BCA Membership: tangential insurance thread

[Bottlebank]

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2012/apr/30/girl-injured-birth-compensation-nhs

This case illustrates how a claim can reach huge amounts, it's unlikely any claim for property damage would be very high, or for livestock.

A serious injury resulting in lifetime care needs could easily lead to a claim for over ?5 million.

This one took over ten years to settle. I'm not sure what happens in terms of inflation with things like this - i.e. is the ?5 million at the time of the accident adjusted for inflation or is it fixed at the value at the time of the incident, but it's something else to consider.

If you google something like "lifetime care compensation awards" you'll quite a few over ?5 million.

 

[nickwilliams]

BMC has ?10million cover - for a membership fee of ?29.95

http://www.perkins-slade.com/files/2014%20BMC%20Members%20Policy%20Summary%20v2.pdf

(lots of people climb without insurance though)

Have their brokers been approached to see whether they would do anything for BCA?

Yes, Mark, I'm talking to them right now.

 

[cavermark]

Yes, Mark, I'm talking to them right now.

 

[nickwilliams]

I am pleased to announce that, as of today, BCA has appointed Perkins Slade as its broker for the BCA Public Liability scheme.

For the moment, the limit of indemnity remains at ?5m but we will have the option to increase the indemnity as required and Council will take a view on this in the coming months. Representations one way or the other by Regional Councils, clubs and individuals will be welcome: please send them to myself or the BCA Secretary.

The move to Perkins Slade comes after a short but intense round of negotiations with our existing insurer plus several others in the market and I will be reporting the details to BCA Council in January. I can say that the result is improved cover, including a significant reduction in the excess payable in the event of a claim, and for no significant increase in premium.

I would like to place on record my thanks to our previous broker, Anderson Ashcroft in Preston, and in particular, their principal John Anderson who made a very good fist of retaining the business in a field which is not their specialism, and who has accepted our decision to take the business elsewhere with good grace. It was a very close decision and I would thoroughly recommend anyone looking for commercial cover to contact Anderson Ashcroft for a quote, but in the end it was clear that the best interests of British cavers will be served by moving the business to Perkins Slade who specialise in the field of sports governing body cover. Thanks also to Endsleigh Insurance who also made a serious effort to win the business.

BCA members (club or individual) need take no action.

Nick Williams
BCA PL Scheme Manager

 

[cavermark]

Excellent work, Nick 

 

[Cookie]

Ditto 

 

[martinm]

yep good news!    weren't we insured through Perkins Slade originally Nick? can't remember for sure now, but the name seems very familiar...

 

[pwhole]

Thanks for sorting that Nick, and an interesting point about the raising of the indemnity for an increased premium - I would certainly consider it, although don't take that as a 'representation' yet, just my immediate reaction!

 

[Jenny P]

The extra amount to pay as premium, whether you are a caver or a non-caver, seems very well worth it if you can now obtain ?10m cover.  Thanks for organising it Nick!

It has been noted among those who have to negotiate access where insurance is required that we are more and more being asked for ?10m cover rather than ?5m.  The change will make it easier for some of these negotiators.

It's just a pity that some cavers remain outside BCA and uninsured as their contributions would lower the cost for all of us, plus there is always a worry that the actions of an uninsured caver could create problems for all of us.

 

[pwhole]

It's just a pity that some cavers remain outside BCA and uninsured as their contributions would lower the cost for all of us, plus there is always a worry that the actions of an uninsured caver could create problems for all of us.

How about supplying trendy retroreflective 'I'm insured - are you?' helmet stickers?  :-\

 

[cap n chris]

Doom-laden slippery can of worm slope though, ...one for the cynics?

 

[NewStuff]

It's just a pity that some cavers remain outside BCA and uninsured as their contributions would lower the cost for all of us, plus there is always a worry that the actions of an uninsured caver could create problems for all of us.

Given a lot of the past "history" with the BCA, a lot of cavers are very dubious about the BCA, and want nothing to do with it. Hopefully, it can change these views by showing it is willing to take the views of cavers on board, as it seems to be doing.

That said, I can't blame them. I wanted nothing to do with it for years. Hopefully though, lessons have been learned, and they can move forward, and most cavers will see no issue with joining. Might take a while though...

 

[Ian Adams]

It's just a pity that some cavers remain outside BCA and uninsured as their contributions would lower the cost for all of us, plus there is always a worry that the actions of an uninsured caver could create problems for all of us.

On a very serious (and specifically non-argumentative note), there  are a number of "cavers" who do not even know that the BCA exists or that there is even a "structure" to the sport. As na?ve as that may sound, I was "caving" (researching and entering local caves) for about a year with a small group of friends ad hoc before we "bumped into" a group of cavers that became the gateway to the BCA and it's family tree.

We knew nothing of it prior to that chance meeting (how would we know to ask?).

Perhaps, raising awareness may be helpful ?

Merry Christmas 

Ian

 

[cap n chris]

Perhaps, raising awareness may be helpful ?

Easily achieved: a small embossed plaque (similar to the ubiquitous Mendip ones about cave rescue) at just a handful of the various regions' popular caves, to the effect of "Interested in caving?: visit www.british-caving.org.uk" should do wonders and raise awareness, as the expression has it. It wouldn't require more than, I guess, 20 to cover the whole of the UK.

 

[Pete K]

Oddly enough I fixed a nice new plaque to Nettle Pot in the Peak earlier in the month. It had the name of the original discoverers and the DCA for recapping it.

 

[martinm]

Oddly enough I fixed a nice new plaque to Nettle Pot in the Peak earlier in the month. It had the name of the original discoverers and the DCA for recapping it.

Yes, but did it point people to the DCA or BCA web sites though Pete?

 

[Pete K]

No but it does say Derbyshire Caving Association. I'd not support websites on plaques as who knows how the future of tech will pan out. I inherited the plaque when I took the post and just got round to fitting it, others are on the list of jobs one day so we can think about wording then.

 

[cavermark]

Perhaps, raising awareness may be helpful ?

Easily achieved: a small embossed plaque (similar to the ubiquitous Mendip ones about cave rescue) at just a handful of the various regions' popular caves, to the effect of "Interested in caving?: visit www.british-caving.org.uk" should do wonders and raise awareness, as the expression has it. It wouldn't require more than, I guess, 20 to cover the whole of the UK.

Googling "caves" - which I imagine might happen more and more these days brings up a Wikipedia entry - could something be added to that about BCA?

 

[Bottlebank]

It's just a pity that some cavers remain outside BCA and uninsured as their contributions would lower the cost for all of us, plus there is always a worry that the actions of an uninsured caver could create problems for all of us.

On a very serious (and specifically non-argumentative note), there  are a number of "cavers" who do not even know that the BCA exists or that there is even a "structure" to the sport. As na?ve as that may sound, I was "caving" (researching and entering local caves) for about a year with a small group of friends ad hoc before we "bumped into" a group of cavers that became the gateway to the BCA and it's family tree.

We knew nothing of it prior to that chance meeting (how would we know to ask?).

Perhaps, raising awareness may be helpful ?

Merry Christmas 

Ian

I started in a similar way, but I think it's less likely nowadays. Anyone keen can find out more in ten minutes online than we knew then after a year or two.

We borrowed caving books, the few that were available, from the library and bought anything we found in a secondhand book shop. There wasn't anything in the new bookshops.

Googling "caving" gives 7,200,000 results, which makes the job a lot easier!