Regulator Repair Liability Insurance

[cbmech2]

I am hoping to catch a couple of folks that have their own small regulator repair businesses run out of their home through either local or mail order clients. I will soon have a custom breathing air and regulator test bench system that Nuvair out of Oxnard, CA has helped me piece together. At first, I thought that it would be good for filling my own tanks and working on my own regulators but, was wondering about possibly doing some work on the side for other folks. For those of you who do this, do you have some type of liability insurance that covers you in the event that something goes wrong? If so, where would one get this type of insurance coverage? Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

 

[ntxdiver]

Interesting question. I would like to see if anyone does this?

 

[cbmech2]

I do it from home and have all of the tools and a test bench to be able to do so but, I am affiliated with a dive center. If I chose to do some mail order business then that would be a whole new ball game. I still have not found an answer but, I haven't really been aggressive on the research either.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

I service my own regs and while I'm not at all interested in ever servicing regs "professionally", I am interested in what small independant techs do with regards to insurance coverage.

As a small business owner (non-dive related), I'd say you absolutely need to get some form of professional liability insurance. The chances of something really bad happening are pretty darned remote, but the possibility always exists, so get the insurance, and get adequate coverage.

If you have a good relationship with the dive shop you are affiliated with, ask what company they use, and what their coverage level is.

Good luck, and best wishes.

 

[Scott L]

I am a career property and casualty agent. What you are speaking of is a commercial general liability policy (CGL) which is the ubiquitous coverage almost all businesses maintain for the bulk of their needs. I am quite sure there are specialty insurance carriers that dominate the market who can offer a very competitive package. I could not imagine the cost to be greater than around $600 annually. Unfortunately that industry is not my focus so that's all I have to offer in this discussion. Scott

P.S. I would also estimate that 70-90% of those in your catagory do not maintain coverage.

 

[knotical]

Since you are affiliated with a dive center, your business could be an extension of theirs, with the regulators mailed to and from their shop. You could then be covered under their insurance policy.

 

[Wookie]

Even though I own a liveaboard, regulator repair was not included in our general liability policy. Specifically, it was excluded. We had to also be insured as a shop. So, I pay to have a shop with no facilities, and am able to get a policy for regulator repair, which includes lots of other things that I don't do. If you are interested, I will give you the names of the insurers I know that handle this sort of thing. Valhalla is right, about $600/year.

 

[ntxdiver]

Thanks for the replys. I currently do work through a dive shop but was curious to know the cost if I did any on my own. Just like going from a dive shop's group insurance to individual for divemaster.

 

[Scared Silly]

Kinda funny, I started working on my own regs cause I had so many, 7 primary plus a few others. I decided when I got into it that I would work only on my regs plus one other friends because they are the same brand. But would not do others cause it would take business away from my local shop and their techs who have been really helpful in getting me going - even though they knew teaching me would allow me to work on my reg rather than bringing them to into their shop.

 

[cbmech2]

Wookie, yes please do provide what you have. Thanks.