SARBC

Victoria, BC
Canada

NATIONAL GROUND SAR INSURANCE PROGRAM LAUNCHED

Ground Search and Rescue volunteers and units in Canada now have access to a new national insurance program. This project is the creation of the Legal Liability Insurance Committee of the Search And Rescue Volunteer Association Of Canada (SARVAC - see webpage at http://www.sarvac.org ).

Committee Chair, Don Blakely of Vernon, BC, said that one of SARVAC's first priorities was to address the "gaping hole" that existed in legal protection for SAR units. "Units are being successfully sued in the USA and it is only a question of time before it begins to happen here too. The protections here in Canada vary from Province to Province. Some are effective, some are not. But in most cases those protections apply to individuals (even if inadequately) and not to units, regardless of whether or not they are incorporated." Blakely says that one of the greatest misconceptions is that SAR Units are covered by the Good Samaritan Act. "While it may vary some from Province to Province this Act generally does not apply to organized SAR and usually will not protect you from claims of gross negligence. Nor will it protect the SAR Units themselves. So there are huge gaps where SAR volunteers and their units are not protected. This insurance package takes care of those areas."

A preliminary version of the program was revealed at SARSCENE 98 at Banff Alta in Sept 1998. It met with overwhelming response and approval. The Directors of NASAR liked it immediately and are now trying to develop a similar program for the USA.

Don Blakely comments that the program is one of the best he's seen in years for coverage of any activity. "You can get $2 million coverage for General and Professional Liability as well as Directors and Officers coverage for $875 which is what previously you would have paid for just the Directors and Officers coverage. This entire package alone previously cost some units as much as $5,000 per year before we went out and designed a product specifically for Ground SAR Units."

The National Ground SAR Insurance Program protects not only the units but the individual members as well. Optional "add-ons" are available for other types of coverage such as individual accidental death/dismemberment. Further optional "add-ons" are in development such as coverage for equipment, vehicles and buildings. Larger limits of coverage (up to $5 million or $10 Million) are also available. You do not have to be a SARVAC member to apply nor does your unit have to be incorporated as a Society.

The program was developed with the assistance of Algoma Insurance Brokers and J&H Marsh & Mclennan. Algoma Insurance representative Rob Walz says "we are pleased to be a world leader in the provision of insurance services to the Ground SAR community." This insurance package should cover the holes that exist in whatever coverage you may be provided by government. The program is underwritten by Guardian Insurance and is available only through SARVAC or Algoma Insurance.

Information and applications may be obtained at http://www.algomains.com/sarvac