Attention Manley, Jackson and all the little Gnomes

[GenuineRisk]

Originally Posted by Honu

This situation is tough , I didnt think that jocks could be unionized because they have tried before and failed but I guess they had to do something if they didnt want to be in the Guild anymore.

I dont get what the big deal is about increasing on sight insurance policy for accidents , Im sure the owner of the race track has a really nice fat insurance policy covering a patron falling down the steps and I bet it doesnt have a 100,000.00 or even 500,000.00 ceiling on it .
While I agree that jockeys should pay for their own health insurance just like the rest of America , I dont agree that accident insurance should be limited.
The way it is now there are a whole lot of people that are leaving themselves wide open for lawsuits when a rider gets hurt and the accident insurance doesnt cover all the expenses.

Self-employed Americans pay for their own insurance. Most insured people don't pay for their own insurance; their employer does.

The problem is, insurance companies, like any other business, are in it to make money, and they don't make money when they have to pay out claims. In the case of jockeys, it's not a case of if they'll be injured; it's when, how often and how badly. So they aren't an ideal insurance risk. Why would a company want to insure someone they won't make money off of? I can't see how the average workingman jockey could possibly afford the premiums for insurance with a high enough ceiling to cover severe injury or disability resulting from his job. They have to be high for covering him to be worth it to the company.

It's easy to have insurance for a drunk schmo who falls down the steps at the track because walking down the stairs is considered much less risky than riding in a race.