Shropshire Association Insurance
One of the benefits received by all members in exchange for their subscriptions is personal accident insurance. This covers all ringers up to the age of 85 and is operative whenever they are 'ringing, instructing, maintaining, inspecting or doing work of any kind on towers and/or bells and/or their fittings and framework.'
The table of benefits is given below.
| 1 | Death | £25,000 |
| Disability | ||
| 2 | Loss of two or more limbs or both eyes or one of each | £25,000 |
| 3a | Loss of one limb or eye | £25,000 |
| 3b | Permanent total loss of speech | £25,000 |
| 3c | Permanent total loss of hearing in both ears | £25,000 |
| Permanent total loss of hearing in one ears | £12,500 | |
| 4 | Permanent total disablement | £25,000 |
| 5 | Permanent disability (continental scale) | £25,000 |
| Disability income | ||
| 6 | Temporary total disablement
(per week) Benefit period 104 weeks Deferment period 0 weeks |
£100 |
| 7 | Temporary partial disablement | Nil |
Notes:
For persons aged over 70 years, cover is limited to benefits 1 - 4 and the sum insured is limited to £10,000.
Benefits shall not be paid under more than one of benefits 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 to an insured person in respect of any one accident.
Where the insured person is under the age of eighteen years the death benefit will be limited to £5,000.
In addition to the benefits shown, the underwriters will pay any medical expenses necessarily incurred by an insured person not exceeding 10% of the total amount paid under death, disablement or permanent total disablement benefits, or 25% of the amount paid under disability income benefit, whichever is the greater, but subject to a maximum of £5,000 for each insured person.
As with most insurance policies, there are various other clauses and limitations. Anyone who wishes to examine the policy is welcome to do so and should ask the Treasurer. The 'continental scale', mentioned under permanent disability above, is a fascinating read in which percentages of the total sum assured are assigned to the loss of various parts of the anatomy. By my calculation, shortening of a lower limb by 3-5 cm, loss of one phalange of the left forefinger, complete immobility of a big toe and the loss of the whole of one lung is 'worth' only 3% more than complete immobility of the right shoulder. Also loss of two phalanges of a right forefinger is 'worth' 4% more than the same loss to a left forefinger. Is this not discriminatory against left-handers?