Homebrew Club Insurance Program Questions

Hello, this is Luke Dobrich with the West’s Insurance Agency who is handling the Homebrew Club Insurance program for the AHA.  I have been receiving some questions on the insurance program and thought that I would post a few of these questions and their responses.  I will also be adding these to the FAQ’s that are located on my agency web site www.westinsurance.com/aha

1.  Question:  Is the premium an annual, quarterly, or monthly amount?
    Answer:  The premium of $3.50 per club member is an annual amount.  The program policy term will be 9/1/14 TO 9/1/15.

2.  Question:  How are new club members that are added during the year handled with the insurance program?
    Answer:  The carrier requires a current club member roster before your club enrolls in the program.  Your club’s premium will be based on this roster.  If your club adds new members during the course of the policy term, they are automatically included in the coverage as long as your club is enrolled.  At the policy renewal next year, the carrier will request an updated roster list and the new members will be factored into your club’s renewal premium amount at that time.  *Please note that the premium for this club insurance program and the collection of your individual club’s membership dues are not connected.  For example, if your club knows their membership level is at 100, but full dues are not paid up until 6 months into the year, the carrier will look at your club as having 100 members.

3.  Question:  Does my club need to be incorporated in order to participate in this insurance program?
    Answer:  No, the carrier does not require that your club is incorporated to enroll in this program.

4.  Question:  Do all club’s that participate get their own liability limits or are they shared among all participating clubs?
    Answer:  The limits are shared among all participating clubs.  The program includes limits of $1M per occurrence and $3M aggregate for general liability and $1M per occurrence and $3M aggregate for liquor liability.  In addition there is a $10M umbrella limit that sits over the general liability and liquor liability limits…  So in effect, the program carries limits of $11M / $13 M for both general and liquor liability for all clubs.  Also, the policy will include the costs to defend (legal fees) your club and members in the case of a law suit.

5.  Question:  Will I receive a policy once enrolled?
    Answer:  No, each enrolled club will receive a certificate of insurance that provides the limit details included in the policy that will be the club’s evidence of coverage.

6.  Question:  What are the requirements to enroll my club?
    Answer:  The carrier requires a the completion of the online enrollment form (http://www.westinsurance.com/hbc-enrollment.html), a current club member roster/list with names only (digital format), your club must also be registered on the AHA website (Club Registration Form - American Homebrewers Association)

I hope this helps.  The program/policy effective date will be 9/1.  Feel free to contact me directly at luke@westinsurance.com if you have additional questions.

Thanks,
Luke
West’s Insurance Agency

Is the insurance coverage on a claims made or claims occurred basis?  I hope I got the terminology right.

This policy is on an occurrence basis.  Great question.

I would like to thank the AHA and West Insurance Agency for making this available. I would also like to thank Mr. Luke Dobrich for the answers to the questions I had. I think this insurance is a good idea and I know our club will benefit for having it. Thanks again and a job well done!

If our ever procrastinating club can’t get it together by 9/1, when is the next enrollment period?

We will have quarterly enrollment periods during the policy term for clubs that miss the 9/1 enrollment date.  That being said the carrier requires enough initial interest/enrollment from clubs to put the program in place effective 9/1.  We are about halfway to that total, but we still need some more participation to assure that this program will get off the ground.  The more clubs that can discuss/vote to enroll initially by 9/1 the better.

Believe me, I’m pushing them to get enrolled by the Sept. deadline!

Does anyone know if there is a minimum membership requirement?  My local club does not participate in this plan…wish they would but they don’t/won’t.  I would feel more comfortable if I had some sort of liability insurance when pouring beer at events.  I was thinking that I might have to form a homebrew club for the sole purpose of obtaining this liability insurance along with other members of my local homebrewing community.  Also does this insurance only cover you when you are pouring under the “umbrella” of a covered club? My intention isn’t to steal away membership from the existing homebrew club.

The scope of the insurance program is to provide coverage for homebrew clubs (meaning that it is not intended to provide coverage for individual homebrewers).  The carrier has put a minimum membership requirement of 4 members to be considered a club and note that the policy provides coverage for the club and the club’s members (but only for with respect to their liability for activities performed on the club’s behalf).

I hope this helped to answer your questions.  Shoot me an email at luke@westinsurance.com if you have additional questions.
Thanks, Luke - West’s Insurance Agency

Is this still something that is offered?

AFAIK, yes it is.

Yes, it is! The open enrollment period will be 7/1/2018 - 8/31/2018.

This will cover the club 9/1/2018 - 9/1/2019.

Feel free to email me with any questions: Matt@BrewersAssociation.org

Thanks!

You can find details on the club insurance program here:
https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/community/clubs/homebrew-club-insurance/

The AHA will reimburse clubs for their general liability and liquor liability insurance premium payments if 75% or more of the club’s members are also AHA members.