Personal liability insurance - follow up on beach law suit thread

[scruffyponies]

I would like to take out a general public liability / personal indemnity insurance which would cover me personally against any claim against me, whether related to my posessions (equine, dog, house, car) or any other fault on my part.

I know such policies are standard in other countries, but in the UK there seem to be specific policies for house, horse, pet and profession, but nothing general which covers a person for all of the above.

Does such a thing exist?

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Speak to the big brokers, you can get insurance for anything, but it might not come cheap x
Go up the chain at SEIB etc

 

[ycbm]

It's included in most house insurance policies, if you have a house to insure
.

 

[scruffyponies]

I thought house policies just cover stuff related to your ownership of the house. i.e. postman falls, dog runs out into road.

Does it cover, say, me bumping into someone in the street and causing them serious injury whilst away from home?

 

[ycbm]

I thought house policies just cover stuff related to your ownership of the house. i.e. postman falls, dog runs out into road.

Does it cover, say, me bumping into someone in the street and causing them serious injury whilst away from home?

Ours has, for many years and different providers. They even cover me riding, sometimes they have excluded drag hunting.

 

[scruffyponies]

Ours has, for many years and different providers. They even cover me riding, sometimes they have excluded drag hunting.

Do you mind if I ask who you are insured with?

 

[ycbm]

Do you mind if I ask who you are insured with?

As it happens today we insured a new property and my OH has found that he can't get 3rd Party on any policy now. It seems to have been removed, probably because of too many claims. We still have it on our old house to £2 million, but we won't be renewing that and even if we were I suspect it would be gone next time round.

This is really bad news, everyone needs it, just in case.
.

 

[rextherobber]

Try ringing Direct Line, they didn't offer the insurance I needed, but put me on to someone who did - maybe they will do the same in your case.

 

[scruffyponies]

This is such an obvious and necessary insurance to have. Are there any insurance bods on here who could sort out a policy of last resort? I know there'd be a market for it.

 

[rextherobber]

This is such an obvious and necessary insurance to have. Are there any insurance bods on here who could sort out a policy of last resort? I know there'd be a market for it.

I was thinking the same, did a bit of reading about it, seems a very common/necessary thing in the US, but is so very rarely asked for here, almost no one offers it. I guess we have a certain amount of cover from things like car, horse ( and BHS and Harry Hall One Club), and my dog's kennel club insurance, (and I also have public liability to cover me for the footpaths that cross my property ), but as you say, none of that covers you if you bump into someone on the street...

 

[Polos Mum]

, seems a very common/necessary thing in the US, but is so very rarely asked for here, .

It's common in the US because of the litigious culture there - someone is always "to blame"

In UK law that is far less common as accidents can and do happen that are not anyone's 'fault'. If you were doing normal stuff walking along the street with your eyes open and 5p's worth of common sense then it's hard to imagine how you could do someone a nasty injury.

Car's are covered as its easy to hurt someone with a car.

I personally prefer the UK system where a bit of thought for other people keeps lawyers out of very expensive fees. A change to the US, every time anything happens sue someone, IMHO the only beneficiary would be lawyers.

Good people will stop doing stuff because they are scared about being sued and scumbags will crack on as normal with the mad things they do without giving a thought to anyone else. The only people with insurance would be those careful enough not to do stupid stuff

 

[Red-1]

I have had it with my house policy, with the contents side, not aware it has been removed yet and will be sad if it is next time.

It had 3rd party, policy of last resort, and even legal assistance.

 

[scruffyponies]

I just checked. The house policy only covers things like your neighbour being hit by one of your roof tiles... i.e. directly related to your ownership of the house.

So if you accidentally cause someone an injury whilst out and about, whilst on holiday or whatever, you have no cover.

 

[Polos Mum]

So if you accidentally cause someone an injury whilst out and about, whilst on holiday or whatever, you have no cover.

But that is OK because you aren't liable either - only if doing something negligent and even then insurance companies won't chase you without insurance because (most likely for most people who aren't multi millionaires) you wouldn't be able to pay them the £millions claimed anyway and they wouldn't get paid their fees

That is why damage to property from uninsured drivers is such a pain. we have had people crash uninsured cars into our stone walls that are £ loads to repair - but just my tough. If you're injured on foot by uninsured car driver it's just tough for you - you can't calm against them personally (or you technically might be able to but nobody would help you because it would be fruitless)

 

[scruffyponies]

you wouldn't be able to pay them the £millions claimed anyway and they wouldn't get paid their fees )

If you have nothing, that's true, but if you own a house, you're wealthy enough to be worth taking to court, even if most of it goes to the lawyers.

 

[ycbm]

I just checked. The house policy only covers things like your neighbour being hit by one of your roof tiles... i.e. directly related to your ownership of the house.

So if you accidentally cause someone an injury whilst out and about, whilst on holiday or whatever, you have no cover.

That was not true of our house policies, I was covered even for hunting. I've never needed separate 3rd party insurance before.
.

 

[Polos Mum]

If you have nothing, that's true, but if you own a house, you're wealthy enough to be worth taking to court, even if most of it goes to the lawyers.

Honestly if people were being made homeless by law suits for random accidents then the papers would be full of it and the insurance you want would exist.

The average home just isn't worth it for lawyers and so it never happens.

If you search on here for examples of successful claims against dodgy horse dealers who the court them sets a payment plan at £1 a month (which they never pay) you'd be reassured that your home is safe - even when found guilty in court of a crime - people don't lose their homes. (same with people driving without insurance and causing accidents).

 

[HashRouge]

I just checked. The house policy only covers things like your neighbour being hit by one of your roof tiles... i.e. directly related to your ownership of the house.

So if you accidentally cause someone an injury whilst out and about, whilst on holiday or whatever, you have no cover.

I'm just a bit confused about how you are planning to injure someone whilst out and about, unless driving? The only thing I can think of is your dog attacking someone or causing an accident. But you can get third party insurance as part of your dog insurance, and you will obviously have car insurance. I can't think what else you'd be doing that would mean you'd need it?

You would also only need to worry if you were responsible for the incident. So if you behave in a law-abiding and sensible manner, I shouldn't worry too much.

 

[OlderNotWiser]

Our house policy covered my daughter (then under 18) when her horse spooked and bumped the rear wing of a car. The horse was fine but left a huge bum dent in the car! I guess all policies differ.

 

[SilverLinings]

With regards to incidents with horses and dogs, they don't have to 'attack' someone for the owner to be liable for damages, a boisterous dog knocking over a member of the public resulting in an injury is liable (if the injured party wants to pursue for damages e.g. loss of income) as their dog was 'out of control' from a legal POV (I have posted about a specific case on the beach incident thread).