Culver City : Fireworks Insurance Reduced

The City Council on Monday reduced the amount of insurance required for the sale of fireworks and the city’s annual fireworks display after nonprofit groups and fireworks companies said they could not buy enough to meet the existing requirements.

The council reduced insurance requirements for fireworks stands from $10 million to $2 million, and lowered the level for the display from $5 million to $1 million. The insurance covers property and personal injury damages.

Chief Administrative Officer Dale Jones said the reduction puts Culver City in line with other cities that are permitting fireworks sales this year. Inglewood and Compton require fireworks stands to have about $1 million in insurance, he said.

Jones said the difficulty in obtaining insurance stems from insurers’ concerns about the “deep pockets” controversy. The companies fear an accident could cause a rash of lawsuits even if stand or display operators were not at fault, he said.

In a related action Monday, the city Redevelopment Agency granted permission to a veterans group to put up a fireworks stand on public property for the June 29-to-July 4 sale.

The agency said the Cpl. David Allen Post No. 667, Jewish War Veterans of the United States, could set up its stand at Slauson and Hannum avenues. The veterans will pay the city $1,000.