Hi-viz: council-supplied tabards & insurance?

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Re. a FB thread.

Is anybody able to clarify a question that has arisen please?

I didn't know it, but apparently some councils in the UK (don't know whether all of them do??) will supply hi-viz tabards if you ask them.

Someone on FB says that your insurance will ONLY cover you in the event of an accident, if you are wearing one of the council-supplied tabards; and ONLY one of theirs.

My query is whether there is any basis of fact in this?

My understanding is that an insurance company would look at the WHOLE picture and the facts available, and that if the rider/horse was not wearing hi viz and that in their view this contributed to the accident, that they may refuse to compensate. Also that any hi-viz worn had to be up to CE standard with reflective strips as well as hi visibility.

But I've never heard of an insurance company insisting that ONLY hi-viz tabards supplied by the council, would be acceptable??? And wearing anything else (even with CE marked standard) would render any insurance null and void? Surely not..............

Can anyone throw any light on this please??

Anyone know?

 

[jrp204]

Perhaps they dreamt it??

 

[BlairandAzria]

Can't give any real advice, however, I used to work as a insurance claims consultant (not equine) and I would lean towards your way of thinking.
Ie. you need to make reasonable efforts to reduce likelihood of, or limit the extent of any accident or damage - for me I would think that means hiviz (CE standard plus reflective strips) not only on you but also on the horse as well, being confident in your abilities to control your horse (debatable if that means using a bitted bridle), having well maintained tack, not hacking out in dark/ adverse weather unless really necessary, knowing the rules of the road. The best way would be to ring up your insurer and check what they recommend - they are best placed to advise you. Most of the time it's just common sense in order to protect you and limit them from the likelihood of any claim.

 

[cobgoblin]

Never heard that and I can't imagine our council giving away free tabards either.

 

[Goldenstar]

I would say this is nonsense .

 

[ester]

ditto nonsense! No one would have had a payout as no one would have a council tabard!

 

[mrsh2010]

Never heard about the council side of it.

But the first thing my insurance asked me after my accident was "were you wearing hi viz"

 

[Equi]

This is not a fact.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

OK, so as I suspected, yet another Facebook fallacy!!

Thanks peeps.

Trust HHO for some common gumption when needed

 

[happyclappy]

Our Council will not give free advice let alone something for horse riders, like tabards!

Dream on...

 

[hollyandivy123]

Can't give any real advice, however, I used to work as a insurance claims consultant (not equine) and I would lean towards your way of thinking.
Ie. you need to make reasonable efforts to reduce likelihood of, or limit the extent of any accident or damage - for me I would think that means hiviz (CE standard plus reflective strips) not only on you but also on the horse as well, being confident in your abilities to control your horse (debatable if that means using a bitted bridle), having well maintained tack, not hacking out in dark/ adverse weather unless really necessary, knowing the rules of the road. The best way would be to ring up your insurer and check what they recommend - they are best placed to advise you. Most of the time it's just common sense in order to protect you and limit them from the likelihood of any claim.

this but rather than phone email as you will have written proof of their terms with hi vis

 

[iaej]

Legally I would say that if hi viz is marked to a recognised standard such as CE then it is unlikely that an insurance company could specify such a requirement or refuse to pay for a claim in the event of an incident occurring. It doesn't mean that they won't try their luck though and it could mean being prepared to argue your point.

 

[3OldPonies]

My council wouldn't dream of giving out hi-vis to riders. Despite having an international show held in the borough patronised by the Royal family, they are distinctly anti-horse evidenced recently by the decision to re-surface a bridleway in a totally inappropriate and useless fashion just to please a landowner who fancies driving his tractors on it.

 

[OWLIE185]

As it happens I am on the BSI (British Standards Institute) PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) committee.
If you are riding a horse out as an employee of a racing yard/ riding school/livery yard or for the owner then you should only wear Hi-Viz to the Professional Standard for work wear. i.e Not the normal leisure Hi-Viz.
In the event of an accident the Health and Safety/Insurers investigators may bring in an expert witness who would check any Hi-Viz as to it's specification and report back accordingly.
It is most important that if you employ people and ask them to ride a horse out that you provide them with Hi-Viz PPE to the correct professional specification.

 

[iconique]

Ollie can you point us to where you can as an employer check those standard levels please? As someone who 'employs' someone to ride for me, I want to make sure that the reflective kit that I insist that they wear if leaving the yard is up to standard?

 

[Lizzie66]

We had a visit from the local RAF base talking about visibility of riders to their air crew and they provided hi-vis vests foc

 

[Equi]

Ollie can you point us to where you can as an employer check those standard levels please? As someone who 'employs' someone to ride for me, I want to make sure that the reflective kit that I insist that they wear if leaving the yard is up to standard?

It must be EN1150 standard but professional trade must be EN 471 standard.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

A few years ago there was a campaign about low flying aircraft and the RAF/MOD were giving them away for free but have never heard of a council doing it. Our local council is pretty poor, any requests for freebies from leisure riders would rightfully be laughed at!

 

[Queenbee]

this but rather than phone email as you will have written proof of their terms with hi vis

No need - just read the terms and conditions of your policy... unless it states council hi viz, you are fine to wear any hi viz... I personally dont think there is any credence to this rumor - neither do I recall ever reading such a thing in any of my T&C's and it seems the sort of weird thing that would stick out to me!

 

[OWLIE185]

The council thing is a load of nonsense.
Your best bet to is go out and buy Hi-Viz long sleeved jackets to the Professional standard.
Long sleeved Hi-Viz will make it easier for other road users to see your hand signals.
If you are involved in an accident that ends up becoming a court/insurance case and you are awarded damages then if you are not wearing Hi-Viz/Appropriate Hi-Viz?Hii-Viz to a professional standard then the costs awarded to you may be reduced so be aware of this please.

 

[BlairandAzria]

No need - just read the terms and conditions of your policy... unless it states council hi viz, you are fine to wear any hi viz... I personally dont think there is any credence to this rumor - neither do I recall ever reading such a thing in any of my T&C's and it seems the sort of weird thing that would stick out to me!

Be careful with this....your policy might not explicitly say hi-viz...simply that you make 'reasonable' endeavours to ride safely. (I would think that hiviz would be considered reasonable)

 

[Feival]

Utter trollocks, (swap the t for a b and take the r away)