Monster Monster Trucks Take responsibility

 

Friday, Mar 06,2009, 6:31:15 PM   Click:

Monster Monster Trucks Take responsibility Meg Green
Two recent deaths at various monster truck rallies in eight days to light the risks of the monster truck operators, promoters, venues and even authors can cope - and the need for all to have liability insurance and risk management techniques, industry experts said.

George Eisenhart Jr., 41, of Chardon, Ohio, has produced monster truck shows for 20 years, he was killed after being crushed by a monster truck at the end of the Motor Sports Monster Truck & Thrill Show in Madison, Wisconsin, January 24. Eight days earlier, Hizey Sebastian, 6, a spectator of Puyallup, Washington, was killed when a piece of metal the size of a frisbee flew into the audience, striking him in the head with the Monster Jam show in truck Tacoma Dome Tacoma, Wash. Another spectator at this show, Eric Smith, was hospitalized after being hit in the neck by a piece of metal from the plane.

"For both to occur within eight days as an anomaly. There are no similarities between the two incidents, but of course there are concerns," said Lori L. Shaw, sports and recreation leader for Aon's Entertainment Group. "The sites are currently much more specifically on developers who come to the limits and with signed contracts in advance, she says.

"We have had several sites that are anticipating or have booked to organize shows, and they wonder what they can do more to ensure that we do not have a similar situation occurs at our facility "said Chris Rogers, director of risk control for Aon's Entertainment Group.

Monster trucks are custom-made, can weigh over 9,000 pounds and can have tires more than five feet high. Drivers can go from 12 feet high, where they have little visibility. Monster truck accident killed five people and injured more than 40 between 1992 and 2007, according to press reports.

"Are they a risk? Yes, they are a very risky," said Mitchel Kalmanson of Lester Kalmanson Agency, Maitland, Florida Kalmanson spécialité oversupply and excess insurance through lines Lloyd's monster truck operators.

Incidents such as these can have an impact on the market, "said Kalmanson. "The rates are increasing, deductibles keep going up. Set-back requirements continue to increase," said Kalmanson. He said the public should be set back from 500 to 1000 feet of where the trucks are effective and should be protected by strong barriers such as concrete barriers, fences greater "when the wheels are they have not reached the public. "

He said that most sites require operators to have 1 million dollars of liability. When Kalmanson provides insurance for the monster truck operators, he asked for information on the vehicle and drivers. Also, he asked for the exemption from $ 12,500 to $ 17,500. Liability insurance can cost $ 2,500 to $ 5,000 per vehicle per event, and events can be one to three days.

If one distorts the vehicle operator or driver history, Kalmanson said he will refuse the request for material misrepresentation or fraud. The limits and premiums for general liability insurance for commercial sites varies greatly, Shaw said, and may also depend on what the accommodation is right at the monster truck rally or more d 'them in one year.

Even the authors of a show are not immune from liability risks, she said.

"Anyone can be sued. When companies put their name on something of a monster truck to a NASCAR car, there is accountability," said Shaw.

Because trucks are not street legal monster, they are regarded as mobile equipment. Most CGL policies have a level of exclusion from the race or stunting of mobile equipment, so sites that need a monster truck endorsement, she said. "You'd also need a contract between the developer and the place to keep the place safe," said Shaw.

For example, the American International Group Lexington entertainment writing insurance coverage, but do not write for special event coverage of events directly monster truck. "We do not provide events such as fairs, which have a monster truck show in May, but we need our insureds to be held harmless and named in the policy provided by the monster truck customer," said Joe Norton A spokesman for AIG.

Certain practices associated with both monster trucks were arrested. For example, some of the trucks used to give rides to spectators at performances. But since the 13 passengers were injured when a truck called Grave Digger returned in 1998 - and a woman whose arm was crushed in the accident has won $ 12.4 million in a lawsuit - you do not see the sale of monster truck rides addition, Rogers said.

Any loss against a policy may result in increased premiums and revised terms, Shaw said. "But these two claims are separate and distinct. This is what you buy insurance for - to the very strange case something unusual happens. These are rare events. If [monster truck] are totally hazardous and can not be operated safely, insurers do not stop writing or to cover themselves with the market price. The long history of monster truck was not worse than what you want to see in other events. "

Lexington Insurance Co. currently has a Best's financial strength rating of A (Excellent).

(By Meg Green, senior editor, BestWeek: Meg.Green @ ambest.com)

Copyright © 2009 hours Best Company, Inc. Two dead in different monster truck rallies in eight days to light the risks of the monster truck operators, promoters, venues and even authors can cope - and the need for all to have liability insurance and risk management techniques, industry experts said.