Real quick.. my liability insurance covers My Liability.. eg ME! This is what I meant by... I buy liablity for ME!
eg my screw up injures you... and my insurance pays off.
so your liability covered you for the damage your boat caused.. So... Had you had no liablity coverage... you would /could have been responsible for the damage... You would have had to pay out of pocket.... Had you refused to pay... the camper people would take you to court, get a judgement, and then try to collect.
Also... your insurance company COULD have said... nope... not paying... it was an act of god...Everybody pays their own bill for an act of god! Our client had no responsiblity (eg you). The camper people will have to use their insurance to pay their damage. Since they won't be happy... they will then sue you personally.... you get to sue your insurance company for not paying for your liablity as you believe they should and it just gets ugly.
You make the best argument for the policy I have supported for years.
So...
as hosts of the event, want to be sure that everyone is able to take equal responsibility. Would you have the resources to settle a claim if you "screwed up big time," or through no fault of your own, badly injured or killed someone with your boat? I have no idea, neither does anyone else at an event that you attend. There is no guarantee of honesty or sufficient coverage, but when the regatta organizers require that you show proof, they are taking reasonable care that you, and everyone else at the event, does have the resources
Yup... I used to take this position.... Made perfect sense at the time...
But.. Is it the proper role of the Regatta committe?
I am begining to think that smarter people then I... (eg those people with lots of money at stake who hire smart lawyers who know the rules) have it right. They have decided that NO... this is not a proper role for the Regatta organizor. Leave the liablity issue up to the individuals involved. The ISAF and US Sailing rules speak to responsibility and leave all matters of liabilty to others completely outside of the Regatta and Protest committes.
In the end... if liability company doesn't want to pay... or the one party doesn't want to pay.... you are going to court to resolve it. Even then... ask OJ how much cash he has given to Nicole's father?
So... do you trade off undermining people's integrity of their word... for the warm and fuzzy feeling that at least everybody on the water at least showed a peice of paper that said they had 100K liablity coverage.
I don't get your point about the AYC policy... Are we cat sailors different because we don't have million dollar boats? The property we sail is cheap... its the personal injury and lost wages, etc etc that will cost Millions.. that 100K coverage is gone in a heartbeat! next up... your house.
(I think you would be CRAZY to have any boat... racing or not and not take out liablity coverage.)
