What is an alpine ski Binding Indemnification Agreement?
Ski binding manufacturers will indemnify ski shops, who mount
and adjust their bindings, against claims from skiers who are
injured while using the bindings. The manufacturers update their
lists annually. Once a binding model falls off the indemnification
list, ski shops are no longer indemnified for mounting or adjusting
the bindings. In the event of a lawsuit, the ski shop would have to
defend itself in court, rather than having the manufacturer's
lawyers defend the suit. Because of this, very few shops will touch
a binding which is not on the indemnification list.
Ski binding indemnification lists are compiled by the National
Ski and Snowboard Retailers Association. The NSSRA qualifies their
compiled list with the following: "Every effort has been made to
insure the accuracy of the list. But please remember that the last
word on accuracy is that provided by the vendors, usually in their
tech manuals."