MARC enforcing Region membership requirement

[Will N]

Has anyone noticed in the last couple of issues of the "Model A News" (particularly in the Board Meeting minutes in the latest issue), that MARC will begin enforcing their requirement that every member of a local MARC Regional Club also be a member of the National Club. The minutes state that on the Region renewal form, an club officer will have to sign the application attesting that all the local club's members are also MARC members. Also, on requests for Certificates of Liability Insurance, there will be a similar attestation required.

This rule has been in the MARC bylaws for years, but only now, with the heightened liability insurance awarness these days, is MARC beginning to crack down and enforce the requirement.

I can tell you for our own local club, that requiring all of our members to pay the $38 annual MARC membership dues in addition to our own club's dues would decimate our membership.

Have any of you guys who are leaders among your local clubs that are also Regions of MARC discussed this issue? What are your feelings, and how do you plan to deal with this?

[Roadster62]

Other national clubs have/had the same rule, tough rule to enforce. Bob

[Mike V. Florida]

It's for liability insurance (they are looking at new insurance companies). If you are not a national member you are not covered by national liability insurance.

[Will N]

Originally Posted by Mike V. Florida

It's for liability insurance (they are looking at new insurance companies). If you are not a national member you are not covered by national liability insurance.

I believe that's not entirely correct. When MARC (or any national org) has their underwriter issue a certificate of liablity insurance, the entity that the insurance is covering is the local club and usually a second named certificateholder, usually the site where the event is being held. If anyone were to sue the local club, the liability insurance would cover that local club. The person bringing the suit does not have to be a MARC member for the liability insurance to kick in. For example, you're having a car show, and someone off the street comes to view the cars and trips and falls on the show field. The local club is covered for the liablity if that spectator sues the club. The liability insurance is not covering each individual club member for their own person liability. That is what your own auto insurance policy is for.

MARC wants to enforce the rule that all Regional members be MARC members to bring in more dues money to the National club in order to offset the rising cost of the liability insurance.

I could foresee that if we were to require our members to be MARC members, we'd loose about 70% of our local membership. That translates to over $4,000 in annual dues for our club. For far less than that, our club could purchase its own umbrella liability policy and not rely on MARC to provide the insurance.

Other than the liability insurance, and the ability to post ads in the "Model A News" what other real benefits are there to being a Region of MARC?

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by Will N

I believe that's not entirely correct. When MARC (or any national org) has their underwriter issue a certificate of liablity insurance, the entity that the insurance is covering is the local club and usually a second named certificateholder, usually the site where the event is being held. If anyone were to sue the local club, the liability insurance would cover that local club. The person bringing the suit does not have to be a MARC member for the liability insurance to kick in. For example, you're having a car show, and someone off the street comes to view the cars and trips and falls on the show field. The local club is covered for the liablity if that spectator sues the club. The liability insurance is not covering each individual club member for their own person liability. That is what your own auto insurance policy is for.

MARC wants to enforce the rule that all Regional members be MARC members to bring in more dues money to the National club in order to offset the rising cost of the liability insurance.

I could foresee that if we were to require our members to be MARC members, we'd loose about 70% of our local membership. That translates to over $4,000 in annual dues for our club. For far less than that, our club could purchase its own umbrella liability policy and not rely on MARC to provide the insurance.

Other than the liability insurance, and the ability to post ads in the "Model A News" what other real benefits are there to being a Region of MARC?

Just saying.
This came from MARC;

Please understand that many people think they have some sort of insurance "coverage" from MARC, and some assume that it is a lot more than it really is. MARC holds a General Liability Insurance to defend MARC against any suit seeking damages to which this insurance applies. Additionally, the insurance has no duty to defend against any suit that the insurance does not apply. There is an Endorsement to the policy adding "Additional Insured" that I've spelled out below. Basically what this all means is that if you and your members, who are MARC members, are involved in activities that are in the best interest of MARC, and happen to be involved in an incident where someone is injured, or property damaged, and you or your members are sued, MARC's Insurance Company will defend you against the claim of liability, and by extension, if necessary,pay the claim.

In this economic time, where anyone can and is sued from spilling coffee to a kid at a car show opening your door and slamming it closed with his fingers in the door, we are all at greater risk. That is the whole reason for MARC extending liability coverage to their members.

MARC's liability policy does not come into play for any moving incident, that's your own automobile insurance.

[Will N]

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Originally Posted by Mike V. Florida

Just saying.
This came from MARC;

Please understand that many people think they have some sort of insurance "coverage" from MARC, and some assume that it is a lot more than it really is. MARC holds a General Liability Insurance to defend MARC against any suit seeking damages to which this insurance applies. Additionally, the insurance has no duty to defend against any suit that the insurance does not apply. There is an Endorsement to the policy adding "Additional Insured" that I've spelled out below. Basically what this all means is that if you and your members, who are MARC members, are involved in activities that are in the best interest of MARC, and happen to be involved in an incident where someone is injured, or property damaged, and you or your members are sued, MARC's Insurance Company will defend you against the claim of liability, and by extension, if necessary,pay the claim.

In this economic time, where anyone can and is sued from spilling coffee to a kid at a car show opening your door and slamming it closed with his fingers in the door, we are all at greater risk. That is the whole reason for MARC extending liability coverage to their members.

MARC's liability policy does not come into play for any moving incident, that's your own automobile insurance.

Right, this backs up what I explained in my post. The insurance protects the club and by extension it's members from being sued for damages by anyone.

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by Will N

Right, this backs up what I explained in my post. The insurance protects the club and by extension it's members from being sued for damages by anyone.

