required climbing guide insurance?

[Drew_Jones]

Anyone know exactly what type of insurance a guiding company and its guides are legally required to carry? Or where I can find the information?

 

Thanks,

Drew

[DPS]

Some land-use agencies may require insurance before they issue permits to guide on their land. Other than that I don't believe there are any other agencies that legally require one to have insurance. I am sure Scot'teryx would know all the ins and outs as he recently started a guide company.

Edited February 18, 2004 by danielpatricksmith

[Rodchester]

There are certain insurance companies (and not many of them) that are approved for insurance when guiding on Federal lands. You need to obtain this information from the local land managers. Without insurance from one of the approved companies you canot even apply to guide on thier land.

 

One of them that had been approved locally (you'd have to ensure that they still are) is Lexington Insurance Company located in Boston Mass.

 

I am willing to bet that they are a subsidiary of a larger insurance company. Usually they are.

 

If you are opening a guide service send me a PM. I have been advising guide companies and independent guides for years on legal issues and compliance issues.

[Jason_Martin]

If you look at the AMGA website and look at the guide access page, it tells you exactly what is required as far as insurance goes to work in certain areas. Usually they require liability insurance and it's not uncommon for different areas to require between five-hundred thousand and a million dollars of insurance to operate.

 

Jason

[Fromage]

I used to run a guiding service in Washington and I applied for lots of commercial operating permits on various types of public land. As part of all permit applications you need to provide proof of liability insurance naming the land management agency that is responsible for the area you want to operate in. Liability insurance is not all that expensive. My company had a large policy, I won't say how much, but I am pleased to say we never had to use it. We also had an attorney who handled our other legal matters, like writing our liability waivers and so on.

[Drew_Jones]

Thanks everyone. That was helpful. Now if you could all donate $1000 apiece I'll be off to a great start!

[scot'teryx]

1,000,000 minimum

try Kohut Insurance in Seattle

With the amount of legwork I have done the past 2 months, I feel like I should write a book on this topic