ASA insurance never again

[NumeroUno]

My DD got hurt playing in a ASA Champions Cup two years ago. We went to the doctor and they said she had a deep bone bruise. She went to a physical therapist who specializes in sports injuries. She would leave feeling a lot better and sometimes with no pain for a week but the pain kept coming back. The therapist kept saying beside the bruise her legs were very muscular and tight and the IP band was tight and pulling on the knee causing pain. She played for a year and continued doing all the stretches and continued therapy. The problem got worse so we got her an MRI and she needed minors knee surgery. This entire time my business insurance was playing or I was paying for the therapy out of my pocket. I turned the claim into ASA insurance as a secondary insurance and they turned her down. Even though I have a paper trail for over a year they said the claim was no good because I hadn't filed it in a timely manner. She has had ASA insurance for 10 years and the first time we go to use it we get shot down.

Has anyone ever had to deal with ASA insurance before? I hope I never have to buy ASA insurance ever again

One letter we had was from Bollinger and now we get another letter from Markel Insurance Co.

[ontheblack]

Similar story. Said I was outside of the 6 months window.

[Sam]

Had a player who tore her ACL in a showcase game (coming back to the bag on a pickoff when the opponents were up 13-0...but thats another story). Claim was immediately turned into Bollinger as the secondary insurance. Bollinger fought them every step of the way. I don't know if they ever paid their portion of the surgery and therapy.

Bollinger operates like Great Benefit Life Insurance Company in Grisham's Rainmaker.

[hogtyed]

Our club has similar anecdotal horror stories for claims that were filed with Bollinger. Before ASA required you to have Bollinger for championship play, we had NSA's insurance. No problems on any of the claims filed through them while I was one the BOD of the club. As I was reading your story, I saw the filing in a timely manner coming.

My personal opinion is that the insurance industry is nothing but crooks. I have had to get the state insurance commission involved one time to get them to act. They'll take your premiums every month with a smile on their face. When it comes time for them to do their job....they're as stingy as they come.

Best wishes to you and your DD.

[AlwaysImprove]

We should do like the men softball players have done. Demand that proof of primary insurance be accepted or refuse to participate in the tournaments.

It would save the yearly insurance fees, which are complete waste of money. More girls who play fastpitch have great primary insurance than men that play slow pitch. Just families are too dumb to take control of a silly situation. Which makes more dumb than men that play slowpitch and that is not good.

[MTR]

If a team is individually registered, they are insured. It is part of the package, so that should make life that much easier. As a secondary insurance, I don't understand why you would purchase that much more additional unless seeking primary coverage.

If anything, Bollinger has been one of the few with which I haven't had issues during my lifetime. Personal experience with the ASA umpire insurance through Bollinger has been nothing short of perfect. No hesitation or delay in coverage and with minimal effort. Maybe my folks just got lucky, but in my 20+ years, have never heard a complaint from the umpire side.

I don't think it is just Bollinger or ASA. I hear these stories from different organizations involving different sports. Dealing with many insurance companies is a nightmare and when I find one I like, I don't move off of it.

Of course, it is a racket no matter which way you go.

[PDad]

... One letter we had was from Bollinger and now we get another letter from Markel Insurance Co.

You might be making progress...

Markel is the underwriter for the liability and accident medical coverage. From http://www.bollingerasa.com/site/asa-ju ... rance.aspx:

$2,000,000 of Liability Insurance Protection.
Underwritten by Markel Insurance Company (Markel)This is primary liability protection written on an "occurrence basis." It includes coverage for lawsuits brought against you by participants (this is very often excluded in other policies). Protection is provided for your team, league, and sponsors from lawsuits brought against you for both bodily injury and property damage claims arising out of your team's amateur softball activities, including practices, games, exhibitions and tournaments. This policy has a $5,000,000 aggregate limit for Bodily Injury or Property Damage Claims.

Exclusions under the Liability Insurance Plan. In addition to the usual exclusions found in the standard commercial general liability policy, there is no coverage for automobile liability; nor for the furnishing, serving or selling of any alcoholic beverage; nor for acts of an intoxicated person.

$250,000 Accident Medical Expense Coverage is provided by Markel Insurance Company (Markel) for accidental injuries to your team members. This covers players, managers, coaches and scorekeepers for injuries incurred during games, practices, tournaments and/or team group travel that is scheduled, sponsored or supervised by the policyholder (directly to and from team activities). This is EXCESS insurance and only comes into play after you have utilized your personal, group medical insurance, or any health benefit plan, first. If you have no other applicable insurance, this policy will pay on a PRIMARY basis.

There is a $250 deductible per injury. Benefits, including surgical procedures, are paid on a usual and customary basis. The policy only covers medical and dental bills which are incurred within 52 weeks from the date of injury. Medical services must begin within sixty days of injury. There is a 90/10 coinsurance. For more info see "FAQ" section.

[as the world turns]

My personal opinion is that the insurance industry is nothing but crooks. I have had to get the state insurance commission involved one time to get them to act. They'll take your premiums every month with a smile on their face. When it comes time for them to do their job....they're as stingy as they come.

Thank goodness for the government stepping in with obamacare so these problems will be a thing of the past....................................................................

[xyzdude]

In my opinion...

The "timely reporting" is vague and somewhat arbitrary - a lawyer would have a field day and may be your best move to get them to provide the coverage. If they write the declination letter incorrectly (for example citing that you didn't report it in a timely manner rather than saying that the policy says you must report the claim within x number of days) you can twist that to say that you may have the coverage. Again, may be time for an attorney.

To me, the scariest thing in the accident coverage is that they stop paying benefits 52 weeks after the accident/injury. That is not nearly enough time for some of these injuries to be treated.[just as an aside, some other organizations - like PGF - cover injuries for as long as three years after they occur]

Teams purchase insurance like it doesn't matter. When you find out it does it is probably too little too late.

[ontheblack]

MTR, you must just be lucky. The Rainmaker is a great analogy. Bollinger does what ever it can to get out of paying.