Tuesday, January 16, 2007

SAMAA insurance

It's now official. The SAMAA insurance covers only those members who have a "solo" grading.
I know the members of the management committee. Some are simply acquaintances, others friends of long standing. Their hearts are in the right place. But this "solo" ruling makes me wonder if they have lost the plot. After all, they should act in the best interests of the members.
The need for solo is not set by the underwriters but by the SAMAA MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE.
Why on earth make this ruling? How does it help the members? There's no suggestion that it will keep premiums down.
Think about what it means.
There's no agreed process laid down for members to become graded. Is Dave Armitage going to test all three thousand? I don't think so. In the mean time will the management committee dismiss claims from members without a solo grade? If not, how will it decide? Has it asked Clubs for their views?
I had a look at the BMFA members' insurance scheme, (more info here). It has no such restriction. In fact the BMFA scheme says nothing about legal frequencies or registered flying fields either.
I have a copy of the SAMAA policy in 2003 so it may not be the latest version. In it though there is also no mention of legal frequencies of registered fields. Whence came this restriction?
I must assume that the committee feels that it must protect us from ourselves. This is the paternalistic "Old South African" view. The Groot Krokodil, may he rest in peace, must be smiling in his grave.
Surely we should work to reduce insurance restrictions? Lift the embargo on legal frequencies and registered fields. It's not an underwriters' exclusion. Cover members wherever they fly. This would be greatly in their interest and a valuable benefit of membership.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

You sound like a old man that is still struggling to do solo!!

Anonymous said...

How did you guess?

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