Speak To A Specialist
Real People, Extensively Trained, With Nothing To Sell You. Honest Help Understanding Martial Arts Insurance.
Why Talk To Us About Insurance At All?
Because almost nobody else lives at the junction of martial arts and insurance. Our whole team is trained extensively on the covers we arrange: the master policy, its endorsements, the event conditions, the exclusions, and the practical realities of claims in a combat sport context. We work with these documents daily, alongside the clubs using them.
One thing we must be straight about: by law, we can’t give you insurance advice. BMABA CIC is a membership association, not an insurer or a broker, and advising on insurance is a regulated activity we do not carry out. Our role is exactly what it sounds like: we inform you. What we can do, and do all day long, is help you understand what’s available, what the documents actually say, and what questions to ask, so you can make a genuinely informed decision. Where you need advice, or your needs extend beyond our group cover, we’ll say so plainly and introduce you to a specialist broker directly.
No scripts, no commission, no upsell. Just people who know this niche unusually well.
Talk To The Team
- Specialists By ImmersionInsurance for martial arts is all we deal with: one sector, one master policy family, thousands of clubs. The team handles these covers, documents and edge cases every working day.
- Informed, Never AdvisedWe help you understand the options, the wording and the boundaries so the decision is genuinely yours. Where advice is what you need, we introduce you directly to an FCA-authorised specialist broker.
- Governed Like We Mean ItCertified to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 27001:2022 under UKAS accreditation, Cyber Essentials certified, a verified Social Enterprise, and a not-for-profit Community Interest Company by law.
- Documents In The OpenOur policy schedules, wordings and guidance sit in a public library and handbook, linked below, because informed decisions need the actual documents, not a summary written by sales.
We Make Nothing From Insurance. Here’s Why We Offer It Anyway.
Honestly? Insurance is our shop window. We take no commission and make no margin on cover; every penny of premium goes where it should. But great, affordable insurance is the reason thousands of clubs first walk through our door, and membership is the only revenue we make. That’s the whole commercial model, stated in one breath: insurance brings you here, membership keeps the lights on, and everything we earn goes back into safeguarding, standards, technology and support for the sector. We’d rather tell you that plainly than have you wonder what the catch is. There isn’t one.
The Senior Team Behind The Answers
When you contact us, this is who stands behind the response.
Our senior leadership team spans executive, governance and safeguarding, operations, and social impact, working within management systems certified to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 27001:2022 under UKAS accreditation, and backed by a strong, employed, full-time team at our Petworth headquarters and across the UK.
Every Route To A Real Person
Full-time, in-house, and genuinely pleased to talk insurance. Live chat is the fastest way to reach us.
Read Everything We’d Read
Informed decisions come from primary documents. Here are ours, in the open.
The Insurance Handbook
Plain-English articles on every cover we arrange: named and open allocation student insurance, instructor cover, events, personal accident, live blades and more, maintained by the team who administer them.
Open The HandbookThe Policy Document Library
The actual schedules, wordings and certificates behind the cover, browsable below or in its own window. If a claim would turn on it, it lives here.
Open In A New WindowReal Answers, From The Person Who Built The Cover
Giovanni Soffietto, our CEO, is an expert in policy, governance and insurance, and has spent more than a decade building cover designed around how martial arts is actually taught. These short videos explain exactly how it all works, in plain English.
Multi-Award Winning & Nationally Recognised
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.”
What Do Our Members Say?
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D Hurt 10 Out Of 10Well I was with another organisation for 4 years and came across these guys. They have great vetting, were really helpful at every stage of my application, the actual app is amazing with training opportunities for members, also student membership. All round 10 out of 10.
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Peter R They Go Above And BeyondBeen a member for a number of years and they go above and beyond to support their members. Everything from safeguarding and legalities to certified courses, websites, club manager software, just to name a few of the benefits.
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Giles H Exemplary OrganisationA huge resource of helpful information and support for those setting up or running a martial arts club. Well put together coaching courses and great safeguarding advice and policies. Really pleased to have access to this exemplary organisation to help me with my new kickboxing club.
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VORTEX Martial Arts & Fitness More Than Just A Governing BodySimply amazing. BMABA are more than just a governing body for martial arts, they are a team of incredible people, always willing to go the extra mile to make sure you feel supported. Incredible customer service, amazing response time, and an honour to be governed by.
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Lena S Professional And High QualityPreviously searched for similar organisations but after speaking to Giovanni over the phone I knew that BMABA was the right one for me. He was very informative, patient and had a lot of time to answer any questions. Extremely reassuring and helpful. Their website and documentation are also very professional and high quality.
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Luke T Far More Helpful Than Any Other AssociationHaving been a part of BMABA for a short while, I can say that already they have been far more helpful than any other association I have been involved in. After 10 years of martial arts, I hope to continue instructing under BMABA for many years.
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Chris J Great People To Work WithGreat people to work with.
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Matt J 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 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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Bring Us Your Trickiest Insurance Question
We’ll help you understand it, or tell you honestly that it needs our broker. Either way, you’ll leave knowing more than you arrived with.
Cover is arranged under a group policy placed with the underwriter through a specialist broker authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. BMABA CIC is a membership association and does not give insurance advice.


