Insurance for birthday party!! WTF?

Master and commander

Wait till you hear this. One of my work colleuges was just saying at lunchtime that he asked his daugher was she going to her mates birthday party as it had been planned a few weeks prior. The daughter (9) said she had been told not to come because the party was cancelled.
My colleuge phone the mates parents to see what happened as they are friendly also, and the mates mother said that they could not have other peoples kids over to the party because they had no public liabillity insurance on the house.

WTF like, have we gotten to this stage now, that we can't allow kids to visit their friends homes in case somone grazes their knee and SUES!
It truely a sad state of affairs. The litigious culture of this country has now extended to the friendships between kids. We were all laughing at this at lunch, but its quite sad really. I feel sorry for the child who had no birthday party, they must have been devasttated

Thing is, parents like this are EXACTLY the ones who would themselves sue at the drop of a hat if one of their kids got a papercut off a book in school or something.

kippy

Master and commander wrote: »

Wait till you hear this. One of my work colleuges was just saying at lunchtime that he asked his daugher was she going to her mates birthday party as it had been planned a few weeks prior. The daughter (9) said she had been told not to come because the party was cancelled.
My colleuge phone the mates parents to see what happened as they are friendly also, and the mates mother said that they could not have other people kids over to the party because they had no public liabillity insurance on the house.

WTF like, have we gotten to this stage now, that we can't allow kids to visit their friends homes in case somone grazes their knee and SUES!
It truely a sad state of affairs. The litigious culture of this country has now extended to the friendships between kids. We were all laughing at this at lunch, but its quite sad really. I feel sorry for the child who had no birthday party, they must have been devasttated

Thing is, parents like this are EXACTLY the ones who would themselves sue at the drop of a hat if one of their kids got a papercut off a book in school or something.

A few of my last posts in this forum have been around this exact topic - the rise and rise of public liability or moreso the rise and rise of those suing under it.
I didnt realise that things had come to this extreme but it was only around the corner.
Lets be honest, it's hardly gonna reverse either.

coylemj

Surely a regular domestic insurance policy covers liabilities to third parties and therefore would cover social visitors to your house?

Or is there an exclusion clause for kiddies birthday parties?

kippy

coylemj wrote: »

Surely a regular domestic insurance policy covers liabilities to third parties and therefore would cover social visitors to your house?

Or is there an exclusion clause for kiddies birthday parties?

Public Liability is not always part of your house insurance cover......

The very fact that you have to look into or consider this in the instance of a birthday party is the sad part.

Master and commander

coylemj wrote: »

Surely a regular domestic insurance policy covers liabilities to third parties and therefore would cover social visitors to your house?

Or is there an exclusion clause for kiddies birthday parties?

not sure about this. I just assumed that they didn't have any house insurance thus automatically ruling out public liability.

A lot of this nowadays. In my day you went to a friends and fell out of trees and crashes bikes and hopped yer head of the tarmac playing football and then got up and pretended to be tough. Now you lie down, stay down and don't get up until you have a cheque for 40k

Master and commander

the most outrageous claim i've heard of so far was when a taxi was parked on the street with the driver sitting in it. Another car is parralel parking into the spot infront of the taxi and bumps, no, brushes his bumper off the taxis bumper. Not even a tip, it was a <0.5mph brush - absolutely no damage whatsoever! The guy finishes parking the car OK and then gets out and as he's passing the taxi man says "oh sorry 'bout that". At this the taxi man completely flips out and starts screaming and shouting that he has whiplash and concussion and all sorts of back and neck injuries!!!!
It was a new car almost - a 2009 avensis. He goes on to demand the guards, ambulance, firebrigade, the whole works. They arrive on the scene and since he was going on about his neck, the fire brigade got the jaws of life to cut the roof and door off the car and the bollix was lifted out of the car and put into the ambulance on a spine board. The firemen and paramedics were just shaking their heads in disbelief but were obliged to do it since he said he had a neck/spine problem. After getting to the hospital he practically immediatley (less than one hour) discharges himself and walks off. Then the geezer sues the other poor man and ends up coming away with €182,000 plus a brand new car.

