Recently here many of the halls we use for practice or teaching private lessons have increased their rental rates and are now insisting on liability insurance.

Some are allowing you to piggy-back on their policy like one church that charges $50 for the year or one community centre that charges $60/event or $150/year.

Others are insisting totally seperate coverage and want to see the policy. One of our friends who teaches for a living pays $650 extra per year for portable coverage.

My wife (& I teach as a hobby probably averaging no more than 2 lessons per week (although right now she has 5 students)and organize the occassional workshop (2 this year) and dance (1 last year). $650 seems onerous.

How do others handle this (especially in Canada)? I had heard that CDTA provided member coverage but I'm not sure about this.

OB

Opera: What you're experiencing is an unfortunate but ever rising situation of litigation for even the most frivolous of claims. The owner of the bldg. has no choice in most situations but to ask that you provide your own liability because say you are holding a class/lesson at a local church. A person walking up to the door may trip and fall over who knows what or how and "Voila" a suit ensues. Everyone related to the bldg and its occupants gets drawn into the fray. Shop your local insurance advisor and pay the best you can and trust me it will be all over the board as to price. Beware the exclusions as well. Moral: If you want to play you got to pay. Owen

Owen,

I talked to our coach who is also an ISTD examiner.

He thought the $650 quite reasonable as he pays much more but it does cover him anywhere in the world.

He told me that many years ago he negotiated a group plan for CDTA members for $10 per year but the membership couldn't agree and passed on it.

Too bad.

OB

Yeah, that $10 a year can be a huge obstacle. ;)

Actually, the huge obstacle can be getting a group of people to agree on anything.