My Park Board asked for Certificate of Insurance?

Hello gang:

For those interested in my progress of getting permission for NORG events this year, I went before the Park Board last night. Their March 17th meeting was rescheduled due to a lack of a quorum. It was an interesting experience. This is not the same "laid back" board I dealt with eight years ago. In my opinion, they placed restrictions upon my events that could have been addressed prior to approaching them formally. They didn't say no to the idea but suffice it to say the watch word was "liabilities". The only consolation was that they were equally tough on others going before them last night. They are good stewards of the City's interests.

Here's my question, what do you do when you've been asked to provide a "Certificate of Insurance"? They seem to want to be placed on a "rider" to my NAR insurance and I was told that the Director would e-mail me with the specific language they are looking for. I was a bit thrown by some of their other restrictions placed on the events and it didn't occur to me until I was walking home that my "individual" NAR insurance would not provide the coverage they are seeking.

When I got home, I re-read my printout of the NAR's "Frequently Asked Insurance Questions". This seems to be the example (#18) "How do I convince Farmer Brown that this is real insurance?" Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't I have to have "Section Insurance" to give the city the type of liability coverage the city wants? What do I tell them?

Sincerely,

Joe Majahad, Representative
Nite Owl Rocketry Gild

Hello Ken,

Thanks for the feed back. The question I have with forming NORG into a section is the time frame. My first proposed date in my launch schedule is mid-May with one date in June, September, and October to follow. Should I consider my recent going before the City of Salem (MA) Park Board just a dry run until NORG becomes a section and propose to them that I must select dates for launches next year or is there any real chance of salvaging this year's schedule?

In any case, I feel obligated to let them know my individual insurance would not cover everyone at an event until NORG is an official NAR section. Should I wait to see what language the Park & Recreation Director is looking for? Is there a chance "section insurance" might not suit there needs as well? Does CMASS have specific language that's typical from launch site land owners it deals with? Feedback is appreciated.

Sincerely,

Joe Majahad

Hello all,

In case anyone is interested, I got my reply from the Park Director. The language is much less involved then I was led to believe it would be. The city simply wanted their name added as a "Certificate Holder" to my general liability policy. I guess my next step is to attend the next CMASS meeting and see if anyone would like to help make NORG a NAR section.

Sincerely,

Joe Majahad