Busting AMA Insurance Myths, Part 5
One of the many benefits you receive with your AMA membership is insurance coverage for your modeling activities. There is much confusion and misinformation regarding this benefit. Throughout the next few issues, we will address different aspects of the available coverage to help members better understand this valuable benefit.
AMA is not an insurance company and does not "write" its own policies. We purchase the various policies and ensure that AMA members receive insurance coverage through those policies. The 2014 Insurance Summary provides an outline of these benefits. You can find a copy of the summary on AMA's website at www.modelaircraft.org/files/InsuranceSummaryMembers.pdf.
Accident/Medical Coverage
AMA members* have access to an Accident/Medical policy providing coverage to the member if he or she sustains an injury while engaged in model activity. The injury could be caused by another person or potentially be self-inflicted.
The most common injuries reported are lacerations to the hand and/or fingers. A familiar accident description is: "I was adjusting the needle valve and got too close to the propeller." It is often followed by, "I've been in the hobby for many years; I can't believe I did that."
As with the liability policy, the Accident/Medical policy is an excess policy. That means you must first submit your medical bills to any other health plan covering you, including Medicare.
Key features of the Accident/Medical policy:
- Up to $25,000 for medical expenses incurred within 52 weeks of the original date of the accident.
- The policy pays eligible expenses upon submission of payment information from your primary health plan, bills, and other supporting documentation certifying the cost of the treatment.
- A $750 deductible applies per accident.
AD&D (Accidental Death & Dismemberment)
We also refer to the Accident/Medical policy as an AD&D policy (Accidental Death & Dismemberment). In addition to the medical expense reimbursement, the policy provides up to $10,000 for dismemberment or death, as long as these are model-activity related. The insurance company has specific criteria for establishing dismemberment benefits that are standard throughout the insurance industry.
—Safety & Member Benefits Department
*This benefit is not included in the Park Pilot membership.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
