white_falcon

Walt, Yes, You are insurable. Cancer/Melanoma may have some restricted coverage (for a period of time) but you CAN still get at LEAST a major medical (incase u hook it in) for relatively inexpensive. u want specifics?? Wait for my underwriters to get in the office and I will supply them. Again, I am NOT trying to sell ANYONE insurance, Just provide an education. (I actually work directly for a Life Insurance company that doesn't even like that I have a license or contract that ALLOWS me to be able to sell health insurance) Questions? send them, I will provide answers where I can, and when possible, even refer you to a good agent. Edited cause I can't type

Andy, Anyone who can't xit an aircraft and not kick someone in the stomach on xit shouldn't be "ALLOWED" to have insurance!!! (know who I am yet?) LOL Scott

Anyone paying in excess of $1000/month needs to investigate other companies and/or deductibles/plans. Again, and HSA - Health Savings Account - is a GREAT option but you must understand the product. Helath insurance IS affordable you will self insure (read take a high deductible) and SAVE the difference in an account specified for that. HERE is a SPECIFIC example: Family of 3, (35 y/o Husb and Wife, 10y/o child) HSA $3800 deductible 100% paid after deductible, $328 per month "Standard Health insurance" $1000 Deductible, pays 100% of covered expenses after deductible is met, 476/mont. These are just 2 examples and this is INDIVIDUAL REGULAR health iinsurance, NOT major Medical, for an ENTIRE FAMILY!!!!! Now I will concede that this is is in Florida, and I am not familiar with rates in other States, but I cannot imagine a SIGNIFICANT difference. Additionally, these rates are not the cheapest out there, they just happen to be rates fo a company I represent. My point folks, is, if you educate yourself, and shop, you CAN find GOOD QUALITY health insurance that IS AFFORDABLE.

I saw this post and my skin crawled. I have a a young friend stationed in Alaska who is currently in Iraq and I have not heard from him recently. I am so truly sorry for the family of this young soldier and hope that they are getting all they support and help they so richly deserve. Let us hope that all the rest come home safe and sound (at least we can hope). Scott

It's not like you're going to receive a bill for somebody else's injury ?????!!!!! Don't you understand that that very rational is a large part of the reason that medical attention is so expensive today and therefore that health insurance is so expensive?? I honestly cant believe you just "said" that? Or were you being sarcastic??

Quote "Independent contractors" ARE their "employers" So by your note, they are kicking themselves in the face. "Independent contractors" need to arrange for their own insurance. ----------------------------------------------------- Point taken --------------------------------------------------- Perhaps a way to do this would be to organize a cooperative where they can approach insurance companies and leverage their numbers to get better deals on insurance. This is much better than forming a union and trying to force the (regular jumpers via the) DZOs to cover their care. It's one idea. That is possible today, Its called a "Natural Group" and if a group of skydiving instructors got together and wanted to purchase a group policy, they could. At least that is possible in the state of florida anyway. I have been in the insurance industry for 20 years in Florida and I get so sick of people griping about insurance with half truths and innuendos (sp). Folks, just educate yourselves. NO, insurance is NOT "affordable" for every one but is "affordable" for most. It is about choices. Yes, MOST anyone can find affordable MAJOR MEDICAL for less than $150 a month (in FLA anyway) and for you 20 Somethings, BC/BS has some EXTREMELY affordable programs. Also, if you will agree to a LARGE deductible and investigate an HSA (health savings account) and EDUCATE yourself about the product, it is affordable for ALMOST anyone. If you have ANY questions, please feel free to email me or post here, I'll do my best to provide an answer, and NO, I AM NOT ADVERTISING for your business, I just get tired of people being uninformed about something so important. [RANT OFF].

Hey "Pops". Yea, I had fun too, great to meet you, Andy, Mike, Donna (and I am sure I am forgetting someone). And since you asked, the bruises on my stomach from getting kicked on Xit are Starting to fade already

i can understand that. I am actually curently tryinng to get a driving job in the sand box. I am assuming u also carry ur rig w/ u on the road??

cool, thats one, thanks BIGUN

just curious. I just startted driving recently and am curious how amny others there might be out there. I carry my rig w/ me and have had the opportunity to jump Byron, CA, Eugene Or, and W. Memphis recently. (all VERY nice dz's). Working on getting ALL 50 states. Any one else out there? Scott

Have any BofA customers been able to do this successfully via the BofA website? It keeps giving me an error. Ok, it SHOULD be fixed. there was some computer @%@#%@$#on Bank Of America's end but they assure me that is has be corrected. Thanks all for anything you do here for the relief, or elsewhere. The most important thing is to DO SOMETHING. Scott

