Club Insurance - Overview
Club Insurance Overview
Siskiyou Velo purchases general liability and participant accident insurance coverage through the League of American Bicyclists. This coverage applies to Club member participants, ride leaders, volunteers and Board members. Non-member guests are covered only for the first time they participate in a club-sponsored ride or activity and must sign a Release of Liability. Guests are asked to join the club after their first ride so that they can be covered, as a member, by this liability and accident insurance.
A singularly important benefit of the insurance is that the insurer picks-up the cost of legal defense in the event that someone files a suit against the Club, its members, ride leaders, volunteers or Board members. Without the insurance, each person named in the suit would have to hire their own attorney.
The Club’s insurance also includes a $10,000 “out-of-pocket” medical benefit. The Club’s insurance will pick-up medical expenses for members and first-time guests who incur injury on a Club ride for those medical expenses that are not otherwise covered by the member’s or guest’s own health insurance (less a $500 deductible).
Note that insurance coverage (liability and medical) applies to guests ONLY the first time they participate in a club-sponsored ride or event. If an accident or other incident occurs on a second or subsequent ride or event – and the guest has not yet become a member – this non-member isn’t covered. To be clear, if this non-member guest had an accident (on a second, third, or subsequent ride) they might be more likely to try to recover some of their outlay by suing the Club, other members, ride leader, volunteers or Board Members.
As with any insurance policy, the insurer retains the right to determine which expenses meet their criteria to be covered under the terms of the insurance policy, as well as the upper limit of the coverage.
The insurance works, in part, because all participants have agreed through signing the Release of Liability (through becoming a member or signing the one-time guest Release of Liability) that:
I HEREBY RELEASE, DISCHARGE, AND COVENANT NOT TO SUE the Club, the League of American Bicyclists (LAB), their respective administrators, directors, Club approved ride leaders, Club agents, officers, members, non-members who sign this Release of Liability, volunteers, employees, other participants, any sponsors, advertisers, and, if applicable, owners and lessors of premises on which the Activity takes place, (each considered a “RELEASEE” herein) FROM ALL LIABILITY, CLAIMS, DEMANDS, LOSSES, OR DAMAGES ON MY ACCOUNT CAUSED OR ALLEGED TO BE CAUSED IN WHOLE OR IN PART BY THE NEGLIGENCE of any “RELEASEE.” I also release and covenant not to sue other Club members for negligent rescue operations and/or negligent first aid during any ride or Activity, while awaiting emergency medical services. I FURTHER AGREE that if, despite this RELEASE AND WAIVER OF LIABILITY, ASSUMPTION OF RISK, AND INDEMNITY AGREEMENT I, or anyone on my behalf, makes a claim against any Releasee, I WILL INDEMNIFY, SAVE, AND HOLD HARMLESS EACH RELEASEE from any litigation expenses, attorney fees, loss, liability, damage, or costs which any may incur as the result of such claims.
If an incident or accident occurs on a club-sponsored ride or event, and you want information on insurance coverage, please contact the Siskiyou Velo Club President.
If you want further details about the club’s insurance, click here for a brochure that describes the product.