I have merely cut and pasted this.  I have no idea whether it is
factually correct.
Adam Jones

12 January 2007
Dear Fellow Members
BPA INSURANCE 2007/8
I am writing ahead of the AGM to update you on BPA insurance for the
coming Membership year, 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008. I should be
grateful if you would please call this letter to the attention of your
Members and visiting jumpers by posting it on your notice board. The
letter is also being posted on the BPA website.
The BPA Insurance Subcommittee, under the able Chairmanship of David
Hickling, met on a number of occasions last year including the regular
autumn review meeting with the insurers on 25 October 2006. In response
to the BPA's request, following the motion carried at the AGM on
21 January 2006, the insurers have agreed to make provision within the
existing BPA insurance policy for experienced European Skydivers with
the appropriate FAT licence/s and with at least a specified minimum of
skydiving insurance cover, to jump at BPA Affiliated Centres without
the need for them additionally to take out BPA insurance. This will be
at no additional cost to BPA members. The Insurance Subcommittee has
secured this concession from the insurers by providing them with
statistics for the calendar year 2006 on the number of experienced EU
parachutists who visited the UK to jump.
Further good news is that there has been an underlying downward trend
in claims, probably as a result of the proactive risk assessment.
Earlier in the year, it has therefore appeared that we were on course
for, if not a reduction in insurance premium for next year, a small if
any increase.
Unfortunately, the underlying positive trend had been distorted by two
potentially large claims that have arisen during the year. Both involve
jumpers who have put in claims for significant injuries as a result of
parachuting accidents. The insurers are awaiting full particulars of
the claims, which will be based on detailed medical prognoses. It has
always been the case that such matters take time, and the insurers have
advised the BPA that they do not expect to be in a position to attach a
reserve figure to each claim until February 2007. Because each reserve
is likely to be a significant figure, the overall amount of the
reserves for each of these new claims will determine whether the
underwriters would be prepared to offer renewal of the BPA's
insurance cover for a further year and, if so, at what premium any
renewal would be.
This means that, unfortunately, the insurers are not in a position to
provide a quotation for next year's insurance, and were are not
expecting them to be able to do so in time the AGM on Saturday 20
January 2007.
The Insurance Subcommittee has, during 2006, continued to scour the
market to try to identify other possible insurers. At least seven
possible underwriters have been approached, of whom six have declined
and the seventh has still not yet given a final response. It is now
over a month after the deadline of the EGM on 5 December 2006, and
their overdue reply does nothing to raise our hopes.
At the AGM, the Council will therefore not be asking the Membership, as
usual, to approve a particular amount per Member for the insurance
premium for next year, because we simply do not yet know the figure.
Rather, we shall be asking the Membership to trust its elected Council
to negotiate on its with the insurers to achieve the best value
insurance for the Membership. The insurers will be present at the
Hinckley Island Hotel for an insurance seminar at 1400 on the afternoon
of AGM Day to answer any questions that you or the Members of your Club
or Centre may have.
Please can Clubs & Centres kindly do everything to help to spread the
word about the insurance position as set out in this letter. Please
encourage jumpers to understand how important it is that the BPA
Council should be entrusted with the task of securing BPA insurance for
the new Membership year beginning on 1 April 2007.
May I take this opportunity to wish you and all Members of your Club or
Centre all good wishes for 2007, and I look forward to seeing you at
the AGM. 
Yours sincerely 
KieranTBrady