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Does USPSA offer or cover insurance for people working


Sandbagger123

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uspsa matches? 

With the recent death of a shooter at a match in Cali, it is really making me take a hard look at my participation in RO ing and helping put on matches.   So does uspsa cover matches under any insurance or offer insurance to be purchased to cover liabilty to clubs?  as a " volunteer" sport , who really covers MD/ RO etc in a match 

 

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9 minutes ago, TaterHead said:

When did this happen? I can't find anything about it.

Should be able to google it. I think it even got mentioned on here. I can't recall the name of the club.

Dont we already have individual insurance? I certainly do.

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I don't think they do, but not positive.  When I had a range we went through a private insurance company.  NRA has policies that are great if you are a non profit range, but not so great for a  for profit range.  As an individual working matches, you are dependent on the ranges insurance, or your own to my knowledge

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Two avenues here:

1) First Party Insurance
This is your personal Life and AD&D coverage. Hopefully you carry some - it's typically fairly cheap. You're more likely to check out on a way to a match than at a match, and you can't depend on the other driver having adequate insurance to cover your family. Accidents (traffic, goofing off, boating, slipping, etc...) are the single largest cause of death for folks under 45 so an AD&D policy (cheaper than term life) is a good way to stretch a dollar for coverage even further.

The NRA offers a small benefit for members that's also available. I would guess if USPSA did they would also market it heavily (as the NRA does) - the life insurance companies typically use affinity relationships like this to acquire customers.

2) Third Party Coverage
AKA suing people. If you are shot fatally at a range and it's your fault, no coverage. Life Insurance is the better bet here.
If you're shot by someone else I would expect your estate to sue the range and any officers and directors, the sanctioning body of the sport, match staff (at a minimum the MD and the RO for the stage where it happened) and the shooter.

This would likely net your estate and family a couple hundred thousand (assuming there was some negligence that was involved, but it could take years.

As a general rule of thumb, if you're worried about the impact a loss would have on you or your family, cover yourself first.


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If USPSA or the club tried to cover the individuals shooting and working the matches it would be an expensive and time consuming proposition; it would be way more efficient for shooters to buy their own term life insurance.

If you start thinking about life insurance while you're young and healthy, it's very affordable; your employer may also provide a small policy for burial expenses.

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Here is a link to the article regarding the accident.

From what I understand, the ricochet came from a bay directly behind the other shooters..The bullet skipped off the berm and impacted a plywood board that was at the top of the bay.  Im sure sure if you can cross post other forums but there is a large thread on Calguns..

https://www.westallianceinjurylawyers.com/corona-lionel-tan-killed-in-gun-range-accident-at-raahauge-shooting-enterprises/

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http://nrg.jvdynamics.com/site/

Published January 15, 2017 | By Claudia Vidanes

As many of you already are aware, we experienced a tragic loss of our friend and fellow shooter yesterday. We are doing everything we can at this point to cooperate with authorities as they try to contact his family. Because they have not yet been able to be notified nor have the authorities finished their investigation, it would be inappropriate for us to discuss this publicly

 Matches are suspended until February 18th.

http://www.pe.com/articles/safety-823581-shooting-range.html

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department has not disclosed exactly how the accident happened. But interviews with witnesses suggest that the bullet was shot by someone in a different stall who was not involved in the Norco club’s match.

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Liability insurance typically comes down to "do I have anything worth insuring?"  Depending on your state's property laws, your status as a homeowner or other type of insured, you may or may not. The other side of the coin is that the lawyers are going after deep pockets.  Your club isn't insured but you carry a personal policy?  Guess what?  You're a better target.

Caveat emptor and know your states laws.  Better yet, consult an attorney yourself to ask about what type of insurance, etc. might make the most sense.  Your club is incorporated as at least an LLC, right, shielding members and directors from personal liability?  All of your match stages are always attended by current certified RO's, right?  You include a safety briefing at every match, right?

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36 minutes ago, Brooke said:

I interpreted the question to be about liability, not life insurance. Maybe I 'm just freaked up. Some organizations  have liability policy that covers RO's/ SO's. Probably all of us should have an umbrella policy on our own.

If you are killed at the range your life insurance policy will pay to your beneficiaries, if your family feels the owner of the range is somewhat responsible for you death they might choose to sue that owner, in which case their liability insurance would defend them, with their umbrella policy covering any judgement over the primary policy limits.  Unless you are the owner of the range, or the club, I can't see an umbrella policy doing you any good in a situation like this.

Life insurance covers what happens to you, liability insurance covers what you do to someone else.

 

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So what I'm reading between the lines here is the question, if I'm holding the timer at a USPSA match and someone dies while I'm doing so, do I have any legal protection? It seems the answer is no, not unless you have purchased it yourself.