So we both said the same thing. Member of national, protected, not member, not protected.

[Growley bear]

Originally Posted by Will N

Has anyone noticed in the last couple of issues of the "Model A News" (particularly in the Board Meeting minutes in the latest issue), that MARC will begin enforcing their requirement that every member of a local MARC Regional Club also be a member of the National Club. The minutes state that on the Region renewal form, an club officer will have to sign the application attesting that all the local club's members are also MARC members. Also, on requests for Certificates of Liability Insurance, there will be a similar attestation required.

This rule has been in the MARC bylaws for years, but only now, with the heightened liability insurance awarness these days, is MARC beginning to crack down and enforce the requirement.

I can tell you for our own local club, that requiring all of our members to pay the $38 annual MARC membership dues in addition to our own club's dues we would decimate our membership.

Have any of you guys who are leaders among your local clubs that are also Regions of MARC discussed this issue? What are your feelings, and how do you plan to deal with this?

A $38.00 yearly membership fee is a small price as organizations such as MARC and MAFCA to name a few are in large part responsible for we as owners of antique cars to have the privilege to operate them on the public roads and highways.

Chet

[George Miller]

Originally Posted by Growley bear

A $38.00 yearly membership fee is a small price as organizations such as MARC and MAFCA to name a few are in large part responsible for we as owners of antique cars to have the privilege to operate them on the public roads and highways.

Chet

You are right on. If it was not for them, we might not be driving are cars on the roads. A lot of drivers would like to see the old slow cars that do not go 20 miles per hour over the speed limit off the roads.

[Growley bear]

What George Miller says. No truer words were ever spoken. There is power in numbers and these large numbers keep the wolves at bay. Thanks, George.

Chet

[BlueSunoco]

Agreed. There are plenty of folks out there who would love to see our old cars off the road entirely. Then throw in the people who hate internal combustion engine cars and it gets ugly. (Although those same gas and diesel haters use, gas and diesel and jet fueled vehicles to get around in!!)

[Old182]

Good discussion. As you may be aware, there are significant changes coming within MARC regarding liability insurance. A good part of the Board of Directors meeting in St. Louis was spent on insurance issues and there have been several meetings since focused on getting the right insurance for MARC members and at a reasonable cost. This will likely be discussed at French Lick later this month with announcements planned in the Model A News as well. MARC membership is crucial to making the system work at its best efficiency. Stay tuned.

Joe Valentine
Secretary, MARC

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by Will N

Have any of you guys who are leaders among your local clubs that are also Regions of MARC discussed this issue? What are your feelings, and how do you plan to deal with this?

We are working on a hold harmless document to keep on file for those that opt out of national membership.

It will state that they are aware of the purpose of a region, the fact that the national club has liability insurance for approved region club activities and by opting out they agree to to hold harmless the national club, local region, it's members and officers from suits arriving from those club activities.

[Will N]

Originally Posted by Mike V. Florida

We are working on a hold harmless document to keep on file for those that opt out of national membership.

It will state that they are aware of the purpose of a region, the fact that the national club has liability insurance for approved region club activities and by opting out they agree to to hold harmless the national club, local region, it's members and officers from suits arriving from those club activities.

That's an interesting approach, but what does your president intend to do when he has to sign the attestation that all members of your region are MARC members? He won't be able to truthully sign that document, regardless of the hold harmless letters you've collected from the non-MARC members. I wonder what MARC intends to do if a Region submits a renewal, and the local president does not sign the attestation? Will they refuse to accept the region's renewal? Will they accept the renewal, but refuse to issue Certificates of Liability coverage to the region? This will be an interesting thing to see play out.

[Growley bear]

Originally Posted by Mike V. Florida

We are working on a hold harmless document to keep on file for those that opt out of national membership.

It will state that they are aware of the purpose of a region, the fact that the national club has liability insurance for approved region club activities and by opting out they agree to to hold harmless the national club, local region, it's members and officers from suits arriving from those club activities.

There are many cases where waivers of Hold Harmless are not worth the paper upon which they are printed.

Chet

[gz]

The magazine alone is easily worth the price of the MARC membership. Other benefits include being able to attend National Meets and tours. The 38.00 membership fee is less than the cost of a tank of gas-a certainly reasonable amount to pay. I feel the same way about MAFCA, MTFCA, AACA, etc. These clubs are the backbone of the hobby.

[Will N]

Originally Posted by gz

The magazine alone is easily worth the price of the MARC membership. Other benefits include being able to attend National Meets and tours. The 38.00 membership fee is less than the cost of a tank of gas-a certainly reasonable amount to pay. I feel the same way about MAFCA, MTFCA, AACA, etc. These clubs are the backbone of the hobby.

Those are all individual member benefits. And I'm not disputing that it's worthwhile being an individual member of MARC. But what are the benefits (other than the liability insurance) to the local regional club being affiliated with the national organization?

[CarlG]

Cheaper than Costco or Sam's club membership!

I am a card carrying paying member of all of the ones listed below. I like the mags as much as anything else.

[Kevin in NJ]

I think this needs to be presented in a different perspective.

In order to keep the dues down for those who do pay it is in your interest to have more people in the national club. I believe the cost for the insurance is the same if we have 100,000 members or 200,000 members. So you have to spread that cost over the total membership.

So if you allow none members to exist in your local club then you are basically paying for them too, but in reality you are affecting everyone as all members are subsidizing the none payers in your club.

Is that fair to everyone?

[Gary Karr]

The San Diego Model A Club requires membership in at least one of the National clubs, MARC or MAFCA.