Any advice about insurance?

[upnorse]

Hello,
I've recently been asked to provide proof of insurance to the city building officials that we (as a club) have been fencing in for six years. It never was even thought of as an issue, until now. A few of us college fencers got together and eventually took on youngsters that wanted to get into the sport. We get together twice a week to "sharpen" our wits.

Can anyone suggest options or give some examples of their programs? We're not covered by any school or other program, we're just a bunch of friends that need to fit into a "sue happy" world.

Thanks -Don from da U.P. of Michigan

[qatet]

Most clubs get their insurance through the USFA. $95 for up to $1,000,000 liability. $110 for up to $2,000,000.

Look on the USFA website for the club membership form.

[jfarmer]

Originally Posted by qatet

Most clubs get their insurance through the USFA. $95 for up to $1,000,000 liability. $110 for up to $2,000,000.

Look on the USFA website for the club membership form.

I have to second this. But I think that the numbers qatet quoted are a bit low, the check I wrote (I'm the club treasurer) for membership with insurance was ~$240..

If you are teaching, particularly kids, then you need to really take care of it now. Your individual USFA liability insurance will cover you if an accident happens to a student (you may have to be a coach, or a coach-competitor for this to be in place, I'm not sure.)... BUT it will not cover you as a group. So in today's world, you really can't operate otherwise.

John Farmer
Coach, Oak Ridge Fencers Club

[oiuyt]

Qatet's figures are correct. Just read the 2006-2007 Club membership form.

$40 Club membership with no insurance.
$95 Club membership with $1mil insurance.
$110 Club membership with $2mil insurance.

Note that the club may list additional named-insureds (generally to cover exactly the situation mentioned in the OP). I believe there's a small fee ($25?) for adding more named-insureds mid-season, rather than listing them all when the membership form is originally submitted.

-B

[ChamorroZorro]

I know that here in Honolulu, that's the first question they ask ("Do you have insurance?"). The USFA insurance is really inexpensive for the price. For added insurance, make sure that your fencers are USFA members as well because it couldn't hurt to have USFA members in a building that the USFA insures. You can't really take chances with liability, so it's better not to be cheap in the first place about things. It's really a small price to pay to have the doors open up and venues become available to you because you are insured.

[mtarascio]

I have the 2007-2008 Club membership form in front of me. The correct costs are:

$40 for Club membership with no insurance.
$275 for Club membership with $1mil insurance.
$340 for Club membership with $2mil insurance.

[Craig]

Originally Posted by mtarascio

I have the 2007-2008 Club membership form in front of me. The correct costs are:

$40 for Club membership with no insurance.
$275 for Club membership with $1mil insurance.
$340 for Club membership with $2mil insurance.

Which is much better than insurance rates out there for other small businesses.