Teach Soap

Well, maybe look at it this way - how likely is it that your house will burn down? But don't you have homeowner's insurance?

Anita

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Susie
Sometimes A Mistake is so much fun, You just have to do it again!

Plus the whole part where having a house is much much much more important then a hobby. Also, if you do happen to get sued I HIGHLY doubt it'd be more then $10,000-$20,000, where as if you your lose your house you're looking at $100,000+....for the house alone, not even counting anything inside.

I understand it's needed, I just wish there was a cheaper way for hobbyist to go about doing it.

....I also SERIOUSLY doubt a lot of the soapers I've seen at craft fairs around here have insurance. Or even know about it...

I am primarily a hobbyist but I donate soap to fundraisers, I make it as gifts, and I sell the occasional bar to people I know well. I have insurance from RLI. It costs about $160 per year. For me, it's worth it for the peace of mind. I checked the IRS regulations and declare my income (assuming I have any at the end of the year) as ancillary to my hobby, like one declares ebay earnings.

The insurance agent didn't laugh at my modest needs. A premium is a premium.

I also carry a very modest policy from RLI. The agent didn't laugh or think my situation was goofy at all. In fact, he acted like he had these types of conversations all day long.

Judy and Aria: Good to know!

Not terribly soap related, but just spent the day with a friend who recounted the sorry tale of her sister and her husband (her brother in law). The BIL was a victim of a lawsuit filed by HIS OWN MOTHER.

Yes. These are educated, financially stable family members - the MOTHER sued HER SON.

What is even worse - the lawsuit itself was finally deemed frivolous - dismissed. And the lawyer who brought the suit on behalf of the mom is running from the WA State Bar Association, who is trying to disbar the guy.

So. Be warned - even if you think you OWN family will not sue you, hobby soapers - if your family is big enough and a sibling married into a crazy family.....

I've come to the conclusion this is NOT a hobby for the unemployed - the extra liability issue, and its associated expense, is something I simply cannot deal with at this point in my life. I'll probably let this run its course once I run out of supplies. Wish I had known I'd also have to take up gambling along with soaping. Because on one level, that's what insurance is: a gamble that the premium you fork over every month will pay off in the end.

Oh well. I'll have enough soap for a couple of years. I can revisit the issue at that time, when all the stuff I've made is gone.

Thanks to one and all who have helped me on this board! Its back to fiber arts for me - nobody gets sued over fiber!

I also went with RLI...and was in your same predicament about a year ago when I started to really get into Melt and Pour and Sugar Scrubs. I debated whether I should even purchase anything if I was only going to hand off to family and close friends. But then I really started to think about it, and decided to be safe than sorry. You just never know when a nasty reaction starts the feud in the recent family disagreement

RLI seems to be some of the more reasonable agencies out there for hobbiest and soaping business with light sales. They really only insure you if you only make below a certain amount a year (I think it was about $5K but don't quote me on that). To them the less amount of business/soap sharing you make the least amount of risk they will have.

Good luck!

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Roxana
*** Just keep trying
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