No insurance, no sport - Zurich Insurance moves to cut insurance for over 500 AFL players for brain injuries from May 1 2026.
More than 500 AFL players have been notified that from May 1 2026, their superannuation insurance will no longer cover TPD claims related to head trauma, including concussion and CTE - a significant shift that raises serious concerns about long-term player protection.
Zurich Insurance has raised concerns around the potential widespread consequences of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive and degenerative brain disease associated with repeated head injuries such as concussions. The insurance company has confirmed that players will not be able to receive total and permanent disability (TPD) benefits for claims made after May 1st for concussion, traumatic head injury, neurological impairment associated with head trauma or Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).
The recent position taken by insurers to exclude coverage for CTE-related conditions is a significant and deeply concerning development for sport at all levels. It reinforces what Brain 4 Life has been highlighting for some time—that there is insufficient investment, focus, and coordinated effort across sporting codes to properly understand the causes and progression of CTE.
At present, many sporting bodies operate primarily within a “return-to-play” framework, focusing on when an athlete can safely resume competition, rather than developing a deeper understanding of the cumulative and long-term neurological impacts both during an athlete’s career and well beyond it.
Brain 4 Life co-founder Colin Scotts says, “As a former professional NFL player who has lived through the effects of concussion, this development is deeply concerning but not surprising. When insurers step away from covering head trauma, it sends a clear message — the risks associated with brain injury in sport are real, significant, and can no longer be ignored. Players are now facing the reality of being unprotected, not just during their careers, but for the long-term consequences that follow. This is not about blaming sport — it’s about protecting it. We have a responsibility to current players, past players, and future generations to ensure that brain health is taken seriously; that safeguards are strengthened, and that no athlete is left without support. This is a defining moment for Australian sport. The question is not whether we act, but how quickly we do.”
A critical issue remains the lack of comprehensive data collection, which continues to limit meaningful progress in both prevention and treatment. Brain 4 Life was established to address this gap, with a clear objective to gather and analyse data that will lead to a greater understanding of CTE and its long-term effects.
Brain 4 Life is on a mission to help diagnose CTE in the living brain within the next two years. This breakthrough would fundamentally change outcomes by enabling earlier intervention. Such progress has the potential to help prevent the devastating consequences often associated with CTE, including depression and, in some cases, suicide.
Brain 4 Life is committed to creating clear, safe pathways for athletes to continue participating in sport. We are calling on the public, the sporting community, and industry leaders to support this work. Donations made now will directly contribute to critical research, early detection, and practical solutions that can protect players and preserve the future of Australian sport.
