Insurance....
It’s always a hot topic so I’ll put it into common sense for you...
Someone mentioned little Jonny poking his eye out on your mast... with or without parental supervision it’s no worse than knocking little Jonny over with your car if he ran out Into the road...
Your insured with your car for such incidents and accidents so why not for a hobby that for some clubs becomes public risks?
Now when I say risks I do mean risks....
The majority of hobbiets take great care not to damage their boats and certainly don’t want grubby kid fingers all over their hard work, we’ve all been there with busted up hand rails because parents are supervising kids today and I’ve had my fair share of swear words at children and parents alike for such behaviour.
That said given how everything is turning into a quick way to make cash of the humbled hermits what’s to stop parents claiming that they cut them selfs on your model and trying their luck In small claims?
And that’s just to start....
What if a real incident happens?
I’ve seen fast electric hydros and multi hills go flying out of lakes at high speed ( fortunately the incidents I’ve witnessed resulted in a trashed boat either going up the gravel bank and one over the sea wall never to be seen again, but what’s to stop those instances of similar incidents where the boat hit a car, a perdestrian, or a mother pushing her baby in the pram?
Would you say “oh sorry” and be done or would you be looking at a night in the cells for assault? Who would be paying for such claimed against you for such an incident? Clearly you can afford the bills out of your own pocket to fund such an event should the worst occur if not insured.. because that is the worst case scenario.
Now I know that is a bit of a long shot on “what if’s” but not unlikely.. you only need to watch YouTube for a few mins to see this type of incident is very real.
Now there are more that just that type... ignoring steam engines as they do require a lot more liability and care, you do still have the IC engine owners, that’s straight out the bag a fire hazard in a public place with a gallon of nitro and a twit with a lot fag in his gob waiting to happen, there’s also the risk of cylinder head going pop at high speed that’s becomes a projectile... do members of the public wear hard hats generally?
With IC engines I can keep going but those are the basic “ can happend’s”
Then you have something as basic as missing fingers.. how? Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve picked up my boat and my dads knocked the throttle and sliced into a finger to two... now imagine somone actully uniformed like a member of the public or a child and something linen starting the boat up on the stand to test your model before sailing, something we all do, but this time some little ones fingers right there by your shiny and highly honed, or even over reved prop, think you be lucky to actully find the finger for reattatchment...
Now I guess I’ll he nhs will pay for the initial treatment for your carelessness, that’s now tax payers insurance being used.. what about when you get sued for disabling that child, or forced to pay out for the adults time of work during recovery and he or she has bills to pay but are not in a job with sick pay?
I guess you can afford to pay out a very large sum since some don’t want to buy insurance?
Now here’s the thing... any responsible person with a hobby that can expose anyone to damage or injury regardless or age, supervision, or lack of common sense, shouldn’t be operating a live model in public places without insurance, it is purely irresponsible for you to take such a risk and frankly you should be ashamed of yourself for even allowing a topic like this to be some sort of pro
/con discussion...
There is no pro or con to not having public liability insurance because those who don’t cover themselves will should the worst happen not be complaining about a £310 annual bill but a bill in the thousands to which their is no escape.
As for cost of insurance, if your getting quotes of £300 plus your clearly not looking in the right place, my old club before moving has a 2.5m public liability policy for their club and it’s cost a measly £80 a year...
There is no excuse for ignorance when it comes to how the world is today, right or wrong at the end of the day if your model causes an incident then you are liable and that’s the hard fact and truth to the matter.
Any typos in here you’ll have to forgive.. my iPhone has the best rockblocking auto predict in the U.K.