Metal Detecting Insurance

[CincinnatiKid]

Hi all. Over the previous 4yrs, I've viewed a few YouTube vids from Britton/Europe. A few of these detectorists state they have "metal detecting insurance "? This is surely to ease potential site owners that if any damage to site or self occurs, it's covered.
It does make sense. I recently made the mistake of "calling" a local realtor for permission on a vacant lot for sale. The surrounding lots date to the 1830s. My oldest silver coin came from this area. The realtor immediately says "no" and repeats liability concerns. What if I/we get harmed on property. What if I/we damage property, etc.
We as responsible detectorists have a code of ethics. Will insurance fortify this. Will insurance reopen closed park systems? Who knows...
Your thoughts please...
Peace

 

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[Tom_in_CA]

reply

Hi all. Over the previous 4yrs, I've viewed a few YouTube vids from Britton/Europe. A few of these detectorists state they have "metal detecting insurance "? This is surely to ease potential site owners that if any damage to site or self occurs, it's covered.
It does make sense. I recently made the mistake of "calling" a local realtor for permission on a vacant lot for sale. The surrounding lots date to the 1830s. My oldest silver coin came from this area. The realtor immediately says "no" and repeats liability concerns. What if I/we get harmed on property. What if I/we damage property, etc.
We as responsible detectorists have a code of ethics. Will insurance fortify this. Will insurance reopen closed park systems? Who knows...
Your thoughts please...
Peace

That answer you got from that real estate agent about "liability concerns", was just their "go to" answer to justify the "no" they just gave you. Because I gaurantee you that EVEN IF you turned right around, in the next breath, and gleefully announced to them that you carry a $1,000,000 insurance liablity on yourself (and offered to issue them a certificate of insurance from your agent to show this), that they would STILL say "no".

I own a business. And as such, we have to have $1,000,000 auto and liability policy on ourselves, so as to cross-insure our customers when we show up on their jobs with our equipment (it's a street sweeper business and we do paving related work). So often times, over the years, when I hear that song & dance like you got, I will let them know that I have a policy and will gladly issue them a cert. But it's as I say, most of the time they just get upset, and find another reason to then tell you no.

I mean, put yourself in their shoes. Why should they be bothered? It's just one more paper for them to keep track. One more yahoo on their site who may leave the gate open, or litter, or be a magnet to entice other yahoos to start likewise showing up on their door "asking for permission". Hence the easy answer is "no". And the easy reason is "liability". But the truth is, they just don't want to be bothered.

Only one time did my liability policy work to where I actually did get inside a demolition site. But that was a rarity, because I HAD to get in DURING the day (couldn't wait till the workers cut out for the day after 5pm), because they were filling the site with fill-dirt, as the day progressed. And luckily the "Liability" answer worked in that one case.

As for gettng parks that-have-no-md'ing rules on them reversed, no it won't work there. Because you (Joe-Q-public park-goer) is ALREADY not prohibited from simply being there (unlike the vacant lot where, technically, someone could say you can't even be standing there). In a park, it's a usage rule, with nothing to do with "risk", etc.... So I can't imagine this being any sort of solution to parks that don't allow md'ing, since it was never a risk rationale that brought about such rules, to begin with.

 

[CincinnatiKid]

Thanks Tom in Ca! Risk is not reason for banning metal detecting. Yet, irresponsible diggers leaving ankle twisting holes is. This is the case in my area. I can't count the times I've covered wrongly dug plugs. Even plugs dug correctly with pull-tabs and other junk left behind. I hate to say this, but when precious metals skyrocketed and metal detecting became a TV show recently, these problems increased.
I've also been back and forth w our county park system administrator's. I continually plead my case and always receive a "no".
I only pose MD insurance as insurance, to keep our hobby safe and secure.
Peace

 

[Follows Camp Craig]

In the UK, if you want to participate in metal detecting,
You must have "insurance" before you even flip the power switch.
It's about the damage that you may cause to others while enjoying your hobby.

Crazy huh?

Because metal detecting causes cancer?
One too many holes in the garden might effect the earths rotation?

 

[Msbeepbeep]

Things sure are get'n crazy! Used to be you could just sign a release form saying you wouldn't sue the property owner if you got hurt.