Do not expect anyone else to provide something for you, whether the org, the club or the range. That's the message I'm hearing...

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25 minutes ago, rowdyb said:

So what I'm reading between the lines here is the question, if I'm holding the timer at a USPSA match and someone dies while I'm doing so, do I have any legal protection? It seems the answer is no, not unless you have purchased it yourself.

Doesn't matter if it's USPSA or not.  At any match if you're "running the stage" then you're POTENTIALLY liable for anything that happens.  I say POTENTIALLY because there's a lot that has to be in place to determine that liability, negligence, etc.  Once lawyers get involved it's complex.

If you are an employee or agent of your club or range I'd have a discussion with them about their general umbrella coverage.  I'd also have a discussion about their incorporation status.  While not bulletproof (pun intended), this can change the liability perspective drastically.

In any case you should talk to an attorney about what, if any, liability coverage you need that you don't already have and whether it makes you more of a target for inclusion in a suit or if you're already a target and it gives you more protection.

Someone doesn't have to die... imagine the competitor who trips over something and breaks a leg or gets over-exerted and has a heart attack.  The question will come down to "did you have a role in causing it" and "did you have a role in failing to prevent it when you 'should' have?"

At the end of the day it's a big boy sport and like any sport injuries can happen.  How often, REALLY, do you hear about lawsuits over common sports injuries?  Probably not much at all.

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2 hours ago, Brooke said:

I interpreted the question to be about liability, not life insurance. Maybe I 'm just freaked up. Some organizations  have liability policy that covers RO's/ SO's. Probably all of us should have an umbrella policy on our own.

My insurance rep called the underwritters for me to see if I could get an umbrella policy. They said that they would not be able to offer me anything for coverage in the shooting sports.  Make sure your umbrella policy really covers what you think it covers.

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My insurance rep called the underwritters for me to see if I could get an umbrella policy. They said that they would not be able to offer me anything for coverage in the shooting sports.  Make sure your umbrella policy really covers what you think it covers.



Your rep is probably confused. Your HO policy (that you're looking for an umbrella for) covers losses due to your negligence. There is no blanket exclusion for shooting sports. An umbrella typically follows form and provides higher limits. So you would just need an umbrella liability policy, not a policy specific to the shooting sports.
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So what I'm reading between the lines here is the question, if I'm holding the timer at a USPSA match and someone dies while I'm doing so, do I have any legal protection? It seems the answer is no, not unless you have purchased it yourself.

Do not expect anyone else to provide something for you, whether the org, the club or the range. That's the message I'm hearing...



Don't expect it. Depending on USPSA's policy, match volunteers MAY be covered. A typical General Liability policy defines an insured as a party who is entitled to coverage under the policy - amongst those are;

"Each of the following is also an insured:
a. Your "volunteer workers" only while performing duties related to the conduct of your business,"

However, USPSA's liability coverage may or may not contain the above standard language, so you may or may not be on your own.

Also, in the event that policy or policies was exhausted and you had additional assets, they would still be at risk.
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yep, i meant my post to be read as a warning, not as a complaint. if you're expecting any org or range or club to cover you while working a match, you might be in for a sad surprise should stuff go really south.

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I always need to see the range liability policy, and get a copy,  before I agree to RO for a major match. Everyone talks about the club or range policy, but how many of you guys have actually seen it for where you shoot at?

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3 hours ago, rowdyb said:

So what I'm reading between the lines here is the question, if I'm holding the timer at a USPSA match and someone dies while I'm doing so, do I have any legal protection? It seems the answer is no, not unless you have purchased it yourself.

Do not expect anyone else to provide something for you, whether the org, the club or the range. That's the message I'm hearing...

Could also be interpreted to read, "don't volunteer at matches". 

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43 minutes ago, 9x45 said:

I always need to see the range liability policy, and get a copy,  before I agree to RO for a major match. 

I've never asked to see a range liability policy, but should have.

What is the typical reaction of the range staff or the MD when you make this request?  Good, bad or indifferent?

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Your rep is probably confused. Your HO policy (that you're looking for an umbrella for) covers losses due to your negligence. There is no blanket exclusion for shooting sports. An umbrella typically follows form and provides higher limits. So you would just need an umbrella liability policy, not a policy specific to the shooting sports.


Peter the fish is correct, your homeowner policy will respond first and then a "umbrella" policy. Most people call it an umbrella but is really an excess liability policy that follows the coverage on the underlying policy (i.e.; homeowner policy) Not many companies sell true umbrella policies anymore. As long as you did nothing intentional to cause bodily injury to someone, your policies should respond.

The only thing that I see could cause an issue is if you are paid vs. a volunteer. Then the lawyers will decide how the policy responds. Is free match entry payment? What about a major match where the host club pays your hotel bill...etc.


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