BCA Membership fees - 2014
- Thread starter Glenn
- Start date
Bottlebank
New member
What are the benefits of joining direct - I had a look on the BCA site and other than that you get a different colour card, it didn't explain anything?
kay
Well-known member
Bottlebank said:
You get your own personal copy of the publications, you get a discount on admission to Hidden Earth, and you can join BCRA. And you may get your card earlier in the year - Glenn is very efficient
You can also get the above benefits by joining a club and taking out CIM+ membership. (I'm not sure all clubs do CIM+ so check first)
I think you're in the Dales? DIM doesn't give access to cave permits - to get access to caves requiring CNCC permits, you have to belong to a club.
Bottlebank
New member
Thanks Kay, permits aren't an issue as I'm already in a couple of clubs, perhaps I should have said what are the benefits over normal club membership?
Anyway, thanks for the reply, the only real benefit then is discounted admission to Hidden Earth, as there don't seem to be many publications - i.e. Speleology - fifteen or so issues in ten years and none in the last two?
Never heard about CIM plus, but ?15 to get into Hidden Earth a ?1 a day cheaper seems a lot
Anyway, thanks for the reply, the only real benefit then is discounted admission to Hidden Earth, as there don't seem to be many publications - i.e. Speleology - fifteen or so issues in ten years and none in the last two?
Never heard about CIM plus, but ?15 to get into Hidden Earth a ?1 a day cheaper seems a lot
kay
Well-known member
Bottlebank said:Thanks Kay, permits aren't an issue as I'm already in a couple of clubs, perhaps I should have said what are the benefits over normal club membership?
Anyway, thanks for the reply, the only real benefit then is discounted admission to Hidden Earth, as there don't seem to be many publications - i.e. Speleology - fifteen or so issues in ten years and none in the last two?
Never heard about CIM plus, but ?15 to get into Hidden Earth a ?1 a day cheaper seems a lot
You can't join BCRA without being a DIM (or CIM+?). And you get your own copy of the BCA newsletter if there is one (I get a newsletter, can't remember whether it's BCA, BCRA or both). And a BCA handbook I think???
But no, there don't seem to be a lot of benefits -I think it's possibly more about giving something back by supporting the national body.
bograt
Active member
It seems that a lot of clubs add to their membership fees for BCA "insurance", if you are a DIM you will have your own cover, so club membership should be cheaper, if you are a member of multiple clubs, work out the maths :greed:
P.S. Bottlebank, check your club's memberships, you may be paying BCA cover more than you have to, one card is enough.
P.S. Bottlebank, check your club's memberships, you may be paying BCA cover more than you have to, one card is enough.
Bottlebank
New member
Never had a massive urge to join BCRA again - I did years ago for a while and they kept sending me magazines with extra long words I couldn't understand
Thought BCA/BCRA newsletter were free anyway http://british-caving.org.uk/?page=100
Bograt, I appreciate that, I only buy one card, but worth pointing out. Both clubs have rates for members with insurance and those who have cover already.
Thought BCA/BCRA newsletter were free anyway http://british-caving.org.uk/?page=100
Bograt, I appreciate that, I only buy one card, but worth pointing out. Both clubs have rates for members with insurance and those who have cover already.
bograt
Active member
Bottlebank said:Never had a massive urge to join BCRA again - I did years ago for a while and they kept sending me magazines with extra long words I couldn't understand
I know what you mean, it all happened when the "boffins" (CRG) took over the "real cavers" (BSA) to form the BCRA.!!!
Pitlamp
Well-known member
bograt said:Bottlebank said:Never had a massive urge to join BCRA again - I did years ago for a while and they kept sending me magazines with extra long words I couldn't understand
An interesting perspective - and entirely predictable from an old friend who has done loads in the Peak system!
One of the benefits of DIM over club membership is that you deal direct. This gives you more control and certainty over your insurance cover. You probably get your card earlier too. For certain caving activities (which don't apply to the majority of cavers, admittedly) this is a massive advantage. I'd rather not elaborate - I'm only mentioning this to add to the useful information already given above.
Thank you, BCA, for serving cavers so well. I, for one, really appreciate what you offer.
