A new research partnership between Howden and Loughborough University aims to tackle long-standing gaps in sports insurance data by improving understanding of the unique risks faced by female athletes.
The project will explore how injury reporting, health data and risk modelling in sport have historically been built around male athlete datasets, leaving key female-specific factors underrepresented in insurance and performance systems.
Louise Clark, head of corporate affairs at Howden Sport & Entertainment, said the initiative is designed to ensure insurance products better reflect the realities of women’s sport.
“Female athletes face a distinct set of risks and considerations from an insurance perspective,” she said.
“Understanding these differences through evidence-based research is essential if we are to drive meaningful change and ensure protection truly reflects their needs.”
The research programme will combine literature review, injury surveillance, athlete insight and interviews with medical and performance professionals to build a more comprehensive evidence base for women’s sport.
According to the partners, current data systems remain heavily skewed towards male athletes, with limited and inconsistent reporting of female-specific health and injury patterns.
This includes areas such as hormonal fluctuations, menstrual health, pregnancy, postpartum recovery and fertility-related issues, which are often under-represented in traditional sports injury frameworks.
The initiative also highlights differences in how injuries present and recover in female athletes compared to their male counterparts, with implications for rehabilitation timelines, risk modelling and long-term health outcomes.
Howden said the findings will be used to inform the development of more tailored insurance solutions, with the aim of reducing systemic bias in underwriting and improving coverage across female sporting careers.