 

[dholland02]

There's an old park in my town that closed its swimming pool that was put in in the early 20s. Well they are tearing it out to put a dog park in. They allowed detecting around the pool area, but they wanted u to have a million dallor liability insurance policy. I told them tk get bent, and glad I did. I know one guy who got it and all he found was about 10 dallors in clad and 3 rosies.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

reply

Thanks Tom in Ca! Risk is not reason for banning metal detecting. Yet, irresponsible diggers leaving ankle twisting holes is. This is the case in my area. I can't count the times I've covered wrongly dug plugs. Even plugs dug correctly with pull-tabs and other junk left behind. I hate to say this, but when precious metals skyrocketed and metal detecting became a TV show recently, these problems increased.
I've also been back and forth w our county park system administrator's. I continually plead my case and always receive a "no".
I only pose MD insurance as insurance, to keep our hobby safe and secure.
Peace

Wow, this is extreme. I mean, sure: we've all heard the song and dance about "holes". Another go-to reason city people sometimes cite. Yet when you press them, it seems it's just their mental go-to image, when tasked with thinking of "metal detecting". It is, afterall, a connotation a lot of people have. So they just say " ... because of holes". So the md'r curses under his breath and says "durned those people who must've left holes". When perhaps there never was such an incident. At least not that would have led to a rule or law. Or at least not that anyone can concisely point to. Just the reason they give, to justify the answer they just gave.

And even if there was actual cases (yes it happens) where this was the only reason a park was and is now off-limits (by actual rule, not just a booting here or there), then even then, it's not usually a "liability" issue, but rather, a cosmetics issue. Because I can hardly conceive of the size hole that would allow someone to litterally slip in and twist an ankle! Wow! The "holes" I'm thinking of, are often time actually covered over anyhow, but it's simply a matter of grass that died, a divot that still showed, and so forth.

So if you're saying that your particular area would have "no problem at all, if it only weren't for the potential for a leg-break lawsuit", then that's odd indeed. If this is true, my hunch though, is that even if a group of hobbyist banded together to offer liability insurance (to cover the city or county if anyone breaking a leg ever sued them), is that they'd still say no. In fact, if anything, the mere fact of offering such "liability insurance" would seem to simply caste aspursions on the hobby ....... as if this is EXACTLY what we do! And exactly that results, etc... And thus all the more reason for them to say no. I mean, put yourself in their shoes: why should they be bothered?

 

[CincinnatiKid]

Thanks again Tom. As always, your reply is filled w thought provoking content.
2012 damage was extensive enough for our county parks to ban metal detecting from all athletic fields. Bad for me, cause I love soccer field sidelines. I do still detect sand volleyball courts. The Rangers have no problem w it. Why would they?
Yes, cosmetic damage is also an issue.
I think MD insurance may even be required soon...
Peace

 

[jeff of pa]

Need I say more ?

 

[CincinnatiKid]

Thanks jeff of pa! I will whisper. .
Peace

 

[Markomyt1]

I am a Real Estate agent and I would have said the same thing to anyone wanting to MD on my client's property.
It's all about taking care of the property and maintaining it in the best possible condition.
I have even turned away people I know from properties I have listed although I knew they would do no harm.
Even having someone MDing around on a property could "creep out" a potential buyer. Ya never know...

 

[smokeythecat]

Last week I was at a beach. I always fill my holes, perhaps not perfectly, but they are not recognizable as holes anymore. Anyway a guy comes near and I say hi. He asked if I'd found much and I hadn't. We started talking wildlife. Seems he one of the most senior wildlife managers for the state. I saw him glance at the last filled hole and I proudly showed him all the trash in my bucket I was removing from the beach. You should have seen him smile. We have the choice of being the good guys! Score one for us.

 

[CincinnatiKid]

Thanks Markomyt1 and smokeythecat! Most wonderful responses!!
I fully understand. But, do you view MD insurance as a viable option to closed parks/sites?
Peace

 

[smokeythecat]

No, the insurance is probably not viable as it's a control issue on the government's part.

 

[Keppy]

This whole metal detecting is getting out of control .. When we start to talk about something stupid like MD insurance….

 

[smokeythecat]

When it's 15 degrees outside, our Ebay purchases didn't arrive today, Goldrush and Duck Dynasty are repeats on tv and the cat puked on the floor again.

 

[Keppy]

Thanks Markomyt1 and smokeythecat! Most wonderful responses!!
I fully understand. But, do you view MD insurance as a viable option to closed parks/sites?
Peace

….​**** no we do not need metal detecting insurance….why even bring it up…...

 

[Silver Searcher]

In the UK, if you want to participate in metal detecting,
You must have "insurance" before you even flip the power switch.
It's about the damage that you may cause to others while enjoying your hobby.

Crazy huh?

Because metal detecting causes cancer?
One too many holes in the garden might effect the earths rotation?

I don't know who told you this, but is completely untrue.

SS

 

[CincinnatiKid]

Thanks for being so kind keepy? I only ask.
Peace

 

[jeff of pa]

This whole metal detecting is getting out of control .. When we start to talk about something stupid like MD insurance….

the whole insurance Business is getting out of control imo

What next ? Insurance in case we say something that offends ?

Or look at someone the wrong way


Is there Dating insurance, in case she says No after you spent a Hundred Bucks on her for a Meal ?