Presidents PERSPECTIVE F7f simple to suggest no question mind insurance provided AMA membership primaiy reason members join though AMA provides aeromodeler much insurance couple months back wrote column technological advancement its effect aeromodeling end column reflected idea tiered membership system method coping widening gap between basic aeromodeling higher faster bigger aeromodeling made possible advancing technology has suggested members long time would desirable usual simple to suggest understand complication necessary understand structure AIvIA insurance program well what reasons benefits structure begin important understand insurance regulated states rather federal government small handful insurance companies licensed operate 50 states sell insurance state generally requires license state laws regarding sale insurance different state Foitunately insunng association providing insurance members association benefit membership subject different rules licenses Therefore very important insurance provided benefit membership simply sold may seem like fine line very important line am sure will surprise few members principle need AMAs insurance individual member often has homeowners renters policy rather club site owner Id guess would rare find AIvIA chartered club has liability insurance other AMA policy AIvIA policy primary insurance meaning provides coverage before other insurance policy takes effect site owner concept primary vs excess sometimes referred secondary insurance misunderstood members Primary insurance provides first dollar coverage after deductible amount usually provides legal defense given case Excess insurance picks up primary coverage exhausted covers its limits no underlying primary insurance effect primary insurance carrier denies coverage whatever reason secondary coverage takes over insured makes no difference its matter insurance companies worry about Its somewhat like having garage bum down worrying whether car covered homeowners policy automobile comprehensive policy As long covered cares Another factor consider AMA insurance program fact member club site owner share same policy insured same limit same pot sometimes pointed out weakness insurance program fact strength know flying sites hard come last thing need anything encoumge lawsuits against site owners Herein lies advantage structure effect sinicture reduce likelihood site owner being named suit reason naming site owner suit will usually result no additional insurance money availability no additional insurance company settle out court certainly does slow down suit against site owner factsof case warrant it does slow down shotgun approach clear-cut model airplane accident Keeping mind think have come up structure would allow two-tiered membership split categories would reflect administrative cost relative liability risk have discussed structure AMAs insurance broker Special Services Director suggested column havent found holes yet has discussed Executive Council time writing will have before read breakdown between tiers will hardest part idea sepamte really high-performance large models normal ones good way measure speed Id use 20 pounds 130 mph starting point discussion Id probably put multi-airplane events such Racing Combat higher class along turbines crossover point would certainly affect numbers could expect category guess would get something close 80/20 split between categories would some additional insurance premium involved dont think would too much Heres bottom line able result could reduction dues majority members increase dues modelers wanting fly highperformance large models first cut revenue-neutral dues structure would reduce basic Open-full membership $48 $40 create high performance membership $40 additional $80 numbers cast stone representative What membership categories would called up grabs point just brainstorming think could done would address something lot members have suggested What think now have some approximate numbers think about next month 9OJ1W Dave Brown AMA President dbrown@dbproductscom July1998 7