TSCA Membership Benefits: Event Insurance
by John Weiss, TSCA Chapter Coordinator
The question often arises whether TSCA has liability insurance, and does it cover chapter events and messabouts.
Briefly, TSCA has a set of liability insurance policies from The Gowrie Group, as part of a group policy offered through US Sailing. The policies cover TSCA Chapter sponsored events, on shore and on the water. Its purpose is to cover TSCA officers and members should they be sued for negligence or other liability in the course of their participation in a TSCA event. The policy also extends to nonmember guests who participate in TSCA events.
The policy does NOT cover members' or chapters' boats for any incurred damage EXCEPT in the case where a chapter
purchases hull insurance for chapter-owned boats and bears all extra costs for it. Specific riders, at additional cost, are also required for overnight events involving minors.
The policy covers virtually any official TSCA event sponsored or organized by a chapter, including but not limited to messabouts, meetings, and group boatbuilding projects. When a chapter organizes or participates in an event such as a regatta or boat festival (e.g., Cedar Key Gathering, Toledo Wooden Boat Festival), and the venue requires a certificate of insurance for
participation in the event, Gowrie will provide a certificate on request.
When a TSCA chapter co-sponsors an event with other organizations, TSCA’s insurance would only cover the shared liability, not the entire risk for the event. It is impossible to say how big that share would be for any given event, since it would be determined by the lawyers and judges during any litigation.
The cost of the insurance policy is covered by your dues, and is approximately $7/person/year.
Since the cost is not a direct per-member fee, the effective cost per member rises as membership declines, and vice-versa. To date Gowrie has not charged extra for individual event certificates, but if they decide an event required an additional fee, the chapter requesting the certificate would bear the cost.
While a few chapters require national membership for all their members, most do not. As costs of just about everything rise, it becomes more essential that EVERY TSCA chapter member contribute to those costs by becoming a member of the national TSCA. Also, encourage repeat participants in your messabouts and other events to join TSCA, so we can keep our dues as low
as possible.
If you have other questions about this insurance coverage, or other membership benefits, contact
Membership & Chapter Coordinator John Weiss at [email protected] or 425-361-7758.
Briefly, TSCA has a set of liability insurance policies from The Gowrie Group, as part of a group policy offered through US Sailing. The policies cover TSCA Chapter sponsored events, on shore and on the water. Its purpose is to cover TSCA officers and members should they be sued for negligence or other liability in the course of their participation in a TSCA event. The policy also extends to nonmember guests who participate in TSCA events.
The policy does NOT cover members' or chapters' boats for any incurred damage EXCEPT in the case where a chapter
purchases hull insurance for chapter-owned boats and bears all extra costs for it. Specific riders, at additional cost, are also required for overnight events involving minors.
The policy covers virtually any official TSCA event sponsored or organized by a chapter, including but not limited to messabouts, meetings, and group boatbuilding projects. When a chapter organizes or participates in an event such as a regatta or boat festival (e.g., Cedar Key Gathering, Toledo Wooden Boat Festival), and the venue requires a certificate of insurance for
participation in the event, Gowrie will provide a certificate on request.
When a TSCA chapter co-sponsors an event with other organizations, TSCA’s insurance would only cover the shared liability, not the entire risk for the event. It is impossible to say how big that share would be for any given event, since it would be determined by the lawyers and judges during any litigation.
The cost of the insurance policy is covered by your dues, and is approximately $7/person/year.
Since the cost is not a direct per-member fee, the effective cost per member rises as membership declines, and vice-versa. To date Gowrie has not charged extra for individual event certificates, but if they decide an event required an additional fee, the chapter requesting the certificate would bear the cost.
While a few chapters require national membership for all their members, most do not. As costs of just about everything rise, it becomes more essential that EVERY TSCA chapter member contribute to those costs by becoming a member of the national TSCA. Also, encourage repeat participants in your messabouts and other events to join TSCA, so we can keep our dues as low
as possible.
If you have other questions about this insurance coverage, or other membership benefits, contact
Membership & Chapter Coordinator John Weiss at [email protected] or 425-361-7758.