Hi All. Scott Kremkau aka White Falcon here. Lee did this while I was driving to my Moms house but I thought I'd chime in here. My intent is to get as Much $$ / Goods together as possible and be on the road no later than Tues AM. I am wating on word from FEMA as to where exactly they would like me to bring whatever I can pull together. Currently I am working with Specialty Agents of Florida (an insurance association) and soliciting funds from just about all the independent insurance agencies in the state as well as calling on all the agencies in my city (Tallahassee) personally and IN PERSON. I have contacted the appropriate people at Publix, and Target to see about dicounts / donations / matching $$ for stuff as well. Any help ANYONE can provide is certainly appreciated. Anyone that would like to contact me directly, please do. My cell ph # is 850-556-6253. Thanks to all in advance. Scott Kremkau Tallahassee Florida

hey thanks guys. I am supposed to go w/ a whole group and was told that if the outside weather gets bad they close the tunnell cause that affects the tunnel air. I KNOW if the power goes out its a done deal. lol Hopefully we can get'er done. Scott

and if they add ONE more birdman, they wont even need a plane to get to altitude. lol scott

I am going as part of a large group to the tunnell in Orlando this weekend and was wondering if the impending weather should have an effect on our plans. I understand if the power goes out but I mean if there is just "bad" weather. Anyone have any idea?? Thanks, Scott

And people think you cant make a poll say what you want it to. LMAO, Thats a GOOD one Dave. Scott

I don't know where in Tx you are, but I am in N. Fla (Tallahassee, in the Panhandle) and we jump all year. So, take that for what its worth. I got a little cold at times last year, but with gloves and a layer of thermal u/w, never got uncomfortable. Knowing what I know now, if you aren't in N. Tx, I'd say go ahead, but that's just my $.02 Scott

So if I did a solo with someone I totally trusted, hit my head on the door during diving exit and knocked myself out, is that saying I should not have done the skydive if I didn't want to use an AAD? Really, I dont understand the rational - as reagards this thread- of NOT using an AAD. Your reserve is there if you have an equitpment malfuntion - Your AAD is there if YOU have a malfunction. (maybe I am lost in this thread tho, I'll go back and re-read it. LOL) Scott

Bill, the point I am trying to make, and the one those of you who seem to be a little (at least) anti- AAD keep skirting, is the SHIT HAPPENS. There are a myriad of things that COULD go wrong during a skydive, that u truly have on contol over, that could keep you from deploying at the appropriate altitude. Why not attempt to mitigate the possibilty of paying the "ultimate" price for want of a piece of equitpment? Do I think an AAD is the end all and be all? NO. Do I believe they do have there own issues? Yes. But you use the "tools" that are availble. Just my opinion. BTW, I will be the first on my block to put a "skyhook" in my Mirage if/when that becomes an option. Just my opinion, and I have no ill thoughts about those that choose to accept the inherint risks asscociated with jumpins sans AAD. It's one of the wonderful things about this sport I have discovered, you are free to make your own decisions about almost all aspects of your equiptment. Scott

Not necessarilly so. How bout the individual who collides with, or is run over by, someone else, not there fault, Nothing they did wrong. It's the same anomoly that causes the main to malfunction, a "chance" occurance. It is for this reason that and AAD will always be in MY rig. I don't however, see loss of altitude awareness, or just plain stupidity, as "chance" happenings. Scott

All I can say is "DAM". Glad the jumper was un-injured, and I hope someone will talk to him/her about EP's. Scott

[replyIf you think you are going to need your reserve on a given jump - fix your main before you jump! Amen Brother. Scott

OK, I may be missing the point on this, but here's my take: An AAD is a piece of equitpment correct? It is used to decrease the risk of death, should "shit" happen, correct? Ok, so by using the logic applied, AGAINST using the AAD, then the same logic can be applied to having a RESERVE, can it not?? It's only there if things get out of / beyond your control. So, if you think you are going to need it, are you sure you should be skydiving at all? Note-- Playing devils advocate here, I personally jump w/ a cypress and will ALWAYS, and I am NOT advocating anyone jumpe w/o a reserve. Scott

Im Surprised no-one has jumped on this one yet. The Canopy and Its Pilot by Brian Germain seems to be an unofficial "bible" Tom Buchanan (on this site) is also an author and has several books, I am sure he will chime in. Scott BTW --- Look out for the re-post police on this one - they are sure to tell you to do a search and you can find were this has been talked about a million times, but I thought, I'd just tell you.

Aww, c'mon guys. geesh, the guy asked a question, help him out. As far as discussing things that already been discussed, this sounds much more interesting than, um, "What dog-food does your dog prefer" or other such drivel as I have seen on here. Now, I personally dont mind those discussions either, as this forum is supposed to be a little entertaining as well as INFORMATIVE but if band width is the issue, well, lets just dont anyone post anything else, as I believe most everything has already been discussed. Geesh, give a poor guy a break Oh, and BTW, I WOULD answer the question, but as I am a relatively new jumper, my input as regards the question asked would be meaningless, but I did open this post expecting to see some MEANINGFUL and USEFUL information. Thats my $.02, but maybe I shouldnt waste the band width, as I am sure this has all been posted before. Scott (not the re-post police)