Child Safety Product Testing Update
New AAW Sponsored Insurance for your personal business activities
This is an important announcement from the AAW. Our commercial insurance program has changed, effective May 18, 2009.
Most professional turners know that their homeowner’s insurance policy does not cover their private business activities, inventory, teaching, equipment and property. Most of them have either done without insurance at great risk, or at great expense and effort, have found an agent to cover them. On the other hand, most of the rest of us assume that our homeowner’s policy insures us even if we do some sales of our work or occasional teaching or selling tools or videos. Laws that regulate insurance vary from state to state. In North Carolina, it used to be that activities that were occasional in nature and did not amount to a “substantial” amount of income were covered by one’s homeowner’s policy. A few years ago, it changed to say that “any” activity that was commercial in nature, no matter how few dollars were involved, was not covered. That means that if someone came to my home to buy a piece and was injured, or if my shop burned, or my tools were stolen, or I taught a private class, I would not be covered. Each member should check with your own insurance agent to see if all of your activities are covered by your homeowner’s insurance policy.
As a service to our members, the AAW has sought out a new insurance program that individual members can purchase at reasonable rates to cover their commercial activities of woodturning. The program that we have found, can insure AAW members in all states of the USA. If someone can recommend insurers that will cover Canadian or foreign members, please let the AAW know.
AMJ Insurance, Inc., a well-respected national firm offers the policies that the AAW is sponsoring. They have been offering similar policies to members of the American Crafts Council (ACC) for several years. AMJ Insurance will primarily use national insurance companies like Travelers, The Hartford, and others. The AAW endorsed program offers specialized policies that can be customized to fit the needs of our member businesses. These policies can include coverages for:
* Business Contents coverage for shows
* Goods in Transit
* Loss of Business Income
* Accounts Receivable and Valuable Papers
* Goods on Consignment
* Liability -Premises and Products
* Coverage if you teach classes
* Coverage if you sell tools or videosYou must be an AAW member to apply.
If you have any problems or questions, contact me.
John Hill – AAW Insurance Advisory Committee
828-645-6633
Johnhill6@verizon.netInsurance Coverage for AAW Members
After many years of searching, the AAW has reached an agreement with a well-respected national company that specializes in providing health and other insurance to associations such as the AAW. We can now offer most of our U.S. resident members and their families medical insurance policies at very competitive rates through Association Health Programs (AHP) from Overland Park, Kansas.
AHP administers the health insurance needs of over 180 national associations, representing 2.5 million people. This huge block of buyers allows AHP to negotiate the lowest premiums available. On average, AHP expects to save AAW members substantial amounts on premiums. This may be the biggest benefit of your AAW membership.
We talked with many associations that already do business with AHP, and without exception they were all delighted with the service and premiums. Complaints were minimal and always handled promptly to members' satisfaction.
AHP offers a 100% guarantee. If you are insurable, they will always be able to give you the lowest costs, compared to any other source. If you have any existing medical conditions, AHP guarantees that their liberal underwriting will allow you to pay less. They further guarantee that upon annual renewal, they will obtain for you the lowest rates on health insurance and analyze your coverage to keep premiums in line with alternative insurance suppliers.
AHP will place our AAW members and their families in with a large block of buyers in each state, with members from all the other associations that they represent. They will only use "A" rated insurers such as Humana, Blue Cross, Aetna, United Health Care, Healthnet, or Assurant. In all of these, policy rates and renewals will be based on age and not your future medical conditions. Once a policy is issued, our members cannot be cancelled due to any change in your medical condition.
AHP cannot offer medical insurance coverage in the states of Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, or Vermont due to state health insurance laws. Due to state mandates, there are limited health insurance opportunities in New York and New Jersey. Alaska and Hawaii have limited policies available as well.
In general, you can expect $5 to $8 million of lifetime maximum benefits per person, comprehensive full-coverage major medical insurance, unlimited routine care, unlimited prescriptions, PPO options or the ability to see any doctor or hospital of your choice, and coverage that is good anywhere in the United States.
AHP can also offer group policies for any business of three or more employees or officers. They can also provide policies to cover Health Savings Accounts, Medicare Supplements, and Medicare Part D coverage, dental, disability income, critical illness, and international travel insurance. Through their large-block purchasing power, AHP can also provide the lowest premium rates on life insurance for term, whole life, second to die, key man, or universal life.
If one of the insurance policies you need is long-term care insurance, through AHP you can save a substantial discount off of premiums that provide for home care, assisted living care, adult living care, and nursing home care. AHP offers policies that provide for 100% coverage for any services that you may need in any care. Insurance companies providing this coverage include MetLife, John Hancock, Principal, Guardian, Medical Mutual, Physicians Mutual, and Genworth.
AHP can also help save you on the costs of premiums for your auto and home insurance.
Here are some frequently asked questions:
1. Can the AHP brokered insurance be used anywhere I travel in the United States? Yes.
2. Will all doctors and hospitals accept this coverage? Yes.
3. Does the health insurance program cover pre-existing conditions? Yes, on insurable conditions like asthma, high blood pressure, cholesterol, or broken limbs, for individual policies. On group policies, there are never pre-existing condition exceptions. Individual policies will not cover pre-existing conditions such as heart problems, malignant cancers, strokes, Crohn's disease, diabetes, seizures or severe chronic ailments. For members with these chronic pre-existing conditions, AHP has the availability to help members in 32 states with the state health insurance guaranteed risk pools. This service will be done at no cost to our members.
4. Are pre-existing conditions an issue on acceptance to a plan or the premium rates? Yes, each case will be individually evaluated, and appropriate recommendations will be made.
5. Does AHP require a health examination? No.
6. Do I need to be a current AAW member to get the benefits of these policies? Yes.
If someone you know who is not an AAW member wants to pursue this opportunity to purchase insurance through our large buying block, represented by AHP, they can either contact AHP at 1-888-450-3040 or go to www.associationpros.com/assoc/aaw and submit an application. Be sure to ask for the AAW rates. If they are pleased with the quoted rates, they can join the AAW by going to www.woodturner.org.
To get an application to receive a quote, either call 1-888-450-3040 or go to www.associationpros.com/assoc/aaw, fill it out, and click submit.
John Hill, Chair AAW Insurance Advisory Committee