WTF to that i say! :eek::eek:

kippy

Master and commander wrote: »

the most outrageous claim i've heard of so far was when a taxi was parked on the street with the driver sitting in it. Another car is parralel parking into the spot infront of the taxi and bumps, no, brushes his bumper off the taxis bumper. Not even a tip, it was a <0.5mph brush - absolutely no damage whatsoever! The guy finishes parking the car OK and then gets out and as he's passing the taxi man says "oh sorry 'bout that". At this the taxi man completely flips out and starts screaming and shouting that he has whiplash and concussion and all sorts of back and neck injuries!!!!
It was a new car almost - a 2009 avensis. He goes on to demand the guards, ambulance, firebrigade, the whole works. They arrive on the scene and since he was going on about his neck, the fire brigade got the jaws of life to cut the roof and door off the car and the bollix was lifted out on a spine board into the ambulance. The firemen and paramedics were just shaking their heads in disbelief but were obliged to do it since he said he had a neck/spine problem. After getting to the hospital he practically immediatley (less than one hour) discharges himself and walks off. Then the geezer sues the other poor man and ends up coming away with €182,000 plus a brand new car.

WTF to that i say! :eek::eek:

Have you source to back that up?
I know things are getting bad but that sounds very much like bull - or some parts of it anyhow.

Master and commander

kippy wrote: »

Have you source to back that up?
I know things are getting bad but that sounds very much like bull - or some parts of it anyhow.

i read it somewhere on boards or somewhere before. Can't remember exactly where but the details are acurate to what i remember reading. It is outrageous, i know.

coylemj

kippy wrote: »

Have you source to back that up?
I know things are getting bad but that sounds very much like bull - or some parts of it anyhow.

Sounds like complete BS. Even if it happened they would have put a brace around the guy's neck and told him to step out of the car under his own steam.

In order to get the guy out of the car in the way described the fire brigade would have had to put some kind of body harness around the 'victim' and then got some kind of little crane to lift him out of the car when all they had to do instead was put a neck brace on him and ask him to get out of the car under his own steam.

kippy

Master and commander wrote: »

i read it somewhere on boards or somewhere before. Can't remember exactly where but the details are acurate to what i remember reading. It is outrageous, i know.

Either the story you heard was complete BS or you are recalling it completely wrong.

coylemj

I just downloaded the Axa home Insurance policy. Under Section C 'Liability' it says as follows...

We will cover all amounts that you are legally responsible to pay as damages for:

a bodily injury (including death or disease) to any person; or

b loss or damage to property which happens anywhere in the world during the period of insurance.

We will also pay legal costs and expenses anyone can recover and all costs and expenses we agree to.

There follows the usual exclusions for employees, wilful acts committed by you, anything arising from the conduct of a business etc. etc. but clearly the policy includes normal third party liability for visitors to your house who are not employed by you under a contract of employment i.e. the plumber is covered but not someone you employ on an ongoing basis in your home.

Master and commander

i beleive it to be true - some people are fit for anything. On the otherhand you might be right and it might have been a makey uppy story created to fuel some kind of mass hysteria sorrounding liability and insurance claims

My fault for going off topic.

chopser

Master and commander wrote: »

the most outrageous claim i've heard of so far was when a taxi was parked on the street with the driver sitting in it. Another car is parralel parking into the spot infront of the taxi and bumps, no, brushes his bumper off the taxis bumper. Not even a tip, it was a <0.5mph brush - absolutely no damage whatsoever! The guy finishes parking the car OK and then gets out and as he's passing the taxi man says "oh sorry 'bout that". At this the taxi man completely flips out and starts screaming and shouting that he has whiplash and concussion and all sorts of back and neck injuries!!!!
It was a new car almost - a 2009 avensis. He goes on to demand the guards, ambulance, firebrigade, the whole works. They arrive on the scene and since he was going on about his neck, the fire brigade got the jaws of life to cut the roof and door off the car and the bollix was lifted out of the car and put into the ambulance on a spine board. The firemen and paramedics were just shaking their heads in disbelief but were obliged to do it since he said he had a neck/spine problem. After getting to the hospital he practically immediatley (less than one hour) discharges himself and walks off. Then the geezer sues the other poor man and ends up coming away with €182,000 plus a brand new car.

