I think that the reason that people are asking for it is to protect the organizers or race committee more than anything.
Organizers don't need to be "protected" if they are not involved in the first place by asking for proof of insurance.
I want to know who the paranoid person is who started this whole thing about insurance.
what do you mean who started this thing about insurance? In that it is not worth discussing? I think proof of insurance will become required if people start acting like idiots.
I think the thing is this- we live in a society where everyone sues. Every sailor needs insurance so if there is a mistake and something bad- or VERY bad- happens then your entire wealth isn't put at risk. Imagine me making a mistake and causing someone to break an arm. They are a trial lawyer and decide to sue me because I have no insurance (I do though). Pain/suffering/etc. What if they don't have medical insurance and then require surgery to fix the arm? 20k and up. What if they are seriously injured and require long term care (now I am sure most policies wouldn't cover much of this anyway)?
The guy that sails in a regatta and doesn't have insurance and tries to walk away from their responsibility financially is the lowest POS I can imagine and deserves to be banned from the water EVERYWHERE, whether it be recreation or racing. Let them rot in hell...
If someone has enough financial liquidity to absorb the cost of damaging someone's boat or body then so be it but they still need to be responsible.
