Posted on: Wednesday, July 28, 2004

Insurance company to help chess club

By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser Windward O'ahu Writer

KANE'OHE — A local insurance company has come to the rescue of a chess club that meets at Windward Mall and faced eviction if the group could not obtain a $2 million liability insurance policy.

Andrew Fong Insurance in Kailua was able to offer coverage to the club from State Farm Insurance at a special rate of $150 a year, after the State Farm home office read about the club's fate on the Advertiser Web site, said Frank Alejandro, club director.

"The article was definitely the turing point," Alejandro said. "That's what got the folks on the Mainland to call Andrew."

The club, which doesn't collect dues or fees, has provided free play and free lessons at Windward Mall every Wednesday evening for almost three years. The group held what it thought was its last meeting last week.

With the insurance policy in place, the club will meet tonight as usual from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with free lessons from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Recently, the mall switched management and in reviewing mall users realized the group had no insurance, a requirement for all vendors.

Mall owner Kamehameha Schools had intervened, Alejandro said, offering to reduce the coverage requirement to $1 million, but with the State Farm offer that is not necessary now.

"We got what we wanted and the mall got what they wanted," Alejandro said.

The club now must figure out how to pay the insurance bill. A friend has donated $150 for the first premium, but the club will have to become more formal, Alejandro said.

A committee will be formed to discuss insurance, expansion and possibly becoming a nonprofit organization, he said.

Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com or 234-5266.