• March 29, 2024
 Sports, hobbies & ever increasing wills

Sports, hobbies & ever increasing wills

The Paralympics are upon us, and Marieke Vervoot was quick to highlight that sport was her main reason for living, and also spoke of the suffering she endures because of her chronic, degenerative condition. Vervoot said she was “…still enjoying every little moment. When the moment comes when I have more bad days than good days, then I have my euthanasia papers.”

Exercise as we all know is the key to good health. As more of us begin to undertake sports, wills are rising as a direct result. There are specialist insurance policies specifically for sporting activity, so encouraging sports enthusiasts to have an updated, valid will is only logical.

Over the past 12 months, figures such as a 65% rise in people making a will, as well as a large rise in clients ensuring they have Power of Attorney in place, suggest individuals are becoming nervous about the potential ramifications of undertaking a sport or hobby which may lead to incapacitation in some form.

The potential of being a victim of a sporting accident or even suffering a fatal injury has become the catalyst for rising numbers in wills. Only recently, army captain David Seath, 31, who served in Afghanistan, died after suffering a suspected cardiac arrest at the 23-mile mark of the London Marathon. Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher has been battling for his life ever since he suffered devastating head injuries in December 2013 during a ski accident. Olympic gold medalist James Cracknell, who suffered a brain injury after being hit by a truck while cycling, has spoken of how his personality has drastically changed since the accident.

Exercise in middle age has been booming in Britain, and with good cause. Only last week it was revealed that regular exercise is the best lifestyle change a middle-aged person can make to prevent dementia. However, many experts fear the consequences of overdoing it. One study shows middle-aged men who run marathons are at significantly greater risk of cardiac arrest.

David Burrows