Posted: 9th May 2019 | Back to news feed
We know Liability Insurance is not something that is glamorous, or something that people want to spend their time researching, however it is something that is incredibly important and can help protect you, when you need it the most.
There are a variety of Liability Insurances available to help protect you, your business and your employees. As an example, if you run equestrian events, a livery yard, a small business, a riding club or work as an instructor, photographer, tradesmen or rider you need to know about liability, and these are just a small selection of businesses and individuals.
Below we have pulled together a mini breakdown of some off the cover you might need to consider, and a link to an EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT for Equestrian Index visitors.
Public Liability
No matter how many precautions are put in place, in life accidents can still happen, which means the best protection for you is a form of Public Liability Insurance.
What does this cover: It covers you for any claim made against you by a member of the public for personal injury or property damage. An example of this could be if your horse was to kick a parked car whilst out riding on the road or at a competition.
Is it a legal requirement: Although not a legal requirement some businesses may refuse to work with you if you do not have Public Liability Insurance in place, and some local councils even require businesses in their area to have Public Liability in place.
Employers Liability
If you employ anyone, whether it is a full-time staff member or simply someone who covers a couple of hours a week you need to ensure you can provide them with the safest possible working environment, as well as protecting yourself and your business.
What does this cover: This insurance is designed to cover you for any personal injury claims made against you by an employee who is not a close family member. The claimant would need to prove you are liable and it will also cover you for any legal fees incurred in defending yourself against such a claim. An example would be if one of your employees was kicked by a horse whilst working for you and needed to take time off work.
Is it a legal requirement: Yes it is a legal requirement for any employer whether their employees are paid or not. You are also required to display your certificate of employer’s liability insurance at all times.
Care Custody and Control (Custodial Liability)
If you work with horses, particularly looking after other people’s and transporting them then you are responsible for their safety and wellbeing. Taking care of them will be your number one responsibility however you also need to be taking care of yourself.
What does this cover: In the event of an accident occurring where a horse under your care is injured or worse, if you or your company are deemed responsible, care custody and control insurance will have you covered. This means that in the event of a breakdown for example, if you are unloading horses at the roadside and they should happen to get loose you will be covered for injury to the horse.
Is it a legal requirement: It is not a legal requirement to have this but if you look after horses in any shape or form it is strongly recommended you seek out this cover.
Product Liability
If you are an individual or run a business who provides products to the public, are you protected if something went wrong? However careful you might be, faults can happen and reputations can be hard to repair.
What does this cover: Product Liability covers you for the cost of compensating someone should a faulty product that you have sold to them cause any sort of injury. You will need to ensure that you have ‘rights of recourse’ against any manufacturer or supplier you may work with. An example of this would be if you sold a piece of equipment that broke causing an accident.
Is it a legal requirement: Legally this cover is not required by law but some suppliers, manufactures and distributors will require you to have one.
Working within the equestrian industry is a dream to many but as any horse owner knows it can also be dangerous, so making sure you are correctly covered should be a priority. Using an equestrian specialist like Shearwater means they are able to understand your business and know your needs. If you own a larger property or venue or have multiple businesses to consider give Shearwater a call today as they are able to visit you to do a full, no obligation, insurance assessment.
For further information head to the website or call us on 01992 718666
The Equestrian Index newsfeed is compiled from articles submitted by advertising members and expresses the opinions of those members. Watsons Directories Ltd shall not be held liable for any inaccuracies or mis-statements therein.