We all know you can get insurance to cover things like your home, car and pets, but did you know that you can even insure your accumulator bets too? Acca insurance, as it is known, has been around for a while but as it is something only a minority of bookmakers offer, it is easy to miss. The insurance provides punters with the opportunity to gain some compensation should their multi-selection bet fail to win, which can certainly come in handy on occasions.
If you are someone that regularly places accumulators, having a bookmaker that has an insurance policy could well save you a decent sum in the long run. Like with any type of insurance though, there is key information in the small print you do not want to miss. To ensure you are prepared for this, we have included everything there is to know about acca insurance in this comprehensive guide.
The Basic Idea of Acca Insurance
With accumulator insurance, what usually happens is that if one (and only one) of your selections lets you down, you will be compensated in some way. It can be any of your selections but there can only be one that fails. Any more than this and you will not qualify for the acca insurance and you will lose you bet and your stake. To see how this works in practice, take a look at our betting selections below.
For our accumulator, we want West Brom, Barnsley, Blackburn, Blackpool and Bristol City all to win. Let’s say that all the ‘B’ teams collect three points as we predicted but West Brom slip up and are held to a draw away at Coventry. Although it is frustrating to have lost what would have been a large payout, acca insurance will at least give you something of a consolation prize.
Typically the consolation will be a free bet (rather than cash) worth the same value as your initial stake. So, if we had bet £5 on this five-fold accumulator, we would receive a £5 free bet back, usually later that day or the following day. This is much less than the £470 you could have won, admittedly, but it is certainly better than nothing. We would add that you will probably benefit more from acca insurance if you tend to make a number of ‘safe’ selections but throw in one more adventurous pick to increase the odds.
Without the selection of Man City and Wolves drawing, our four-fold accumulator would only deliver £16.04 from a £5 bet so not a big return on your investment. Throw the extra selection in though and you could stand to win £121.27. Obviously, this is the pick that is most likely to ruin the whole bet but should it do so (by itself) then you will get a £5 free bet back so there is relatively little harm done.
Minimum Odds & Minimum Selections
One of the key terms and conditions of any acca insurance is the minimum odds required (usually for each of the selections). These vary across bookmakers so be sure to check the terms and conditions beforehand otherwise you might not qualify. More generous bookies state that each leg needs to have a minimum price of 1/5 to qualify while the less generous may require odds of 1/2 or greater per leg. In some cases, there may be a requirement for the entire accumulator to be over a certain value instead, rather than each specific leg. If this does apply then 3/1 is a standard limit that is applied.
Another key bit of information you will find in the small print is the minimum number of selections. Typically this will be either four or five matches or selections. Any less than this and bookmakers would simply end up dishing out too many free bets, something that would eat into their bottom line. There is usually no upper limit but obviously, the more picks on your bet, the less likely it is that just one lets you down. To really get the most out of any acca insurance, therefore, it is generally a good idea to match or only just exceed the minimum limit.
Will All My Accas Be Fully Insured?
This depends on how often you bet and with how much money. All acca insurances that we have seen always specify a maximum payout limit. At the lowest end, and this is most common, any free bet handed out will be capped at £10. So, if you did spend £20 on an acca which failed thanks to one team, you would still qualify but your free bet would be £10 rather than £20. A few bookmakers have been known to be more generous than this though, offering as much as a £50 free bet in compensation.
The other thing to be mindful of is how many free bets your bookmaker is willing to hand out through their acca insurance scheme. Many set a limit as one free bet per day, so you may not be fully covered if placing numerous bets on the same day. Other bookies do not have a limit though, meaning you will be covered every time providing you meet all the right criteria.
Note that free bets (sometimes termed bonus cash or similar) will carry various terms and conditions such as minimum odds and that they have to be used within a certain timeframe. Always check the full terms at the betting site in question to ensure you understand the specific rules and requirements.
What Sports/Markets Qualify For Acca Insurance?
It is difficult to give any general guidance for this as acca insurances can vary quite substantially when it comes to what sports and what markets are covered. There are those that are very flexible, allowing punters to choose any assortment of sports and markets. Others are much more limited in their scope, restricting customers to just football matches. To ensure your bets will be protected, ensure you consult the terms and conditions as here you will always find what sports are covered.
Common Exclusions
Even if an acca insurance covers all sports and markets, this does not mean that all bets will necessarily qualify as there are some exceptions. Firstly, accumulators made using a free bet will rarely be covered by acca insurance so you will need to ensure you bet with your cash balance. You will also not qualify if you choose to cash out your bet at any point (perhaps to guarantee that only one leg fails). You must always let any acca run its full course if you want the possibility of a free bet.
Lastly, should any of your selections not play for any reason, for example an abandonment due to a waterlogged pitch, then your acca insurance may not apply. If your bookmaker requires your bet to have a minimum of four legs, but you end up down to three due to a postponement/abandonment, then you will no longer qualify. Should this happen, depending on the timings, you may be able to cash out your bet and place it again but with the cancelled game replaced.
Are There Any Downsides?
There are no real downsides to betting at a bookie offering acca insurance. The insurance itself is a freebie, so it does not cost you anything but it gives you a chance of recouping a fraction of your losses through free bet form. It is open to all customers too so you do not need to be part of any schemes to qualify.
The only thing we would say is that whether an acca insurance is offered is not the only thing you should consider as a regular acca bettor. A bookmaker offering insurance may not necessarily be better for you than one that does not from a financial point of view. It is perfectly possible that bookies without insurance can provide you with better odds, or a range of other promotions that you would qualify for. In such cases, you may find that you are better off placing your bets without insurance protection, though putting in a little research to compare the odds between bookies is worthwhile.