Variation Refusal Appeal - Ripe Shooting Insurance

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Brave Echo Niner

Brave Echo Niner

Well-Known Member
Hi All,


I will keep the details sparse to avoid any conflict of interest or issue with appealing, but I have recently had a variation refused by my firearms licencing department.
I am looking to appeal this using the Ripe Shooting Insurance Policy which I took out last year for just this eventuality, and was wondering if anyone had any first hand experience of doing this through Ripe Insurance, and how the process ran.

Did you have to pick your own solicitor/barrister, or did they provide it for you?

How did you find contact with them once you had submitted the claim?

Any other advice or experience in doing this/what to expect is most welcomed!


Ben
 
you must lodge the appeal with the chief constable within 21days.

If a member of a shooting organisation seek advice.
 
Forgive me for a side long glance, "I am looking to appeal this using the Ripe Shooting Insurance Policy which I took out last year for just this eventuality,"
Did you foresee an upcoming difficulty with a particular request?
 
Have you spoken to them about why and tried to resolve through conversation? Once you poke them with the legal stick, it will potentially go in your favour, potentially, but…just wait for renewal time 😉
 
Read the home office guidance, you can't have provided good reason for the variation. Speak to the firearms officer. I doubt an appeal or employing a solicitor will help until you have 'good reason.'
 
Frank Homes said:
Not quite correct,you must lodge the appeal at your local Crown Court within 21 days.
Click to expand...
Technically, the statute requires you to do both (Sch 5, FA 1968). Not that this should trouble the OP too much if they instruct a solicitor, as the filing of appeal paperwork will be their bread and butter.

OP, I'd recommend you do the following in this order:

  1. Seek advice from your insurance provider to see if what you are trying to claim for falls within the ambit of your policy (some just offer legal protection for revocation and not anything else).
  2. If yes, continue with their procedural policy and receive advice from whatever team they push you towards for the provision of PROFESSIONAL legal services (this is key, don't just take what non-legally qualified Mr Smith says as being gospel, as more often than not it's wrong)
  3. If no, contact a reputable solicitor who has experience in dealing with Firearms appeals (you'll find a long list after a quick Google search). Most firms will offer a free 30-minute consultation, so take advantage of it if you can to save money if it turns out you are not covered by insurance.

Regardless, note the date you received the letter and take action as expeditiously as possible, as some courts do not look too favourably on undue delay. Similarly, gather as much evidence to determine why, based on the merits of your case, you were wrongfully denied your variation. This could be evidence that was both available to the police at the time of refusal and evidence which you have collated since.

As I tell people that self-fund any legal process, you will need to do a cost-benefit analysis of pursuing it because it's unlikely to be cheap. A qualified legal advisor will be able to give you an indication of whether you have a realistic prospect of success, and then it's up to you to determine whether the 'juice is worth the squeeze'.



Hatch
 
Brave Echo Niner said:
Hi All,


I will keep the details sparse to avoid any conflict of interest or issue with appealing, but I have recently had a variation refused by my firearms licencing department.
I am looking to appeal this using the Ripe Shooting Insurance Policy which I took out last year for just this eventuality, and was wondering if anyone had any first hand experience of doing this through Ripe Insurance, and how the process ran.

Did you have to pick your own solicitor/barrister, or did they provide it for you?

How did you find contact with them once you had submitted the claim?

Any other advice or experience in doing this/what to expect is most welcomed!


Ben
Click to expand...

One has to ask the question why are you going through all this hassle?

It’s logical to suggest that maybe the calibre and reasoning don’t marry up?
 
I won’t elaborate too much, but yes I foresaw this being an issue and took appropriate insurance to protect myself.

It’s a necessary entity which has animal welfare reasons for me to possess it.

The police have not engaged with me at all, and have failed to investigate or ask about my good reason, and then turned around and rejected it on the grounds of ‘good reason’ despite having not investigated it, or spoken to me.

It’s clear to me from my and others similar experience an appeal is the necessary course of action, I’m just not hugely familiar with how the insurance side works, hence the initial question.
 
Brave Echo Niner said:
I won’t elaborate too much, but yes I foresaw this being an issue and took appropriate insurance to protect myself.

It’s a necessary entity which has animal welfare reasons for me to possess it.

The police have not engaged with me at all, and have failed to investigate or ask about my good reason, and then turned around and rejected it on the grounds of ‘good reason’ despite having not investigated it, or spoken to me.

It’s clear to me from my and others similar experience an appeal is the necessary course of action, I’m just not hugely familiar with how the insurance side works, hence the initial question.
Click to expand...

I was under the impression that you are supposed to provide your good reason on the variation application?

They're not supposed to have to ask you about it?
 
chriswjx said:
I was under the impression that you are supposed to provide your good reason on the variation application?

They're not supposed to have to ask you about it?
Click to expand...
Hard to give them any evidence to look at with this daft online portal.

Put a comment they should contact me to get the supporting documentation, but they’ve just ruled without it.

Knew it was coming because they don’t like these ‘entities’, but I at least thought they’d go through due process before making me take it to appeal…
 
What entities? You can still apply with a paper form. Or print off your online application and send it with a covering letter, if you feel something has been missed off.

I would discuss with your local FAC police person first - don't get angry with them and if you launch in with an appeal they will never forget it.
 
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