Yeah really. You cannot control the actions of individuals. Having rules in place, and doing what you can to have control points in place is all you can reasonably do. Someone bringing a laser into the game when they are banned isn't a matter for insurance, as that individual is responsible for anything that may happen, not necessarily the game organizer.

No one called airsoft games "tournaments"; that's a paintball term fyi.

Some established fields do have insurance, however most rely on a waiver system. Between the waivers and a general understanding that everyone involved is assuming some risk when playing, I have not heard of any problems in 13 years of playing the sport.

I've sustained broken ribs and a lacerated kidney playing, and I didn't go after the field owner...etc.

Airsoft by its nature is risky, but there's a difference between breaking your ankle on a rock and falling into an old mine shaft, etc. I can't stress enough though that a waiver on its own is fruitless, also any youth must be reasonably protected as well. Let me put it this way, did the player understand the risks and hurt themselves? You don't have to run or climb, you don't have to bushwhack or trudge through creeks, you can just stick to the trails. BBs concern you? You can wear a helmet, neck protector, face shield and full goggles, it's each individual's choice if they don't. Weather and wildlife are not in control of the game organizer, unless they are aware of an impending storm or common cougar attacks. Beyond that is where things get hazy. Any structures have to be sound, there can't be gaping holes, no buried chunks of jagged metal, etc. The truth is if some kid gets his eyes shot out, it's likely you will be sued, wether the waiver acts as a shield or not, the child will likely receive a settlement. In a way, insurance protects the owner/host and the players.

And that's the big hitch with letting "youth" participate in a game.

They can't legally form consent. So if a 15 year old kids comes away with a shot out tooth after his 17 year old cousin brought him out what happens next?

Does that kid's mom pull 5K out of the vacation fund for a trip to the dentist or does she start looking at who at the game should pay for injuring her child?

Jimmy-no-tooth should have been brought to the game by a legal guardian over the age of 18 (or whatever that regions age of majority is).

Also if JNT's mother has 5K in a vacation fund, she should have insurance. I have insurance for my wife and daughter through my work. If I had a tooth shot out, pretty sure I wouldn't be too concerned about getting insurance to cover the damage.

Or you know, spend 15 dollars on a mesh mask lol.


It is almost like hockey. Kids start off playing with full face mask helmets, either wire or plexiglass or a combo (I have had all three) and eventually you can make the decision to switch to a half face shield (I did when I started playing pickup hockey).

With airsoft your level of protection is largely your own responsibility. You can scrape by with the bare minimum eye protection and that's it, or you can get proper fitting, high quality full seal goggles, a face mask, a helmet and eye protectors. Game hosts should enforce what they are comfortable with of course, but a lot of it comes back on the players.

Claim on her insurance and pay the deductable? No dice.

If a kid is at a game joined to the hip with a parent and tagged of with a solid waiver that's one thing.

I'll put a little side bet out there that the kind of games this guy will see around Nanaimo are not like that. Any takers?

My deductible is 10% of the bill. Even at 5,000 of work that's only 500. To cost 5000 that's 50,000 of dental work, which I am pretty sure could buy the average person a whole mouth.

Are you married? How would your wife react?

Insurance companies have their own restrictions as well don't forget. Out here everyone must wear full sealed ballistic or paintball eyewear. No safety rated stuff or glasses. If I was running a field, well there'd be no you youth, at least not under 16, but face masks would be mandatory for them at least. The two places out here I've played have insurance that cover 12 years old and up.

[quote=Ricochet;1929784[B]]Field owners: They always have insurance, that is an assumption you probably shouldn't make.

Insurance protects the field owner mostly. Having said that, if a player gets hurt at a field and feels it is the result of something the field owner did (or something he didn't do, but should have done), that player can choose to sue the field owner. If the field owner has insurance, if the suit is successful, the insurance company will pay the damages. If the field owner does not have insurance, then the courts would try to get payment directly from the field owner. Many/most field owners don't have a lot of net worth, so getting something out of them might prove difficult.

https://nfa.ca/nfa-insurance

offers insurance for shooting sports activities including reenactment

Last time we checked, NFA did not cover airsoft under their insurance. That was a couple years ago though. Nova Scotia Airsoft Association just got insurance for our games and I would say the cost is manageable. Essentially an insurance company is going to modify a standard paintball policy for your needs.