One hundred and twenty thousand euros for death or injury, fifteen thousand for medical expenses: these are the limits the Italian Golf Federation's policy summarises for its members, and they are no substitute for travel insurance. Here is how to read them before you leave.
Before a golf holiday there are three insurance questions: who covers me if I get hurt on the course, who is liable if I damage something or someone, what happens to the bag if the flight loses it. The answers lie in three different documents, and none is enough on its own. This is a general guide, not insurance or legal advice: the real conditions are in the contracts and in the official pages cited here, and for specific cases it is best to speak to your own insurer.
The federation card: a policy already included
Anyone playing in Italy with a card from the Italian Golf Federation (FIG) has the cover provided by the federal policy. The clubs say so too: Tiber in Rome explains that the handicap card is an insurance requirement valid on all Italian courses, and at Golf Club Mare di Roma you need the current year's FIG membership, which certifies the handicap and covers the insurance. Beginners can go through GOLFPOP: for 20 euros, according to the listing for Golf Il Torrazzo in Cremona, the card includes a lesson, the federation card and insurance; at Modena Golf & Country Club the 20 euros buy membership for 2026 and 2027, insurance cover and a free first lesson.
What the FIG policy summarises
The FIG publishes on its website a summary of the conditions of the members' policy, warning that it is a summary for information only and that the only valid document is the original policy. According to the summary:
| Cover | Limit for members |
|---|---|
| Third-party liability (RCT), per claim | 3,000,000 euros (500 euro excess on damage to property) |
| Accident: death | 120,000 euros |
| Accident: injury | 120,000 euros (5% excess on permanent disability) |
| Medical expenses reimbursement | 15,000 euros |
| Hospital daily allowance | 100 euros per day |
The cover applies to sporting activity under the Federation's aegis, including training, courses and competitions, and also works when using golf carts as driver or passenger. For accidents it also applies on journeys to and from the place of activity, under precise conditions, excluding accidents caused by breaches of the rules governing the journey.
What the summary does not say: it does not specify the territorial scope of the cover (Italy or abroad) or what happens outside organised sporting activity. For this reason, if you are travelling outside Italy, ask the federation or the broker named on the website.
Medical expenses abroad: the EHIC in Europe
An injury on the course or a sudden illness is, on holiday, a matter of health care, not of the golf card. According to the European portal Your Europe, an EU citizen who falls unexpectedly ill during a temporary stay in another EU country is entitled to immediate medical treatment, on the same terms as those insured in the country where they are. On every trip it is wise to carry the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which is requested free of charge from the insurance body before departure. Without the card, or for private treatment, you may have to pay at once and claim a refund on your return. The EHIC guarantees access to care: for other needs, such as repatriation, check whether your travel policy provides them.
The bag in flight: baggage and compensation
If the airline loses or damages the bag, according to Your Europe it is liable and the passenger is entitled to compensation of up to about 1,300 euros for checked baggage, except when the damage results from a defect in the baggage itself. The written complaint must be submitted within 7 days of delivery if the baggage is damaged, or within 21 days if delivery is delayed. For expensive items, Your Europe recommends private insurance; alternatively you can ask the airline to raise the maximum compensation, a paid service to be requested in advance and at the latest at check-in. A full set of clubs can be worth more than the limit: read the airline's conditions and check whether your insurance covers sports equipment.
Before you go: five checks
- FIG card in order: some clubs, such as Tiber and Mare di Roma, ask for it even to play.
- EHIC: request it if you are travelling in Europe.
- Travel policy: read the limits, the exclusions for sports and the cover for equipment.
- Baggage: keep the boarding receipt and photograph the bag before handing it over; in case of damage, a written complaint within 7 days.
- Liability: if you have a personal policy that covers it, check whether it also applies abroad.
Frequently asked questions
Does the FIG card include insurance?+
Yes: the FIG has a policy for its members; the summary published on the federation's website, consulted in October 2026, gives for members 3 million euros of third-party liability per claim, 120,000 euros for death or injury, 15,000 euros of medical expenses reimbursement and 100 euros per day of hospital allowance.
Is the federal policy valid abroad too?+
The summary does not say: ask the FIG or the broker named on the website before you leave.
Do you need travel insurance to play golf?+
The FIG card covers sporting activity within the limits of the summary, but the summary says nothing about baggage or repatriation. Discuss it with your insurer.
What is the EHIC and when is it needed?+
It is the European Health Insurance Card: proof of being insured in an EU country, it gives access to care during temporary stays with the same rights as local insured persons.
What should you do if the airline damages the bag?+
Submit a written complaint within 7 days of delivery; compensation is up to about 1,300 euros for checked baggage according to Your Europe.
Are golf carts covered by the federal policy?+
The FIG summary says the cover also applies when golf carts are used, as driver or passenger.
