Field to fork insurance for recreational hunter gatherers
BASC’s South East regional director, Michelle Nudds, looks at what BASC’s insurance means for modern hunter gatherers.
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- - Features
Cutting through the insurance jargon
Gareth Dockerty explains why BASC’s insurance is a market leader, and what that means for you as a result.
During my seven years working for BASC the finer details of our insurance package have not been at the top of my list of priorities. I undertake my Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) training and have done my bit signing up new members at countless events; however, I have never thought I work specifically in ‘insurance’.
But I make the needs of individual members my priority and, while focusing on the various threats and challenges that sustainable shooting faces, I have always found the insurance small print a rather grey subject.
However, the majority of BASC members join for the insurance cover and then stay due to a broader recognition of the work we do. The insurance package we offer could be seen as the bread and butter of a very packed sandwich.
It is difficult to talk freely about insurance, because we are obliged to operate within a strict set of rules. I am gritting my teeth as I write this, wondering what our insurance underwriter will allow me to say and hoping I can prevent you all from falling asleep by making this article as straightforward, jargon-free and entertaining as possible.
It is obvious our current and potential new members need to be able to compare the details of BASC insurance with other products and decide what suits their needs best. The good news is we follow the rules and clearly outline policies on our website. However, the tricky bit is making these as easy to digest as possible while satisfying the insurance conduct police.
When the pheasant hits the window
If you have read this far then please don’t give up now, because I am going to focus on a key aspect of our insurance cover. The BASC members’ insurance policy is a policy of ‘first resort’ which means in the event of a claim, the expert claims team will take control and deal with it, regardless of what other policies you may have in place.
However, many of the cheaper membership insurance products out there are policies of ‘last resort’, which means if you make a claim on one of them, the policy will not respond until you can prove you have no other insurance in place which could cover the claim.
If you hold household contents insurance, for example, this will almost certainly cover your personal liabilities and would be forced to respond to the claim before your membership cover.
Picture the scene… you have just shot a pheasant, the Gun next to you shouts “good shot” but while you are mentally rehearsing your lengthy anecdote on the situation, the bird drifts on a gust of wind and smashes through the window of a Grade II Listed conservatory.
The cost of repairs will be substantial, and the homeowner is understandably angry… but you are a BASC member and know your insurance provider will now begin working on your behalf. In the real-life version of this story, the insurance covered thousands of pounds of damage and the expert skills needed to repair the property.
Imagine the alternative scenario, where you had opted for a cheaper insurance product. You would have spent the first hours and days of this delicate situation trying to prove to your insurance provider that your household contents insurance did not somehow cover this accident.
Consider having to explain the format of a game shoot to a company you chose due to its policy and expertise on domestic flood damage. And don’t forget the increasingly irate conservatory owner who will justifiably be getting more and more frustrated nobody is taking any action.
I personally would find considerable comfort in knowing my insurance provider was not going to spend time looking for other insurance to cover a claim of accidental damage I caused to someone else’s property through my legal shooting activities.
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Gareth Dockerty
Gareth is Deputy Director of shooting operations at BASC. Having joined the organisation in 2016, Gareth’s role focuses on ensuring decision makers, stakeholders and the public understand the benefits of shooting for upland habitats and rural communities.
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