Re: Insurance Question #2
Amick Robert (amick@SPOT.COLORADO.EDU)
Thu, 15 Jan 1998 15:48:06 -0700
The BSA provides general liability insurance coverage for all chartered
Scouting units. This means that the chartered organization and the unit
leaders, committee, and associated individuals are primarily
insured for any losses up to about $20 million.
It should be noted that this would compensate families or individuals
in the event of a serious injury or death of a Scout or leader or other
similar situation in which a lawsuit might be filed for damages resulting
from negligence or accident.
In order to offset the cost of the insurance premiums for such large
coverage, each council pays a substantial sum to the national office which
has to be recovered through insurance fees charged both to units and to
activities and events. Thus the $1 per person per day charge is fairly
standard among councils who support district/council events.
Some councils have a responsibility for as much or more than $20,000 per
year in insurance fees, which are pro-rated according to number of
units/registered youth and adults, and facilities.
Units are charged a $20 fee at rechartering time, which also goes to
offset the cost of this insurance coverage.
If you look at what it would cost to privately obtain similar coverage in
the amounts provided by BSA, an individual Scout unit would have an
astronomical insurance bill, so these costs are an excellent deal for all
Scouting units and Councils.
When using the facilities of another organization which requires a
certificate of insurance, the Council can issue a certificate of insurance
which indemnifies the hosting organization for up to $1 million as
"additional other insured." We often take advantage of this service to
use the facilities of our University and other area organizations when we
host activities and events at their facilities. It would be virtually
impossible to use the facilities otherwise since they cannot provide
liability insurance coverage for us without exorbitant costs for short
term liability insurance.
Medical Insurance is handled differently by a group policy through Mutual
of Omaha. Each unit has the option to obtain low cost medical insurance
which is secondary to any existing coverage held by a Scout or his family,
and primary if the Scout or family has no medical insurance. The limits
have been raised recently and I believe now also provide for catastrophic
coverage. Most camps require that units have this medical insurance in
place or an equivalent carrier before allowing units to attend their
venues.
This insurance is very good and often pays for unusual costs not covered
by regular medical policies such as air ambulance service from isolated
areas.
Each unit pays only a small fee per Scout and registered leader, probably
around $1.80 per year, so the cost again is miniscule when compared to
what it would cost to insure a unit privately through a local insurance
carrier.
Best wishes,
Bob Amick, Explorer Advisor, High Adventure Explorer Post 72/SES 72,
Boulder, CO; Longs Peak Council Exploring Training Chair
On Thu, 15 Jan 1998, Frank Porter wrote:
> =============================================
> As District Activity Chairman, I have been asked to produce a budget for
> each event. - Good Idea
> The DE told me to include $1.00 per night of camping for insurance expense.
> I was later told that it is $1.00 per event.
>
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City | 