WTF to that i say! :eek::eek:

This is the greatest load of BS I have read in some time.
Unfortunately many many people believe this rubbish and that is why you also have cancelled bday parties. Things are not as bad as people make them out to be. Your neighbour and his kids are not out to get you to Court.

Master and commander

coylemj wrote: »

I just downloaded the Axa home Insurance policy. Under Section C 'Liability' it says as follows...

We will cover all amounts that you are legally responsible to pay as damages for:

a bodily injury (including death or disease) to any person; or

b loss or damage to property which happens anywhere in the world during the period of insurance.

We will also pay legal costs and expenses anyone can recover and all costs and expenses we agree to.

There follows the usual exclusions for employees, wilful acts committed by you, anything arising from the conduct of a business etc. etc. but clearly the policy includes normal third party liability for visitors to your house who are not employed by you under a contract of employment i.e. the plumber is covered but not someone you employ on an ongoing basis in your home.

while i'm sure that would cut it in normal case, i was just speculating that they family in question did not have any insureance on the house an thus they would not be covered for anything if it were to happen

coylemj

Master and commander wrote: »

while i'm sure that would cut it in normal case, i was just speculating that they family in question did not have any insureance on the house an thus they would not be covered for anything if it were to happen

Point taken, in which case they'd be better spending money on smoke alarms and fire extinguishers instead of birthday cakes!

Master and commander

another one i heard of there was when my sister and the bro in law went to my cousins wedding in Brighton. It was a kind of wierd neo-pagan wedding, but thats another story. The went to the reception expecting lots of tea, coffee and sandwiches only to find sandwiches and cold drinks - no tea or coffee. When they questioned the staff as to this peculiarity they were informed that the place wasn't insured to be giving hot drinks because if someont got scalded with hot water the place would be liable for damages because they sisn't have th cover for it. All very strange. It wasn't a hotel even, it was just some kind of pub or tavern. The groom is dead now anyway.

kippy

Master and commander wrote: »

The groom is dead now anyway.

Is that even relevant??


Next thing you'll be telling me that Santa wont be around this year as he's not been able to get insurance for the sleigh due to some lad suing him last year for "noise" pollution........


The story you tell about that wedding venue is plausible.
Not right, but plausible. The rest of the "drama" around it sounds strange.

harry21

The groom is dead now anyway.

Anyway??

Master and commander

kippy wrote: »

Next thing you'll be telling me that Santa wont be around this year as he's not been able to get insurance for the sleigh due to some lad suing him last year for "noise" pollution........

well i did over-hear something on the luas about................:pac:

Del2005

coylemj wrote: »

Sounds like complete BS. Even if it happened they would have put a brace around the guy's neck and told him to step out of the car under his own steam.

In order to get the guy out of the car in the way described the fire brigade would have had to put some kind of body harness around the 'victim' and then got some kind of little crane to lift him out of the car when all they had to do instead was put a neck brace on him and ask him to get out of the car under his own steam.

In this day and age if the person says they've a neck/back injury the roof comes off and the person is lifted out, the government gets sued a lot more then Jo Public so they are even more anal about correct procedure being followed. Some people get miraculous recoveries when the jaws of life appear at their car.

coylemj

Del2005 wrote: »

In this day and age if the person says they've a neck/back injury the roof comes off and the person is lifted out, the government gets sued a lot more then Jo Public so they are even more anal about correct procedure being followed. Some people get miraculous recoveries when the jaws of life appear at their car.

I'm sorry but that is still complete BS. If the fire brigade had to cut the roof off every car where the driver was claiming whiplash then there'd be an awful lot more convertibles for sale on donedeal!

Delancey

The travel forum had someone posting 2 days ago seeking advice on what letters or paperwork she needed to sort out as '' cover '' as he/she was going on a weeks holiday with 16 year old son and his friend.
I advised that if litigation was such a concern then the invitation to the lad should be withdrawn.

Victor

coylemj wrote: »

Sounds like complete BS. Even if it happened they would have put a brace around the guy's neck and told him to step out of the car under his own steam.

In order to get the guy out of the car in the way described the fire brigade would have had to put some kind of body harness around the 'victim' and then got some kind of little crane to lift him out of the car when all they had to do instead was put a neck brace on him and ask him to get out of the car under his own steam.

