Memberships, insurance, etc.

[Lori Jones]

> Last I heard, the event liability insurance does NOT cover SCA
> members.  If Sokol Hall burns down (which the Lord forbid), they
> get paid.  If Joe Seneschal lets people use his house for populace
> meeting and his hotpot explodes, he gets nothing from the SCA.
> Inc.

Some time ago, in a kingdom officer's meeting, it was explained that
the SCA's insurance policy is intended to cover our corporation in 
the event of a huge loss that we would be unable to recover from 
on our own.  For example:  if, at an event, a hall worth several 
hundred thousand dollars burned to the ground, the insurance 
policy *could* cover our losses in order to save our organization 
from total financial devastation.  However, it is more likely that 
the SCA would seek every alternative to making a claim on the policy, 
as such a claim would increase our premiums to a phenominal rate.

Hopefully, this kind of thing would never happen, as our insurance 
policy allows us access to many sites which we couldn't otherwise 
lease - the beautiful Girl Scout Camp Red Rock site, (which we used 
for last Crown), for example.   Without our current coverage, they 
could not lease that site to us. 

Just a note on memberships: 
The warranted seneschal of a local group is the only representative 
of that group authorized to sign contracts for leasing sites to that 
group.  I believe a *warranted* autocrat may also be able to do this, 
but I can't say for certain without looking it up.  This is irrespective
of their membership status.  If a warranted seneschal's membership 
expires two weeks before he signs a site contract, the SCA, inc. 
would still be obligated by his signature.  In other words, you might 
have to be a member to be warranted, but maintaining your membership 
once your warrant is signed is up to you (on your honor).  As it sits 
right now, I don't think regional officers check for updates on proof 
of memberships once the current expiration date on file for their 
officer has ended.  

The treasurer's office also works the same way to some degree.  
Checks signed by a signatory whose membership has lapsed are
just as valid as if they were still paid members.  It gets a little  
stickier in the treasurer's office, however, because a copy of your 
membership card, along with a copy of a legal ID must be in the 
kingdom files in order for a person to be warranted (I think this is 
from the Society Chancellor of the Exchecquer's handbook, so it 
wouldn't be something a kingdom can elect to waive).  I believe 
the same is true for any signatory on an SCA, Inc. bank account 
(whether they are seneschal, Baron or Baroness, a regional 
treasurer, etc.). 

Sorry to be so long-winded, but these can be very confusing issues.
As it sits, membership is required for certain SCA activities (they've 
been mentioned already), but it *isn't* required to play.  As I 
recall, we fought hard for this some time back, and are, for the most 
part, pleased to offer the option to individuals who may not be able 
to afford memberships.  

If I'm wrong on any points, I'm not sensitive about being corrected. 
Please feel free to offer any contradicting information. :-)

- Kat


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Baroness Katrionna MacLochlainn
Barony of Wiesenfeuer, Ansteorra
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Lori Jones
Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics - Library
Oklahoma City, OK
LJONES at ossm.edu

...My opinions are my own, not those of my employer...