For me doing Rec Leagues/Jr.High should I get some type of coverage? If so what is some of the choices I have?

You probably ought to have some liability insurance. If you belong to NF or NASO you already have it. Your homeowner's may also have some but if it is like mine it is only 300,000 for officialting I would go for the NF type that covers about a million I think...

I know there is official's disability insurance but I have never looked at it seriously.

Can I join Nf or Naso being only 15 or is it you pay, you get it kind of thing?

You can join either one. In my state registering with my High School Activities Association gets you NF registration.

There are no restrictions to memberships in these organizations.

I don't know about restrictions on membership, but I'm sure of restrictions on insurance coverage. If you are a member of the NFHS, you have insurance only for NF-sanctioned games. In other words, a lot of rec stuff ISN"T covered by your NF insurance. My understanding is that the NASO insurance covers any game you work if you are paid, and are working legitimately -- in other words, you're working games that were assigned to you, and not just standing into some park situation or something.

What all do you get when you join Naso. It is 80.00 that is the only thing holding me back.

Joining the NASO gives you a subscription to the referee magazine, a worthwhile publication, insurance, which i believe includeds wage loss insurance, and you also get discounts on some very good publications and books. I think it is an extremely worthwhile program. The referee magazine alone is worth the $80 for all the useful tips and tricks contained in it. Since getting the subscription, my game has considerably improved.

Mind you, I'm only 17, and neither the insurance or the subcription are in my name. It was a fathers day present for my dad. I'm outright cheap, so until I move out I will be reading his magazines. Insurance wise, I'm covered through my provincial officials association, but only for sanctioned games, which includes any game assigned to me by my boards assignor (rec league, high school, middle school, club ball, ect) I believe that costs about 10 per year per member or something like that.

[Edited by ref18 on Jun 27th, 2004 at 08:59 PM]

One more thing I forgot.

Liability insurance is a necessity in this day and age. You hear about people suing over the stupidist things, and the process of a lawsuit is extremely costly for both parties. Better safe than sorry.

I'm 17... Have the coverage and the magazine. GET IT! You just never know. It also has liability insurance for ya as well. (Law Suits,etc). It pretty much covers your butt on anything that your assigned to be it the local rec center, camps, or you regular schedules at whatever level it is that you are at.

So all I need to do is get some type of insurance ether from NFHS or NASO and I will be covered?

Brandon...

Seriously, you're 15 years old. Don't worry about insurance, no one is going to sue you - yeah, someone is going to say anyone can sue anyone, but any lawyer who has a reasonable practice will not be wasting his time suing a 15 yo HS student.

Unless you're one of the Olson twins of course. And if you are one of the Olson twins, have a damn burger & a malt ferchristake before you starve to death.

If you wanna join naso fine, just don't do it for the damn insurance.

So should i just get the Referee magazine?

if you want the insurance, NASO is the place to get it if you intend to also get the referee magazine.

Oh ya, i'd sue a 15-year-old if i knew he had $1 000 000 liability coverage.

Which is an excellent argument for NOT getting the coverage, isn't it?

I would if I were you.

I spent 4 months working in a personal injury law firm. The fact of whether or not to sue doesn't factor into the equation when someone has died as a result of negligence. It rarely happens, but when it does, you need to be prepared. And if something goes wrong and there's a remote question as to whether they'll sue you, they probably will. Always be prepared. In my football association, we boycotted a league because we couldn't get insurance for that league. It needs to be taken seriously.

Yeah, what factors into the decision is can the lawyer get paid when the case is done.

15 yo with liability coverage is at a much greater risk to get sued than a 15 yo with no income, no assets and no insurance.

When Brandan has a house, kids, good job & responsibilities let him worry about getting ripped off by the insurance industry. For now, f 'em.

Of course, ymmv. :shrug:

Take a look at the NF polciy closely. the last time we looked it covered NF sanctioned sports. Here is he wording from the NF site

The Insurance coverage shall apply only while the member is engaging in officiating activities during regularly scheduled sports or activities competition. That sport/activity must be recognized in that state or U.S. territory/possession by the member state high school association or by high schools that follow the guidelines of the member state associations (or an NFHS affiliate association in the territory/possession). If a sport is recognized for either men or women in that state, territory or possession, the official will be covered for officiating both men and women. Coverage also applies while such member is officiating temporarily outside the United States, its territories and possessions, as long as the sport is recognized by one of the state high school associations or an NFHS affiliate association.

• Officiating activities also include chain crews, and attending officiating camps, clinics and meetings.

• Coverage is not limited to high school activities. It also applies to officiating activities for independent youth or recreational leagues, junior college and college events but only for sports that are recognized for high school participation by that state’s high school association.


The biggest exclusion is pro or semi pro event.