USFS Sports Accident Insurance

[Skittl1321]

So I was thinking, since I was injured in a group lesson, will the insurance USFS touts as a membership benefit pay the fees my insurance won't cover (Not too much- I'm just looking at an ER visit and a few months of PT, but hey- if I don't have to pay it...).

Looking into it, it has a $2,500 deductible.  So guess not...

No wonder people sue the rink/LTS coach every time a skater breaks a wrist (I've chosen not to go this route...).  The insurance is clearly only meant for catastrophic accidents, but isn't really advertised as such.

[FigureSpins]

Send Susi Wehrli an email and ask about your coverage, assuming you were registered as a Basic Skills member of the skating school before the accident.  All the links lead to that document called "The Insurance Program," but parts of it say that the coverage isn't for skaters, it's for spectators.  There used to be a separate document; maybe the deductible wasn't as high.

Let's be honest: people will sue because they think rinks are gold mines and they just struck the mother lode by taking a spill.  Unless they can prove negligence, or the rink pays them to go away, the lawsuits wouldn't do anything but raise the rink's insurance coverage.  A knowledgeable skating director explained that your personal health insurance has to pay first, then sports accident insurance.  The rink's liability insurance is only invoked if there was some liability, such as a slippery floor or poorly-maintained site.

On a related note, but OT: I went to a NYC rink that forces EVERYONE sign a waiver that says you won't sue them and acknowledges that they don't carry liability insurance.  They have a guy sitting at a desk with a notary stamp of some sort - you can't pay admission until you have a signed, stamped form on file.  I really think that can't be legit.  Maybe sk8lady will clarify this, but I can't imagine the City allowing them to operate without insurance.

[Skittl1321]

It isn't really worth pursuing- just a few hundred dollars, a thousand worse case scenario...

This page also references the deductible: http://www.usfigureskating.org/Clubs.asp?id=238

[sarahspins]

On a related note, but OT: I went to a NYC rink that forces EVERYONE sign a waiver that says you won't sue them and acknowledges that they don't carry liability insurance.  They have a guy sitting at a desk with a notary stamp of some sort - you can't pay admission until you have a signed, stamped form on file.  I really think that can't be legit.  Maybe sk8lady will clarify this, but I can't imagine the City allowing them to operate without insurance.

They do this where my son takes gymnastics.  From what I understand they DO have liability insurance (for both the facility and employees), but having these waivers (and yes they are notarized) on file reduces their rates significantly.  Basically if a kid injures themselves (which happens a LOT) they aren't responsible, and they aren't afraid to let you know this   If part of the building collapsed or there was an equipment failure that resulted in an injury, that would be different, but if you sprain your ankle or break your arm on your own, it's not their responsibility.

The rink where I skate, effectively you are agreeing to a similar "waiver" any time there is a monetary transaction - you agree to it when you pay for classes or for a session (public or private) but since it's not notarized I wonder about how well it would hold up if someone did decide to sue them.

When I shredded my knee at 15 it happened during a private lesson.  I could have sued the rink and my coach and we didn't.. it was an accident and really no one's fault but my own, and it could have happened at any time.  Had it physically involved my coach or a rink employee or something wrong with the facility it may have been different.

[FigureSpins]

But, this was for public skating, not for lessons or games/competitions.  The other rinks in NYC don't do that, only the ones with this concessionaire.  (I think he has three rinks in different boroughs.)  The public swimming pools in NYC don't have that policy, either. 

I could see it at a gymnastics place, where all of the activities are supervised.  course, every registration form today has some sort of a disclaimer, but they don't include "thou shalt not sue us and we don't have insurance" as part of the wording.  It's mainly "hey, life is dangerous and you () at your own risk."

Negligence/liability is different from sports accident/health insurance.

[Skittl1321]

slippery floor

It was VERY slippery where I fell... 
I think the lack of emergency response could show neglect on the part of the rink, but it isn't something I'm trying to prove.  (Basically no one from the rink ever checked on me after I left the ice- a coach helped me stand up.)



I was just surprised to see "sports accident insurance" is really "catastrophic sports accident insurance".  It would really take a major accident, or significant complication to reach the level that they cover anything.

[Sk8Dreams]

But, this was for public skating, not for lessons or games/competitions.  The other rinks in NYC don't do that, only the ones with this concessionaire.  (I think he has three rinks in different boroughs.) 

He is super connected politically.  One of my lottery jackpot fantasies has always been to take one of those concessions away from him.  You know which one, I'm sure.  I never realized they don't carry liability insurance, and it may be that they do, but want everyone to think they don't.  In any case, they are fooling themselves, because no waiver will protect anyone if negligence is proven.

[AgnesNitt]

I'm not a lawyer,but, I seem to remember from some class somewhere, that sports establishments all say it's your liability, but push comes to shove, they do carry insurance. For one thing, the rink would be liable if the injured person was able to prove that the rink was grossly negligent (sand coming up through the ice for example).
Yeah, ordinary trip and fall -- your fault--trip and fall because a light is out and the matting is coming up--negligence on their part.

[nicklaszlo]

(sand coming up through the ice for example).

Funny you should mention that...  my rink had that problem today.  Much better than the sticky black goo on the ice a few days ago.