Is saw this in a demonstration recently.

* Hold the injured person in place
* Remove windows
* Remove roof
* Fit neck brace
* Slide back board into position and strap to injured person
* Move injured person

source

coylemj wrote: »

I'm sorry but that is still complete BS. If the fire brigade had to cut the roof off every car where the driver was claiming whiplash then there'd be an awful lot more convertibles for sale on donedeal!

There was a Garda car on a cash escort, when it came across a crash. Occupant of one of the crashed cars was walking wounded, seemed fine. Garda sat the man into the back seat of the car to get him comfortable and take details. Ambulance and Fire arrive on scene the man tells them his neck is a little sore. Roof comes off the car, it's SOP now when a suspected serious neck injury is involved.

This story is 100% true, I know this as the car was attached to my station, and was only there 3 or 4 months.

Master and commander

source wrote: »

This car was on a cash escort, when it came across a crash. Occupant of one of the crashed cars was walking wounded, seemed fine. Garda sat the man into the back seat of the car to get him comfortable and take details. Ambulance and Fire arrive on scene the man tells them his neck is a little sore. Roof comes off the car, it's SOP now when a suspected serious neck injury is involved.

Just a point to note.....this picture was taken in 2008.

What a prat! Me and you paid for that car. That f*cker deserves a good kicking in the arse. I bet he did it on purpose knowing that would happen and went off laughing at the guards. I i got him i tell you, its then he'd have a broken neck. Baxterd.

nuac

story sbout the alleged car accident is bunkum - at most as already stated the ambulance would have applied a neck brace.

If he discharged himself from hospital in an hour there is no way he could make out a case for the damages mentioned

HellFireClub

This country is a joke when it comes to insurance, I've a mate in the transport industry, last year 2 of his drivers had small tips, as in very light/scrape damage done to a car with 4 people in it in a car park in one case and in the other it was a broken headlamp after another minor and low speed event.

He goes to renew his insurance and discovers that the insurance company had paid almost 100K to settle what were clearly spurious claims that emerged after these two events. In both cases, the fraudsters went to solicitors and once that happened, the insurance company started writing settlement cheques to keep everything out of court.

Insurance in this country is legalised extortion and the legal profession are standing behind and empowering criminals who are using the threat and cost of legal action to extort money from insurers.

Master and commander

Well i think it is their right to do so, after all they were in the right and the guy with the transport company was wrong as he didn't take due care when reversing/whatever int he carpark.

What are you suggesting then, that you pay for damge to your car and medical expenses out of your own pocket even though it was entirely not your fault???
This my friend is precisely what insurance in for. As i said before, if you are injured or incur damage and its not your fault, you are entitled to compenstaion for same, and entitled to do so without the PC police telling you its immoral and that you should suck it up.

the incresed premium for the transport company might encourage it's drivers to be a little more careful in future.

spurious claims?????? DAMAGE WAS DONE.- there was broken lights and damaged bodywork. how is this spurious, he had every right to make a claim in this case.

Reloc8

Master and commander wrote: »

the most outrageous claim i've heard of so far was when a taxi was parked on the street with the driver sitting in it. Another car is parralel parking into the spot infront of the taxi and bumps, no, brushes his bumper off the taxis bumper. Not even a tip, it was a <0.5mph brush - absolutely no damage whatsoever! The guy finishes parking the car OK and then gets out and as he's passing the taxi man says "oh sorry 'bout that". At this the taxi man completely flips out and starts screaming and shouting that he has whiplash and concussion and all sorts of back and neck injuries!!!!
It was a new car almost - a 2009 avensis. He goes on to demand the guards, ambulance, firebrigade, the whole works. They arrive on the scene and since he was going on about his neck, the fire brigade got the jaws of life to cut the roof and door off the car and the bollix was lifted out of the car and put into the ambulance on a spine board. The firemen and paramedics were just shaking their heads in disbelief but were obliged to do it since he said he had a neck/spine problem. After getting to the hospital he practically immediatley (less than one hour) discharges himself and walks off. Then the geezer sues the other poor man and ends up coming away with €182,000 plus a brand new car.

WTF to that i say! :eek::eek:

Load of crap.