Yes, we are different. I'm sure some of us can claim a million-dollar net worth, but you're assuming that every catsailor racing has a house, or any resources for that matter. How many cat sailors racing around out there have nothing beyond a few hundred dollers in the bank and a hand-to-mouth paycheck keeping them afloat (sorry about that metaphore). A previous poster to this thread already admitted that his sailing was on "the scraps of his budget." As you correctly point out, anyone racing a catamaran is crazy - and in my mind morally suspect - to go without insurance. I'm not implying that budget-scraps racer is going without insurance, but are there people out there that do go without? I know there are. But I don't think our honorability and honesty as a class (in this case sailors) has changed recently. There have always been people out there who shirk responsibility, take chances and put others at risk when they have little to loose. It's more to do with the litigous nature of our society in general. The million-dollar boys at AYC know this better than anyone and almost certainly have protected themselves. That's my point.

But going back to the original subject of this thread. There is no rule I could find stating that race organizers will require proof of insurance coverage from competitors. Just like there's no rule requiring them to serve competitors food, or hand out T shirts or awards. All that stuff is a service they provide to make the event more comfortable and fun for everyone. Like the food they serve, the quality of this service is better at some events than others, but as it says in most canned NORs, the decission to race is at the sole discression of the competitor. If you don't like the way the event is being run - and maybe this means a bad burger on Saturday night, or poor oversite of competitors' insurance - it's your choice to stay on the beach.

For me, I'm glad race organizers ask for proof of insurance and I'm happy to provide it.