If you go on Monsters Rides, please read

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jraguin
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If you go on Monsters Rides, please read

Post by jraguin »

See below from Nate of the Monsters club out of Concord.

I would prefer not to see a long discussion of if/why paying the Monsters for a year of ride insurance is necessary. The Monsters decided it is necessary and it is only $10 so in my view, just do it. The cost of a couple of coffees. If you don't, no problem on my part, but it seems like to be nice to the Monsters that if you do the rides, just pay the $10.


"Could you please forward this on to the MRC list... we absolutely welcome and encourage MRC participation in the Bullet Train (and on other Monster rides too), but it would be nice to get everyone with plans to ride with the Monsters in 2019 signed up before April 1 instead of adding late entries after the 'regular season' starts up.

Note that signing up on BikeReg link below won't necessarily add one to the existing Google group email list; folks who would like the extra email traffic should join it separately, folks who don't want the extra email traffic should just ignore it.

Thanks, see you out on the roads soon... it won't be long!
Nate




---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Tom Fagan <tffagan@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Feb 25, 2019 at 8:34 AM
Subject: [Monsters] ***** MONSTERS, IMPORTANT CHANGES COMING: PLEASE READ ****
To: Monsters Cycling <monsters-cycling@googlegroups.com>


Fellow Monsters,

Greetings from your new Monsters Insurance Coordinator, i.e. the only one who answered Dan Holin’s desperate pleas for help. Seriously, the guy was really distraught and someone had to step up! ;)


So, you are stuck with me for now. This is Tom Fagan, in case you don’t recognize the email address. I’m a Spinster.. I’m a Crankster...I’m a mail-list lurker (cue the music, yeah, you know it!). Here, I’m introducing some important changes coming our way. Going forward I’ll be available to help answer questions you might have about: a MONSTERS' CLUB INSURANCE POLICY.


More details below, but to begin with, here are the most important changes that will affect YOU!:


1. For 2019, there will be a $10 membership fee to join the roster for Monsters in the Basement (“Monsters,” or the “Club”).


2. The deadline for joining for the 2019 riding season is April 1, 2019.


3. Use this BikeReg link to join the Monster’s roster: https://www.bikereg.com/monsters-in-the ... gistration

PLEASE Use the same email address to signup on BikeReg as you currently use for receiving Monsters emails.


If you don’t care to learn more and just want to keep riding with the Monsters, go to that link NOW and sign up. Done! If you’re interested in the motivation for this change and some insurance policy details, or have additional questions please read on.


If your answers are not answered below or via the included links, please save your questions and ask them at the Monster’s Summit this Thursday February 28, 6:15 pm, 15 Craig Rd., Acton.


Thanks,

Tom Fagan, Monsters Insurance Coordinator


(on behalf of the Monsters PanComm)


***************************************************************


Why have a membership fee to join the Monsters?


Until now, The Monsters have been rolling without any form of club liability insurance, exposing ourselves to rare but possible sticky situations where it would be very handy to have insurance.


Recent realizations about the low price and straightforward subscription process for obtaining a club insurance policy through the League of American Bicyclists (LAB) have convinced the PanComm that it is unreasonable not to act. Hundreds of cycling clubs and bicycle advocacy organizations across the US are insured through this umbrella organization.


By contributing only $10 each, we can cover the annual insurance premium and other ongoing financial obligations, including LAB membership, BikeReg overhead, deductibles we might incur for any insurance claim, and other small costs which have been borne in the past by generous individuals.


In short, we believe the peace-of-mind from being insured plus other perks of being a Monster are worth $10 and the few minutes it takes to register once each year.


Insurance Policy Details


The LAB policy includes General Liability insurance and Participant Accident Coverage. More details are available at the links below, but here are the basics:

General Liability covers the Club for up to $5 million in aggregate and $1 million per incident, should someone decide to sue the Club, a ride caller, or a rider for some perceived negligence.

Participant Accident Coverage insurance does just what the name suggests-- it covers Members against personal accidents they may have on a covered Monsters ride.

Participant Accident insurance should not be considered an alternative to health insurance. It will cover up to $10,000 per accident, subject to a $500 deductible and only kicks in after all other valid insurance has been collected. Think of it as a way of covering deductibles or the percentage of your medical costs that your HMO or other health insurance does not cover.


FAQ


Q: How do I become a Member?

A: Go to BikeReg.com https://www.bikereg.com/monsters-in-the ... gistration, enter your name & contact details, read and sign the release waiver, and pay the $10 fee with a credit card. IMPORTANT: Use the same email address to signup on BikeReg as you currently use for receiving Monsters emails!

