Your AMA dues were raised $10 for the year 2003 and until they will be raised again.
I have questioned this one item several times on the forums and also from AMA. NO ONE will address the question other than JR who runs and sticks his nose into the HISTORICAL documents called auditor's report, which is, IMO, about as valuable as the last toilet flush. Makes for a temporary good feeling but the same old stuff will come back again.
nicely put Gordon. Here is my opinion. 99% of people know just about nothing about Insurance. If the insurance company, agent, or sponsor can keep it that way, it's all in their favor. Why? Its called fear. You put fear into people, tell them what is going to happen to them (one in ten million chance of it happening) but you make it sound like it will. Then you tell them what they need which isn't always true, and then you sell it to them.
You see Gordon, they like dumb people, people that don't ask questions and just do what they are told. "just send us the money and you will be ok" "I'd send you a copy of the policy, but you wouldn't understand it". They think were stupid! Call the AMA once and talk to somebody like your a new perspective member. They will tell you right away how much you need the insurance. They don't tell you that your homeowners coverage will more than likely pay any claim you have WORLDWIDE! and no restrictions on where your flying. Yes thats right, you don't have to be at an AMA field, heck you can be flying in a farmers field if you like.
Oh but don't worry, they will tell you more about your AMA insurance the day you have a claim, thats the day you learn what you have. You learn your insurance is secondary. you will also learn if there are any exclusions that make your situation not covered. Personally I kinda like to know ahead of time.
Today I was delivering a FarmOwners policy to a local dairy farmer. Just for the heck of it I opened the policy and read the Section ll liability. I had to laugh even the farmer is covered for model airplanes. His liability limit was 500,000. He like many others feels perfectly comfortable driving his tractor, manure spreader, ect ....down the road. Dont you just love those sloooooow mooooving farm vehicles! I can't imagine needing 2 million dollars worth of coverage for flying a model, if your on the road with your farm equipment and carry 500,000 for that peril.
As long as they can keep the fear in modelers, as long as they can keep you dumb it's really in their favor.
I'm not dumb and I'm not happy about what they are doing.
John