Insurance issues (from PSA thread)

[Skittl1321]

Thought some people might be interested in how this all worked out, now that I've talked to all the organizations involved. I decided to open a new thread, so I didn't continue to thread-jack the PSA one...

For those not reading the other thread, my insurance is just through USFSA because the rink registered me as an instructor. I've been reassured time and again by my LTS director that I am covered to teach any Basic Skills registered student, groups or privates. I do not take private students because I don't want them, and was always a bit wary of the claim. She has also told me that she spoke with USFSA and I was covered while teaching Girl Scout groups because that was a LTS lesson.

Posters on the board commented that this information didn't sound right. So I contacted both USFSA and GSEIWI (the local girl scout council) to ask those who specifically dealt with insurance about coverage.

From Jill at USFSA- a registered instructor is only covered on ice labeled as "Learn to Skate" ice time. It doesn't matter if they are teaching groups paid by the rink, or privates paid by individuals (but when does that happen) but it must be during LTS ice time. No public, no freestyle, no club ice. Because of this I was not covered during Girl Scout lessons (which is public ice) and I wouldn't be covered if I ever took privates (also public ice).

From GSEIWI- Because I am a registered Girl Scout the Girl Scout insurance covers me if something happens to me or if something happens to one of the girls- who is a registered Girl Scout. Which means I need to make sure to ask troop leaders if all their girls are registered, and if they are not have they purchased the additional insurance for tag alongs (which they should have anyway! I'm a trainer and that's a huge thing we cover). However, if I were not a girl scout myself, I would not be covered- only the girls.

So for now, I don't need an additional policy and can continue doing what I'm doing. But I think I need to let the LTS director know all this because I'm pretty sure she has a few other low level coaches who are working in situtations where they would be uncovered. EEK

[Isk8NYC]

That's why the vocal minority on this board often tells people to "check the facts yourself" whether it's rulebook issues or insurance. Not everyone is an expert on everything, so it doesn't hurt to do the legwork and understand it yourself.


Not every skating school allows coaches to teach private lessons on their LTS ice, but it's a great opportunity if it's available and not overcrowded, esp. for beginners. The groups tend to stay in the same areas, so you can really focus on your student rather than watching for traffic (as on publics and freestyles.) Of course, you must be registered as a Basic Skills instructor with the program.

Caveat: if a student wants to take a private lesson on a Basic Skills LTS session, the student must be registered as a Basic Skills student with the skating school. My last rink used to charge a small 1x/season setup fee which covered the USFSA fee and Basic Skills record book. They also charged non-lts students a public session fee for each lesson taken on the LTS ice.


I know that the Basic Skills ID number is assigned to the person; it becomes your USFSA number when you join a club and start testing or competing. If you change from one Basic Skills school to another Basic Skills school, the number is also transferred.

I don't know if you can, or even need to, register with a second Basic Skills program if you're already a current member of another program. That would be an interesting situation - my kids used to take groups at two different skating schools (mainly for childcare since I was teaching.) I don't remember ever getting a second card for them, but the skating director of the secondary program may not have registered them since she knew they were already covered by the other rink. Hmmmm...