kwang Do
- Close Protection Training
- Close Quarter Combat (CQB)
- Combat Hapkido
- Combat Hopak
- Combat Sambo
- Conflict Management
- Coreeda
- Cuong Nhu
- Dacayana Eskrima
- Daido Juku Kudo
- Daito-ryu
- Daito-ryu Aiki Jujitsu
- Dambe
- Danzan Ryu
- Drunken Fist (Zui Quan)
- Dumog
- Eagle Claw Kung Fu
- Enshin Kaikan
- Escrima
- Fencing
- Feng Shou
- Filipino Martial Arts
- Fitness Orientated Kickboxing
- Folkstyle Wrestling
- Freestyle Jujitsu
- Freestyle Karate
- Freestyle Karate Jutsu
- Freestyle Kung Fu
- Freestyle Kickboxing
- Freestyle Taekwondo
- Fu Jow Pai
- Gatka
- Glima
- Goju Kai Karate Do
- Goju Ryu Karate
- Gongkwon Yusul
- Goshin Jutsu
- Goshin Ryu Kempo Jujitsu
- Haidong Gumdo
- Hakuda
- Han Mu Do
- Hanbojutsu
- Hapkido
- Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA)
- Historical Fencing
- Hojojitsu
- Hsing-i
- Hsing-yi
- Hung Ga
- Huyen Langlon
- Hwa Rang Do
- Hwarang-do
- Iaido
- Iaijutsu
- Icho-Ryu
- Iinkai Judo
- Isshin-Ryu Karate
- Itto-Ryu
- Jado Kuin Do
- Japanese Shotokan Karate
- Jeet Kune Do
- Jikiden Eishin Ryu Iaido
- Jojutsu
- Judo
- Jujitsu
- Jun Fan Gung Fu
- Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do
- Jutsu
- Kaiai Jitsu
- Kajukenbo
- Kalaripayattu
- Kali
- Kali Silat
- KAPAP
- Karate
- Karate Jutsu
- Karate-Do
- Karate-Jitsu
- Kaze Arashi Ryu
- Kempo
- Kempo Jujitsu
- Kempo Ryu
- Ken Fat
- Kendo
- Kenjutsu
- Kenpo
- Kenshin Karate
- Keysi
- Ki Aikido
- Kick Boxing
- Ko Budo
- Kobudo
- Kokondo
- Korean Kickboxing
- Koryu Uchinadi
- Krabi-Krabong
- Krav Maga
- Kuk Sool Won
- Kumdo
- Kung Fu
- Kung Fu To'a
- Kyokushinkai Karate
- Kyudo
- Lathi Khela
- Lau Gar
- Lau Gar Kickboxing
- Lau Gar Kung Fu
- Lee Style Tai Chi
- Leopard Kung Fu (Bao Quan)
- Lerdrit
- Maarlisk
- Malla Yuddha
- Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP)
- Martial Arts Based Fitness
- Martial Arts Wrestling
- Military Martial Arts
- Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)
- Monkey Kung Fu (Hou Quan)
- Muay Boran
- Muay Thai
- Nearu Martial Art
- Nihon Goshin Ju Jitsu
- Ninjitsu
- Ninpo Taijutsu
- Ninjutsu
- Niten Ichi-Ryu
- North West Chinese Kickboxing
- Okichitaw
- Pa Kua
- Pa Qua
- Panantukan
- Pankration
- Personal Protection
- Physical Intervention
- Pradal Serey
- Qi Kwan Do
- Qwan Ki Do
- Quan Fa
- Reality Based Martial Arts
- Russian Martial Arts
- Sanjuro Martial Arts
- Sankukai Karate
- Sanshou
- Sarak
- Sarit
- Savate
- Seiki Juku Karate
- Self Defence
- Self Protection
- Shaolin Kempo Karate
- Shaolin Kung Fu
- Shaolin-Tsu Kempo
- Shintaido
- Shito-Ryu Karate
- Shindo Jinen Ryu
- Shorinji Kempo
- Shorin-Ryu Karate
- Shotokan Goju Ryu
- Shotokan Karate
- Shuai Chiao
- Shuai Jiao
- Shukokai
- Shukokai Karate
- Shuri-Ryu
- Sibpalki
- Sikaran
- Silambam
- Silat
- Sokudo
- Soo Bahk Do
- Sport Boxing (Martial Arts Based)
- Sport Karate
- Sport Sambo
- Ssireum
- Submission Wrestling
- Sumai
- Sumo
- Sulkido
- Systema
- Taekkyeon
- Taekwondo
- Tai Chi
- Tai Chi Chuan
- Tai Jutsu
- Taido
- Taijutsu
- Tang Soo Do
- Thai Boxing
- Thang-ta
- Tiger Claw Kung Fu (Fu Jow Pai)
- Tora Kai
- Traditional Aikido
- Traditional Italian Martial Arts
- Traditional Karate
- Traditional Wado Ryu
- Unarmed Combat
- Viet Vo Dao
- Wado Ryu Karate
- Wing Chun
- Wing Chun Kung Fu
- Wing Tsun
- World Tang Soo Do
- Wushu
- Yoseikan Budo
- Zen Shin Karate
Everything You’d Want To Ask First
Joining, pricing, instructor and student cover, what’s included, and just as importantly, what isn’t. If your question isn’t here, the handbook goes deeper, and our team are a message away.
Ready To See Your Real-Time Price?
Insurance, licensing, governance and tools for your self defence classes. One membership, one login, and your exact price shown in real time before you pay a penny.
No payment details needed to explore pricing, and free Affiliate membership is always available if you’d rather look around first.
