We have insurance for our org but it isn't cheap. There are providers that work specifically with non profits. If you have the non profit status you can possibly get something more affordable (you may also see about getting under another's 501 status for this reason). The waiver can do a lot to protect you if it is written correctly and depending on you state laws. It will not prevent someone from suing you. Their suit may not be successful but you will likely incur some kind of monetary burden in fighting it. Make sure your insurance covers this and covers you as individuals as well. Lastly a good way to avoid getting blamed for someone's bike breaking is to have them do the fixing.

Loconte

On Apr 22, 2015, at 9:49 AM, Stephen Andruski <swandruski@gmail.com> wrote:

I would check with the Farmers Market organizers. Sometimes they have specific requirements. Also, are you sure the market is on public property? For example, our group (The Rockville Bike Hub) is going to set up at a local Farmers Market starting in May. The people running the Framers Market require us to have at least $500,000 in liability insurance and to have the organizers listed as co-insured parties. They are set up in the parking lot of an office park, so its not public property, but even if it were, it would be the city or other municipality that may require insurance. There's also the matter of protection of your personal assets. As a CYA step, I would consider having a waiver too. There are some good examples on the Bike Collectives web site that I modeled ours after (or perhaps it was a Think Tank thread). 

I know of another group in the DC area that started the way you are, but there are risks. We decided to go at it more formally (incorporation, bank account, etc.) with the intention of becoming an established facility eventually. You could also look at doing something under the sponsorship of a group like an area Boys Club or YMCA to get insurance coverage. Yet another DC area group started that way.

Good luck.

Steve Andruski

The Rockville Bike Hub

On Wed, Apr 22, 2015 at 11:52 AM, Waltham Bikes <walthambikes@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi all -

[Not sure what I'm doing wrong, but I have been unable to access the Think Tank Archives even after logging on, so please forgive the possible duplication of an old topic.]

A small group of us is wanting to do some simple repairs and safety checks (fix flats, adjust brakes, recommend needed repairs type of thing) at our local farmers' market. We are not a formal organization of any sort, just a bunch of friends thinking about getting into something larger and more formalized after we see how this goes.

What is recommended for any sort of insurance coverage? It would be on public property at a farmers'  market. The market has liability insurance, but we would not be a program of the market (if doing so would allow us to be covered, then maybe we should look into that).

Sample concerns:

- If we touch someone's bike and they roll out into traffic, get hit and claim that it was our bad repair job...

- If we "break" their bike while trying to fix it...

Thanks very much.

Martha

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