RCU Forums - Questions

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I have two questions concerning AMA insurance. Bear in mind that I have been an AMA member for many years and I am neither pro nor con on the subject of whether or not anyone should be a member. These are merely questions that I have been idly wondering about for years.

The first question regards AMA's history of paying claims. As nearly as I can surmise, the insurance is just about the only reason to join AMA. I asked this question a couple years ago and got no responses from anyone who had collected a dime from AMA. RCU has members numbering in the hundreds of thousands now, if I remember correctly, and out of that base you would expect that someone here had actually collected some insurance money from AMA. We have all heard about people who have paid insurance of one kind or another for many years only to have their first legitimate claim denied by the insurance company, whoever it may have been. Most recently we have been hearing about State Farm in the Katrina debacle. So, has anyone in this forum ever had a claim with AMA that was paid in a timely manner and without their trying their damnedest to avoid paying?

The second question deals with AMA insurance being secondary to home owner's insurance. I can understand why that is--yearly dues would be astronomical if AMA were primary and actually paid claims. But what if you have no home owner's insurance. It would be a rare instance but it could happen. And when I say home owner's insurance I am including renter's insurance also. If there were no home owner's insurance to be primary, would AMA step right up and pay a legitimate claim?

Just a couple of questions, folks. Just wondering what the actual value of AMA membership is, if any.

A much better way to get the answers to your two questions would be to contact Amy Wilson. You may e-mail her at [email protected] or call her at (765) 287-1256 extension 252.

There are reasons to join, besides the insurance, but if you really have none, you can't beat it.

Ken

Quote:

ORIGINAL: JollyPopper

I have two questions concerning AMA insurance. Bear in mind that I have been an AMA member for many years and I am neither pro nor con on the subject of whether or not anyone should be a member. These are merely questions that I have been idly wondering about for years.

The first question regards AMA's history of paying claims. As nearly as I can surmise, the insurance is just about the only reason to join AMA. I asked this question a couple years ago and got no responses from anyone who had collected a dime from AMA. RCU has members numbering in the hundreds of thousands now, if I remember correctly, and out of that base you would expect that someone here had actually collected some insurance money from AMA. We have all heard about people who have paid insurance of one kind or another for many years only to have their first legitimate claim denied by the insurance company, whoever it may have been. Most recently we have been hearing about State Farm in the Katrina debacle. So, has anyone in this forum ever had a claim with AMA that was paid in a timely manner and without their trying their damnedest to avoid paying?
Yes, there were two claims filed by members of our club and both were paid without a problem. Once was for broken windshild when model flew into car, the other was for medical payments when individual stuck arm in propeller arc.
The second question deals with AMA insurance being secondary to home owner's insurance. I can understand why that is--yearly dues would be astronomical if AMA were primary and actually paid claims. But what if you have no home owner's insurance. It would be a rare instance but it could happen. And when I say home owner's insurance I am including renter's insurance also. If there were no home owner's insurance to be primary, would AMA step right up and pay a legitimate claim?

Yes

Just a couple of questions, folks. Just wondering what the actual value of AMA membership is, if any.

Questions asked and answered. As far as the worth-while-ness of being a member is concerned, that's likely different for every person. Personally, I like being a member: 1). Different then most, I like the magazine, I feel compaired to some which might be considered the best of the magazines offered today; MAN & Fly RC, there is real grist for the mill in MA. 2). The insurance is important to me. 3). I'm O.K. with supporting Muncie.

I also think there is room for the AMA to be improved and am hopeful this will happen, someday.

Thanks, guys. What a refreshing experience to have a question answered straight up without a load of bs. Good for you guys. Although I am a little surprised that AMA would pay for someone sticking his arm/hand/finger, whatever, into a spinning propeller. I say that like I have never done it. Thanks again folks.

JP-

Coverage for an injury like the finger-in-prop incidents is by a medical policy separate from the liability policy, and is also secondary, in this case to any other medical insurance.
A potential benefit you might realize in a liability situation resulting from modeling activity even though the AMA coverage is secondary to your HO stems from the relatively low deductible ($250.00, IIRC). If you carry a high deductible on your HO coverage to keep premiums down (I do, $5K on several such policies), AMA insurance might cover most of what you would have paid out-of-pocket. No experience personally or involving anyone close, but reportedly such payments have been made by AMA.

Abel