…The survey was not really relevant to the lawsuit anyway.
That is the uninsured surveyor’s story. I don't suspect he would give a different story.
Mike, I am a one man show here. I sometimes try to bid local government contracts. I would have had to buy and keep EO for 2 years after the 6 month project per bid. That at 4 to 5K a year for a 8K project! The project was to look at section corners and determine their status as in -, bent, broke, gone, etc... I don’t think EO is a big deal with this project, you simply look and say OK or nope. But I couldn’t bid because I don’t carry it. Large companies charging much more, from 40 miles away pick up these jobs because the cost of EO is nothing to them. To my little self it’s huge and it costs the local community money.
I started carrying E&O when I worked out of my basement. The choice is yours how you choose to run your company. Don't complain if you made the choice.
> I started carrying E&O when I worked out of my basement. The choice is yours how you choose to run your company.
Ditto (replace basement with sunroom)
There is value in a good relationship with an E&O agent beyond the insurance coverage.
I sat down with mine when I started my company and we worked out the wording and clauses in my contracts (I have half a dozen different standard versions based on the client and project type).
Because my agent specializes solely in surveying and engineering firms, he's given me leads on new engineering companies that might need to subcontract surveying services.
There are lot of things I think all survey companies should have (commercial coffee pots, sexy receptionists, Dell Computers, Ford Trucks, etc.), but the limit to my arrogance does not extend me the privilege of mandating this on to others. I see Mr. Ingram’s arrogance does not have the same limit.
Our firm is 5 people right now and we have E&O.
I cannot understand why any lender would accept an ALTA from a surveyor who did not have E&O backing up the work.
It's Not Arrogance........
.....he just stated his opinion.
Would you use a Physician that didn't have medical malpractice insurance?
Would you be irritated to discover that you Physician didn't carry medical malpractice insurance?
Mike,
that's the comparison of apples and doughnuts
BS
Surveyors are licensed for the protection of the public's health, safety and welfare.
Did you ever ask for written proof from any doctor you ever saw to prove he/she was carrying a specific dollar figure of malpractice insurance before agreeing to allow him/her to evaluate your condition? Didn't think so!
The FACT remains that there are a large number of surveyor providing the same service as you that do not carry insurance.
And - As a matter of fact,
I can not recall the last time anyone asked me if I carry E&O
Indiana Licensed Doctors are REQUIRED by law to carry medical malpractice insurance.
I know of a company that agreed to do an ALTA survey for $2400. The client agreed and told them they must have 4 million in coverage.
Forget about the low price for a minute; I thought it was interesting how clients will shop for the low-ball price, and then turn around and say how critical (and valuable) the work must be, to need that much liability insurance.
> The FACT remains that there are a large number of surveyor providing the same service as you that do not carry insurance.
>
> And - As a matter of fact,
> I can not recall the last time anyone asked me if I carry E&O
The fact is they ARE NOT PROVIDING THE SAME SERVICE
I, you, nor they are infallible.
The possibility exist that the surveyor may make a mistake, no one is perfect. The possibility also exist that if the surveyor makes a mistake, the client will suffer financial damages.
If I (heaven forbid) make a mistake, and if the client suffers financial damages due to that mistake, then my carrying adequate E&O insurance allows for the client to be made whole, and that is an additional service that the surveyor without insurance is not providing.
And - As a matter of fact,
60% - 75% of my clients require me to carry a minimum of one million dollars of E&O insurance as one of the conditions of doing business with them. Much as I require the same of my subcontractors.
James
I do agree with you
For example, say you are 99.9% precise with every shot you make, and you are 99% correct in every boundary determination to decide and that every plat you create is 99% accurate with all depictions.
And- Say you create 15 plats per month and each plat consists of over field 250 shots (most being side shots).
What is the probability that after a year that an error / mistake exists on a survey done?
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"Surveyors are licensed for the protection of the public's health, safety and welfare." I don't understand this statement.
> "Surveyors are licensed for the protection of the public's health, safety and welfare." I don't understand this statement.
I'm sure that most states have laws similar to Oregon's.....
Oregon Administrative Rule 820-020-0015
Registrants Shall Hold Paramount the Safety, Health and Welfare of the Public in the Performance of Their Professional Duties
(1) Registrants shall at all times recognize that their primary obligation is to protect the safety, health, property and welfare of the public. If their professional judgment is overruled under circumstances where the safety, health, property or welfare of the public are endangered, they shall notify their employer or client and such other authority as may be appropriate.
Or Washington's......
Washington Administrative Code 196-27-020
(1)Registrants shall hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public in the performance of their professional duties.
It means that you survey in a manner that is right for everybody and not just right for your client. This is different from a lawyer, for example, who argues for his clients interest regardless of what kind of a menace to society he might be.