It’s very self-explanatory, but if you have any BikeReg issues, please contact Nate at natekemp@gmail.com. This is the ONLY way to join the roster. You cannot join the roster by emailing someone or by sending someone paperwork.


Q: Insurance premiums are only about $5 per member, why do we pay $10 to join?

A: In addition to the insurance premium, we also need to purchase membership in the LAB, cover a small BikeReg overhead, and, should a General Liability claim be made, there's a $1,500 deductible for which we could accrue enough cash to cover after a couple years.


Q: Will the membership fee and signup process be the same every year?

A: Adjustments to the annual membership fee could be made in future years, depending on insurance premiums and other factors. In general, we expect a regular sign-up period to happen in the December-January time frame each year. Assuming all goes well with the BikeReg service this season, we’ll keep using it.


Q: How will Monsters member fees be managed?

A: The money will be held in our BikeReg account controlled by the PanComm.


Q: If I'm not on the Monsters' roster can I still join Monsters rides?

A: Technically, non-members can always "share the road" alongside Monsters but non-members will not be covered by the insurance policy (except on their first ride – with “guest” status). Cyclists coming to Monsters rides who have not joined the roster will get occasional reminders to do so from the ride callers. Even if you plan to ride only a couple of times this year with the Monsters, please join the roster by April 1, 2019. Don’t be a moocher.


Q: What rides are covered by insurance? Are not covered?

A: The policy covers all road/gravel Monsters Club “social” rides. The covered social rides include all of our regular weekly rides (e.g. Saturday AM from The Hen, Bullet Train, WE, etc.) as well as the scheduled semi-annual rides on our calendar (e.g. Twin Peaks, P-Town, Williamstown, etc) and other rides announced to the Club as a Monsters ride via invitation through the usual channels. Mountain biking “trail” rides are not covered. Private rides among friends which just happen to include Monsters are not covered, nor is riding to/from the start/end location of the Club ride.


Q: If I email a few other Monsters privately to coordinate a ride, am I covered?

A: Not by this Club policy. Coverage only applies to Club rides. See above.


Q: Will I still be on the Monsters email list even if I don’t officially join the Monsters roster?

A: Initially yes, but there are no guarantees that you won’t eventually be purged from the email list or skipped-over as the Club migrates to newer forms of communication in the future.


Q; I had a crash on a Monsters ride and incurred medical expenses. Now what?

A: First, keep the rubber side down! If you think you might eventually make a Personal Accident Coverage claim, you must fill out an Incident Report Form as soon as possible and submit it to the insurance carrier. You should do this WHETHER OR NOT YOU EVENTUALLY MAKE A CLAIM. Rule of thumb: file this incident report if you have any questions.


Important Links:


BikeReg for signing up to the Monsters' Roster:

https://www.bikereg.com/monsters-in-the ... gistration

IMPORTANT: use the same email address to signup on BikeReg as you currently use for receiving Monsters emails!


League of American Bicyclists (LAB):

https://www.bikeleague.org

https://www.bikeleague.org/content/insu ... anizations


Insurance Policy Provider:

https://americanspecialty.com


Policy-specific Information and Forms (including claims process):

amerspec.com/lab


Informative Webinar and Brochure:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He95KOW ... e=youtu.be

https://americanspecialty.com/lab/brochure2018.pdf

(note these are from the 2018 policy year, but the 2019 policy is largely the same.)
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Fintan
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Re: If you go on Monsters Rides, please read

Post by Fintan »

Done.
The trick, William Potter, is not minding that it hurts.
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tsavage
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Re: If you go on Monsters Rides, please read

Post by tsavage »

Good idea... MRC explored the idea of club insurance 'back in the day'. I don't know if it ever happened. But its something to consider since on group rides not everyone has USAC licenses nor are the ride USAC permitted. So in the event.... everyone would have to deny the presence of any organization to said ride... NEMBA now has an online waiver for rides. MIght be worth checking how that is underwritten.
"When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race." - H.G. Wells
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peterkuhn
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Re: If you go on Monsters Rides, please read

Post by peterkuhn »

i called the insurance company and they don't cover blood shooting out of your eyeballs at the top of nagog 2. Total scam
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Fintan
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Re: If you go on Monsters Rides, please read

Post by Fintan »

Is there a route file for the new bullet route?
The trick, William Potter, is not minding that it hurts.
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