DavidGibson
Member
You may have been looking in the wrong place. The BCA Membership Home Page is at http://caves.org.uk/payments/bca/. There is a page on that site that describes the membership benefits, possibly in far too much detailBottlebank said:
although there is a summary in a table here. That table lists the benefits for all classes of membership apart from the CIMs (Club Individual Members). The only benefits available to CIMs are the 'insurance' and 'voting' elements. So, to answer your question of what you get by joining direct, you get everything (which may be 'not a lot', depending on your POV) listed in this table, and the CIMs get none of it other than 'insurance' and 'voting'.
Bottlebank
New member
Thanks Glenn, have you any idea what is meant by "All Full Members benefit from the third-party public liability insurance scheme However, some aspects of this insurance are only applicable in certain circumstances or if additional fees are paid "?
Pitlamp also said earlier
Looking at the Insurance page at http://caves.org.uk/payments/bca/forms/D2.html doesn't appear to explain this?
Pitlamp also said earlier
Looking at the Insurance page at http://caves.org.uk/payments/bca/forms/D2.html doesn't appear to explain this?
DavidGibson
Member
Well, for example, the text at http://caves.org.uk/payments/bca/forms/D2.html points out that the insurance applies to "officers etc. of a member club / organisation but only if all the members of the club are Individual Members of BCA", and that "Clubs that provide accommodation must pay an additional contribution." There may be other aspects Ive forgotten about, or which never "crossed my desk" (i.e. as web site editor) in the first place.Bottlebank said:
Pitlamp
Well-known member
Ah - just spotted that question re my comment about being a DIM giving more control and certainty over your insurance cover.
Sorry for the delay in responding Bottlebank; what I meant is that, as a DIM, I can manage the insurance myself and not have to rely on a club officer - who may have problems sorting out other members' contributions in the meantime, or might be off skiing for a month, or might be ill, or might be waiting till a future meeting to give out cards to cut down on postage costs, or might unwittingly cause delays for all sorts of other legitimate reasons. It cuts down the inertia in the system and I generally get my card earlier than fellow club members, which is useful for cave access in the meantime where a card must be shown to demonstrate current insurance. Also, I have a direct record of the financial transaction, as proof that premium has been received, should the need ever arise.
Does that help?
Being a DIM gives me slightly greater peace of mind; I pay my DIM subs early then it's off my mind. Probably very soon I'll be paying for 2014. The fact that BCA lets me get this sorted and out of the way so easily is something I'm very grateful for!
Sorry for the delay in responding Bottlebank; what I meant is that, as a DIM, I can manage the insurance myself and not have to rely on a club officer - who may have problems sorting out other members' contributions in the meantime, or might be off skiing for a month, or might be ill, or might be waiting till a future meeting to give out cards to cut down on postage costs, or might unwittingly cause delays for all sorts of other legitimate reasons. It cuts down the inertia in the system and I generally get my card earlier than fellow club members, which is useful for cave access in the meantime where a card must be shown to demonstrate current insurance. Also, I have a direct record of the financial transaction, as proof that premium has been received, should the need ever arise.
Does that help?
Being a DIM gives me slightly greater peace of mind; I pay my DIM subs early then it's off my mind. Probably very soon I'll be paying for 2014. The fact that BCA lets me get this sorted and out of the way so easily is something I'm very grateful for!
kay
Well-known member
Pitlamp said:
Is that a need that could arise? As I understand it, the BCA pays the premium. The individual caver pays a contribution to the cost. But the BCA does not sell insurance. You are being covered by BCA insurance, rather than having insurance in your own right. So your record of the transaction is merely a record that you have paid some money to BCA, but not a record of any premium being paid. Or have I misunderstood?
Bottlebank
New member
No, White Scar springs to mind, there may be a few others.
Thanks for the replies.
Tony
Thanks for the replies.
Tony
Pitlamp
Well-known member
NigR said:
Hiya NigR - we have a couple of places in the Dales where we're trying to organise access currently for exploration projects and the ability to demonstrate insurance cover is proving helpful. I cave all over the place and my card is useful more generally. One of the caves I'm most active in is the Peak Cavern system, where BCA cover (and the ability to show the card when asked) is essential.
(There is actually another reason why I want to make absolutely certain that this insurance is in place but it isn't one I want to discuss on a public forum.)
Hope that helps!
