Less than a year after the Australian Football League and the AFL Players Association unveiled a landmark expansion of support for injured former players, significant insurance cuts for concussion-related claims have sparked concern across the football industry.
In May 2025 the AFL and AFLPA announced major enhancements to the AFL & AFLW Players’ Injury & Support Fund under the 2023–2027 Collective Bargaining Agreement. The reforms more than doubled annual funding for the scheme and introduced a new Severe Injury Benefit, allowing eligible former players suffering long-term bodily or cognitive impairment — including traumatic brain injuries — to access payments of up to $600,000.
The expanded fund was widely praised as a major step forward in recognising the long-term health impacts of professional football, particularly growing concerns around concussion and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). AFL CEO Andrew Dillon said the reforms would provide “substantial assistance” to former players who are most severely impacted by injuries sustained during their careers.
But in March 2026, players were informed that Zurich Insurance would no longer provide Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) insurance cover for claims relating to concussion, traumatic brain injury, post-concussion syndrome or CTE after May 1, 2026.
The cuts have created a stark contrast with the optimism surrounding the 2025 injury fund expansion. Whilst the Severe Injury Benefit remains available through the AFL and AFLPA’s $54 million support fund, the loss of insurance protection effectively undermines the progress celebrated less than a year earlier.
Lawyers representing former players say the changes expose the fragility of the current compensation system for footballers, who are generally excluded from workers’ compensation schemes such as WorkCover. Michel Margalit, whose legal firm is leading a concussion class action against the AFL, said support mechanisms for injured players were “eroding” despite the 2025 reform to the Injury and Support Fund.
The decision by Zurich affects more than 500 AFL and represents a major reduction in protection for athletes suffering neurological injuries. Under the changes, TPD cover available to players will drop by $650,000, while death cover will be reduced by $350,000.
Zurich said the move reflected “widespread uncertainty” surrounding the long-term risks of concussion and CTE in contact sports. The insurer also confirmed it was the only company to submit an offer during the AFLPA’s recent insurance tender process, highlighting growing reluctance within the insurance industry to cover brain injuries linked to professional sport.
The debate comes amid increasing awareness of the long-term consequences of repeated head trauma in football. Former AFL players including Shane Tuck, Danny Frawley and former AFLW player Heather Anderson were all diagnosed with CTE after their deaths. Former Melbourne Football Club premiership player Angus Brayshaw is also pursuing a high-profile insurance dispute after being forced into retirement because of ongoing concussion issues.
The reduction in support shows that more needs to be done to care for former players who are injured in their workplace. "The very reason professional athletes are prohibited from receiving workers' compensation is 'because sporting contestants will generally be covered by other insurance arrangements', according to the Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Bill 2013 Explanatory Memorandum," Ms Margalit said. Zurich's decision to reduce coverage for concussion-related injuries shows that is no longer the case.
Read more: AFL players to lose insurance coverage for brain injuries - ABC News