Cool River Tubing, the larger of Helen's two commercial tubing
operators by ramp throughput and, per the company's 2024 annual report,
by revenue, has introduced a flat $3.50-per-tube "war-risk surcharge"
on all rentals redeemed between 5:00 p.m. and the ramp's 7:00 p.m.
closing time. The surcharge, which took effect Monday, is documented in
Amended Rider #LM-2026-04-14 to the company's commercial liability
policy with Liberty Mutual Commercial, a copy of which was obtained
from the White County Business License office on Tuesday.
The rider, a four-page document of which approximately two pages is
schedule-of-rates tabulation and one page is a narrative "risk
environment" memorandum, cites three factors as the basis for the
surcharge:
The ongoing U.S. Navy blockade of Iranian ports, announced April 11
and in effect as of this filing.
The Iranian government's April 13 counter-threat to expand its
Strait of Hormuz naval action to the Sea of Oman and the Red Sea.
"Observable patterns of elevated end-of-day float-trip behavior on
the lower section of the Chattahoochee River between the Cool River
ramp and the Robertstown Road bridge take-out, including but not
limited to: unsecured coolers, unannounced course deviations, and
individual floaters declaring themselves 'the captain.'"
The memorandum, signed by Liberty Mutual Commercial's Southeast
Regional Underwriting Director, does not explain why items one and two
— which concern a body of water approximately 7,600 miles from Helen,
Georgia — are relevant to the company's exposure on the Chattahoochee.
Asked about this, Liberty Mutual Commercial's media-relations office
issued a one-sentence statement: "Underwriters make underwriting
decisions."
CEO Statement
Cool River Tubing Chief Executive Officer Amos Redwine, in a prepared
statement issued Tuesday evening, said the surcharge "reflects the
evolving threat environment that our insurance partner has identified
on the lower section of the Chattahoochee, and, through our partner's
deep global book of risk, more broadly." Asked at a brief press
availability in the Cool River parking lot whether he believed the U.S.
Navy's action against Iran posed a measurable risk to Helen tubing
operations, Mr. Redwine said: "I believe what our underwriter believes.
Our underwriter believes it does. Therefore I do."
Mr. Redwine, asked a follow-up, added: "The premium is three-fifty per
tube. This is a very small amount of money. It is, frankly, less than
our customers currently pay for a novelty koozie."
Asked whether Cool River's competitor, Helen Tubing Company, would
match the surcharge, Mr. Redwine declined to comment, citing "the
cartel restrictions the White County Antitrust Memorandum of 2019 places
on any discussion of pricing between the two operators."
Competitor Response
Helen Tubing Company's Chief Operating Officer, Marva Pritchett,
reached by phone Wednesday, said the company had been "made aware" of
Cool River's surcharge and was "evaluating our own coverage posture"
with its carrier, Travelers. Pressed on whether Helen Tubing would also
cite the Iranian blockade in any forthcoming rate filing, Ms. Pritchett
said: "We are a Georgia tubing company. Our rate filings generally
reference Georgia conditions."
She then paused. She then added: "But of course the international
environment is a consideration. For any business."
What This Means For Floaters
A tuber redeeming a $19.95 single-tube rental at the Cool River ramp at
5:01 p.m. will, as of this week, pay a total of $23.45, plus Georgia
sales tax of $1.64, for a total out-the-door cost of $25.09. That
figure represents a 25.7% effective increase over the same rental
redeemed at 4:59 p.m.
Liberty Mutual Commercial's filing does not indicate a termination
date. The filing includes a provision for automatic surcharge
adjustment — upward or downward — in proportion to "quarterly movements
in the Joint War Committee's Listed Areas register, as published by
the Lloyd's Market Association." The Joint War Committee's register is
updated bi-weekly. The Chattahoochee River is not, at this filing, on
the register. The Strait of Hormuz is.
The Chattahoochee Recreation Association, a trade group representing
recreational float operators across the Southeast, declined to comment
on the Cool River filing Tuesday. In a brief emailed statement, the
association's executive director, Owen Peck, said: "The Chattahoochee
is a recreational waterway. We consider this a commercial decision by a
member in good standing."
The U.S. Department of State, asked for comment by Bavarian Brainrot
via email Tuesday on whether the Cool River filing affected its Iran
posture, has not responded as of press time.
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