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AAW Benefit

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A question about benefits of joining AAW is being asked over on WoW. One thing that is raising some concern is demonstrator insurance.

If the club is a chapter, all board members are AAW members and a demonstrator is also an AAW member and the demonstration is done in Canada at a Canadian chapter does the same liability insurance apply?

One other point has been raised. Has there ever been a liability claim filed using the AAW liability insurance? If so what was the outcome?
 
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Stuart,

You'll get better faster info if you address this question directly to John Hill on the Insurance Committee. I have no doubt he'll get you up to speed. Just make sure your cell phone is fully charged when you call.;)
 
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Mark, I'm in Texas so Canadian insurance isn't all that important to me. I just thought the questions especially about any claims might be of general interest.
 
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Might be, especially since the answers would apply with equal force in the U.S. If you want an accurate answer to the question that you can post for others to see, talk to John.

In the mean time, you can access the AAW Insurance page on this website at http://www.woodturner.org/org/mbrship/insurance/liability_2009.pdf which will confirm that liability insurance does apply in Canada, and that there has never been a claim on the AAW liability policy.
 
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I’m very sorry to say that John Hill is going to be in the hospital for a while, and will not be able to respond to insurance questions. I heard from him this morning, and he’s not well.

Regarding the hypothetical insurance question – yes, if the AAW chapter is in Canada, and if the demonstrator, who is an AAW member, injured someone during an AAW chapter sanctioned demo, a qualified claim could be made against the AAW supplied insurance.

In regard to past claims, it is my understanding that there has never been a qualified claim made against the AAW insurance that is provided free of charge to all North American chapters. A “qualified” claim would be where the claimant was injured by an AAW member at an AAW chapter sanctioned event.
 
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In regard to past claims, it is my understanding that there has never been a qualified claim made against the AAW insurance that is provided free of charge to all North American chapters. A “qualified†claim would be where the claimant was injured by an AAW member at an AAW chapter sanctioned event.

Thanks Ed. The free charge to all North American chapters is a very strong incentive for a turning club to join AAW.
 
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...The free charge to all North American chapters is a very strong incentive for a turning club to join AAW.

I agree. It can be very difficult for a local club to obtain liability insurance at a reasonable price, yet no well-informed owner of a venue is going to allow a turning demonstration to go forward without proof of insurance. There would be a lot fewer turning demos -- and fewer new turners and fewer buyers for our craft-ware -- without AAW's insurance policy.

One of the great things about AAW's policy is that it's not limited to a specific time and place. That is, it covers ANY demo that's "sponsored" by the club -- even if the demo's not at the club's regular meeting location or is not at a club meeting. For example, our club usually meets at the community center in Tempe, Arizona. Our next meeting will take place in Sun City. The demo in Sun City is covered and there's no need to file any paperwork notifying the insurance company (or the AAW) of the location demo.

As another example, club are sometimes asked by a library, school, or museum to put on a woodturning demonstration. Such demonstrations are covered by AAW's insurance -- even though the demo is not part of a club meeting. Often the only club members at the demo are those putting on the demonstration. Such outreach efforts bring in a lot of new turners and increase the public's appreciation for our craft. These outreach efforts are, in large part, made possible by AAW's insurance.

Of course, all of this assumes that the demonstrator is an AAW member.
 
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One of the great things about AAW's policy is that it's not limited to a specific time and place. That is, it covers ANY demo that's "sponsored" by the club -- even if the demo's not at the club's regular meeting location or is not at a club meeting. For example, our club usually meets at the community center in Tempe, Arizona. Our next meeting will take place in Sun City. The demo in Sun City is covered and there's no need to file any paperwork notifying the insurance company (or the AAW) of the location demo.

As another example, club are sometimes asked by a library, school, or museum to put on a woodturning demonstration. Such demonstrations are covered by AAW's insurance -- even though the demo is not part of a club meeting. Often the only club members at the demo are those putting on the demonstration.

Hi Dave,

If your club is doing an outreach demo at a remote location, it is often good practice to get the name of the actual owner, notify the AAW office, and get an "additional insured" certificate naming that venue owner ahead of the event. If you offer to do so up front, you're likely to get a warmer reception.

It should also be stressed that the arrangements for remote functions and demos should be well documented to be sure that the activity qualifies as a Chapter-sanctioned event.
 
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...
If your club is doing an outreach demo at a remote location, it is often good practice to get the name of the actual owner, notify the AAW office, and get an "additional insured" certificate naming that venue owner ahead of the event. If you offer to do so up front, you're likely to get a warmer reception.

It should also be stressed that the arrangements for remote functions and demos should be well documented to be sure that the activity qualifies as a Chapter-sanctioned event.

Very good advice.
 
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John Hill is out of the hospital

I am out of the hospital but a bit weak. I want to thank Ed for answering the first question of the thread for me.
To address the point of having an occational landlord named as an additional insured is usually only done if one insists on being so named. Most landlords have their own insurance to protect themselves and ours will take care of the claim if our member caused the injury while performing a chapter sanctioned activity. Most landlords that ask for insurance protection are perfectly happy to have you give them a xerox copy of your chapter's ACORD that shows that the chapter is insured.
A good practice is to document (in emails for instance in advance of a special event) that it is going to be a chapter activity, not just Tom and Jim are going to demonstrate at the mall. Instead it would say that ABC chapter will be demonstrating at the mall on such and such day.
If anyone has specific questions not clearly answered in the above referenced insurance article on the web site, just give me a call and I'll discuss on the phone.
John Hill
 
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Morning John,

Glad to see you're out of The Joint. Hopefully you'll recover quickly.

I'll predict that a property owner's response on the insurance question will vary quite a bit geographically. A smile and a copy may "pass" in Cheyenne, but in Brooklyn you're more likely to need something signed in blood. A lot may depend on the site's own insurance and its policy requirements. I mentioned it so that members looking to "spread the word" don't get taken by surprise when asked about the issue.
 
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