Re: OZ public liability Insurance

--- In [email protected], "David Young"
<dayoung007@h...> wrote:

There are a distressing number of rumours swirling around this part

of the

US concerning increases of up to tenfold in Australian Public

Liability

insurance premiums and the inability of several COTMA member

museums to pay

these increased premiums, with the result that some are

eitheralready unable

or will soon be unable to offer demonstration rides or even access

to the

public.

My understanding is that this includes but is most definitely not
confined to COTMA museums. In Australia it is a public liability
issue in the general sense. (And so includes tramway, railway, etc...
any group who manages a public risk and who does not have the
financial resources to pay the new level of premiums demanded. In
some cases yes, my understanding is a factor of ten! But this may not
be generally so.) As a specific example, a few days ago COTMA members
were advised that the Perth Electric Tramway Society at Whiteman Park
would cease operations until the insurance issue had been resolved.
As has been reported previously this sort of outcome will be on a
museum by museum basis as current insurance anniversaries occur.

.....and does the problem extend to
COTMA museums in New Zealand?

No, not at this point. New Zealand has no-fault accident insurance
legislation which strictly limits an individual's right to sue for
injury (but provides defined benefits paid by the Accident
Compensation Commission). While this legislation has been contentious
since its introduction many years ago, it does at least remove the
threat of unbounded damages being awarded (and indeed the threat of
having to defend such an action) in most cases. Thus many rail-
heritage organisations, including COTMA members can reasonably
safely "go naked".

Hope this helps
Bruce Gamble
NZ COTMA Executive Member




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