Equestrianism and insurance

[Old school]

Not sure if this the correct spot, but here goes:

Reading about the incident in Addington (irrespective of who is right/wrong) I thought that if this gets mainstream coverage and there is a hefty claim lodged, we will get further removed from having equine related events, due to insurance costs.

Currently the equine industry in Ireland is suffering from Underwriters evaporating when insurance policies are up renewal.

As the summer schedule of equine activities is due to published, I am concerned by the silence from some organisers/lack of Facebook posts etc.


Maybe I am over thinking but I do see the SLtO being brought in as an argument by stealth as opposed to outright opposition. Poor wording...the insurance industry is closing it down.

In general, the Underwriter is a UK based entity. Are you seeing anything similar in the UK?

 

[Widgeon]

What is SLtO please?

Given that it's very recent and currently unresolved, I'm not surprised that other venues are not keen to weigh in on the incident in question.

 

[Old school]

Social License to Operate.

Not sure why other venues would weigh in... ETA... on the Addington mishap. I would not expect them to. I am asking forum members if they have heard about any insurance not being renewed for equestrian activity please? Here, in ROI, I have heard that a local popular unaffiliated event cannot get insurance this year. It also runs affiliated events.

I am curious if that is how the sport will be pretty much sacrificed. Will it end up on the US model.... must be in a trainers barn/ no real access to equestrian activity outside of this starting point/incredibly expensive etc..

Here in ROI there has historically been huge access to riding and competing without a bank behind you. It is where all of these rideable horses came from that serves the global amateur market so well. If that gets its legs chopped off, then the source of those lines also gets lost. Maybe it is just a change of the times. For me it is very sad that huge changes are looming but no one gives a fig.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Social licence to operate.

Insurance is a mine field. You dare not hold an event without it. The chances of it being needed are slim but sods law says the one day you chance it without it is the day something goes wrong.

 

[Old school]

Agree that it is a necessary component to running an event, and certainly advocate having it in place. But the underwriters running scared from equestrian activity leaves only the affiliated arms in place. It kind of kills off anything outside of that.
My point is probably moot here.

 

[Rowreach]

It's certainly affected motorsport/road racing, so it wouldn't surprise me if equestrian sport goes the same way. We're all so entrenched in the philosophy of blame and lack of responsibility for owning our own actions, it's inevitable that insurance can't keep up.

 

[humblepie]

There are few underwriters prepared to cover horse liability insurance and as Rowreach has said motorsport/road racing affected due to cost of public liability insurance.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

It's certainly affected motorsport/road racing, so it wouldn't surprise me if equestrian sport goes the same way. We're all so entrenched in the philosophy of blame and lack of responsibility for owning our own actions, it's inevitable that insurance can't keep up.

Yes the insurance companies stated in Feb that they wont cover road racing in Ireland, a huge huge blow to masses.
However, https://www.rideapart.com/news/657651/northern-ireland-racing-not-canceled/ some will now be going ahead but this is only due to crowd funding.

Insurance costs have escalated in the UK, track days and race weekend entries have shot up massively in the last 2 years, grid numbers were down last year and at this time of the year people might even be on wait lists with clubs. Even with one big successful club shutting its doors at the end of last season as promoters retired, the other clubs still have grid spaces before the 1st meetings.....

 

[photo_jo]

Yes the insurance companies stated in Feb that they wont cover road racing in Ireland, a huge huge blow to masses.
However, https://www.rideapart.com/news/657651/northern-ireland-racing-not-canceled/ some will now be going ahead but this is only due to crowd funding.

Insurance costs have escalated in the UK, track days and race weekend entries have shot up massively in the last 2 years, grid numbers were down last year and at this time of the year people might even be on wait lists with clubs. Even with one big successful club shutting its doors at the end of last season as promoters retired, the other clubs still have grid spaces before the 1st meetings.....

Coolmore stepped in and bankrolled the insurance for the Pony Racing in Ireland after one of the riders asked them for help

 

[Old school]

Was that putting money on the table to pay the insurance? I think it is different to an underwriter refusing to to take the business. Perhaps I am wrong.

 

[SEL]

I've been renewing various corporate policies recently and the price hike is eye watering. We're struggling to get one type of cover despite never having had a claim.

I think it'll be there for equestrian activities, but possibly specialist providers and expensive. I'd be concerned if any liability sat with Addington for that incident though. Horses come with a level of risk & owners / riders need to manage high risk situations (I'm not being heartless - just practical).