Insurance meeting
A meeting was held online on Wednesday 31 January where some questions were answered within the meeting. Additional questions were posed in the meeting chat. Those questions relating to equipment including compressors and gas blending systems have been collated and responded to below. Where appropriate reference is made to the relevant sections in the Branch equipment Insurance questions.
Other questions from the meeting are covered in a separate document.
Table 1. Questions posted in the Insurance meeting Chat
| Question |
Response |
| 1 It is fairly common practice, when compressing air for diving, that it is stored in receivers (a bank) before being delivered into members' cylinders. Particularly when gas/ nitrox/ trimix is being blended. BSAC promotes the safety benefits of nitrox and trimix in diving but the Member insurance no longer supports this (I understand it has in the past). I imagine receivers are specifically excluded from BSAC member insurance because they are seen as ancillary equipment. Is this correct?
|
BSAC provides training in and promotes the use of appropriate breathing gases for diving. BSAC also provides training in gas blending in support of the same objectives. BSAC does not have an 'Insurable Interest' in branch equipment and so in compliance with Insurance Law, cannot insure it, there has been no change in this cover. See Insurance questions relating to branch equipment Section 1.. and sections 4-6. |
| 2 Negotiating/agreeing a policy to cover the use of a compressor delivering gas into receivers and a blending system has been far from straight forward. Achieving a document which is in plain English and can be understood by members has been a challenge. |
See Insurance questions relating to branch equipment Section 2. |
| 3 Has BSAC's insurance in the past included cover for ancillary equipment, such as gas banks (cylinders) and blending equipment? |
The BSAC members insurance policy has never insured branch equipment and there has been no change in this cover. BSAC has no 'Insurable Interest' in branch equipment. See Insurance questions relating to branch equipment Section 7. |
| 4 The entity of BSAC 'The Club' is only relevant with regard to BSAC Member insurance. Each club must have its own insurance outside of this cover, eg boats. This creates a conflict when trying to obtain insurance, where there may be an overlap. For example with receivers and gas blending systems. |
There should be no overlap with other policies, because BSAC does not insure branch blending equipment. BSAC has no 'Insurable Interest' in branch equipment. See Insurance questions relating to branch equipment Section 7. |
| 5 Since when, exactly, were gas blending systems excluded from the policy? |
The BSAC members insurance policy has never insured branch equipment and there has been no change in this cover. |
| 6 How is cover provided for branch operation of compressors, when these are clearly (most often) branch property?
|
The operation of the compressor by a qualified operator is covered by the members third party liability cover, as is the delivery of training in such operation by a registered BSAC Compressor Operation Instructor. The explosion or collapse of pressure vessels of the compressor is not covered by the members insurance policy and should be insured separately by the owners. See Insurance questions relating to branch equipment Section 3. |
| 7 The recent correspondence from BSAC states “Your BSAC insurance covers your liability whilst you are operating your club compressor (providing it does not require a certificate to be issued under any statute or regulation) but not any ancillary equipment that may be used during the process” |
The operation of the compressor by a qualified operator is covered by the members third party liability cover, as is the delivery of training in such operation by a registered BSAC Compressor Operation Instructor. The explosion or collapse of pressure vessels of the compressor is not covered by the members insurance cover and should be insured separately by the owners. See Insurance questions relating to branch equipment Section 3. |
| 8 They are saying that the owner of the equipment has a liability that BSAC will not insure |
BSAC does not have an 'Insurable Interest' in branch equipment. See Insurance questions relating to branch equipment Section 7. |
| 9 I am struggling to see how a diving cylinder attached to my compressor whip is any different to the 66 ltr attached to it as well. |
The filling of a diving cylinder, which is subject to periodic inspection and testing etc., is the purpose of using a compressor. The additions to a compressor of banks, pipework and other ancillary equipment constitutes a system. See Insurance questions relating to branch equipment sections 4- 5. |
Any further questions not already covered please email
