D_Meredith79 said...

Due to not being informed, I couldn't make a decision of wanting or not wanting it.

Wave Slave and D_Meredith79 may be on the right track

If information regarding Liability insurance is the key to the solution, then why can't the AKSA affiliates (or whatever kite insurance providers) provide good quality brochures, application forms etc to the retailers, for them to include in the new buyers package.
Help the retailers & Kite schools as much as possible to get the info across to new buyers.

The responsibility is then not on the retailer to Advise on insurance, but merely look like the good guys for pointing the way forward.

Having the information regarding why it may be important to have Public Liability insurance then puts the reponsibility with the buyer, not the retailer.

If you have been informed and choose a path that gets you in litigation hell then it is your own responsibility.......each to their own.


Fossil

I think a lot of people are writing off slave's original idea because they have previous issues with things he has had to say on this subject and aren't judging the idea on it's merits. I think it's a good idea and makes a lot of sense.

It would benifit all parties (consumers, retailers and the sport). You could just have brochures at the shop with a shop stamp on them....to easy.

And I do think it is fair to question the $6.50 out of $65 dollar insurance component, because the majority of people probably only join the organisation for the insurance and don't get the benifit of the social events and competitions. I dont want to subsidise peoples need to be in a commitie or compete etc. all I want is insurance at a fair and reasonable price. The national kite bodies dont offer insurance only cover, they dont offer pro rata, they are notoriously hard to contact and get badges etc out of.

And whenever anyone legitamatly questions anything any number of people willing to stick up for them because they know how much time their mate on the committie puts in for free, or they get value out of the membership because they can choose to attend events etc.

If one of the primary goals of the kite orgs is to provide access to insurance and only a quarter of kiters are insured then those bodies should take a long hard look at themselves to see how they can further their goal.

myusernam said...



It would benifit all parties (consumers, retailers and the sport). You could just have brochures at the shop with a shop stamp on them....to easy.

And I do think it is fair to question the $6.50 out of $65 dollar insurance component, because the majority of people probably only join the organisation for the insurance and don't get the benifit of the social events and competitions. I dont want to subsidise peoples need to be in a commitie or compete etc. all I want is insurance at a fair and reasonable price. The national kite bodies dont offer insurance only cover, they dont offer pro rata, they are notoriously hard to contact and get badges etc out of.

And whenever anyone legitamatly questions anything any number of people willing to stick up for them because they know how much time their mate on the committie puts in for free, or they get value out of the membership because they can choose to attend events etc.

If one of the primary goals of the kite orgs is to provide access to insurance and only a quarter of kiters are insured then those bodies should take a long hard look at themselves to see how they can further their goal.

If there was money coming in for insurance premiums ONLY, who would then pay for the printing, collation & distribution of the said "good idea" brochures...would this be on the retailers?.

The Organisations (e.g. AKSA) use collective bargaining to get the best cost per individual member cover. If single persons were to approach Insurance companies for Liability insurance I believe they would be paying much more for the same cover, quite possibly more than the $65 Org fees.

As soon as you organise an event, even as an individual, be it competitively or socialy, you are open to litigation IF if things go pear shaped.
Under the umbrella of the organisations you are covered.

It would become costly, cumbersome & complicated to have an Organisation to deal with each individual component on behalf of others.

As Wave Slave correctly pointed out, none of this is compulsary.

If you wish to get your own insurance......go & do it.

If you don't want insurance, be prepared to deal with non compliance with councils (e.g. fines in some cases), litigtion from every man & his dog who finds a problem with you on the beach and the flow-on effect to other kiters.....IF things go wrong. The risk is personally yours to consider .

If you don't want to join the recognised state kiting Organisations.....DON'T.

Apologies for swaying from the topic (apart from my first paragraph).

Fossil

[b]myusernam said......

brochures woulod be gladly provided by the insurance company.

I doubt that the brochures would be kiting specific. Kiting specific insurance is an extremely minor portion of their client base.

They would gladly include the general Insurance flyers which are about as attractive to newbie kiters as having a dog turd included in your new kite kit.

The "Intro membership offer" included with the sale of every kite to a newbie is an excellent suggestion and is a good solution just waiting to be refined!

Fossil

myusernam said...
......................
Hey AKSA why not allow the kite shops to include 1 year's membership 'free' with every kite (charge the kiteshop say $15). ...................

It is a great idea. Not quite as simple to effect as it may seem but quite feasible.

This is great guys. Proactive suggestions like those in this thread; and the support that it suggests (not to mention the more brains on the job of thinking and refining ideas); is just what AKSA needs to move forward.

Despite all the negativity that has been thrown around; this season particularly; the new structure of state reps running the AKSA board is a very progressive and positive step forward for kiting in Australia.
Whilst the negativity has had a huge impact on the motivation of existing reps to contribute (hence very little progress thus far) what we are ALL about is states working with states to ensure best practice for all states and using AKSA for only those centralised functions which are most effectively handled by a single national figurehead body.

Back to the insurance/shop issue. We do have a current policy which, when enacted, will include shops in the sale & collection of fees. Just another initiative waiting for time & manpower. But this discussion has thrown new light on the concept. I will raise the issue immediatley with the board to see if this forum based member input can improve the current policy.

Forums are great (when its positive) but please be aware that we can and will act just as effectively from emails sent via your own state KSA or directly to aksa at - [email protected]