BASC alternatives

User00003

Well-Known Member
hi chaps,

my BASC expires 31/10 and I'm interested if there are better options out there for me. it will be myself and my wife covered, her for shotgun and me for shotgun and centrefire rifles, not sure if that matters.

right now I'm paying £120 pa joint cover.

do you feel there are any better alternatives out there that will help reduce the premium with no reduction in services delivered or quality of insurance? I'm in scotland if that matters.

thanks for your thoughts, but any comments that extrapolate a little be on 'why' would be much appreciated too.

PKL
 
not trying to open up a can of worms here. not sure why I had £120 in mind, but I've just checked the new invoice and via 10 payments it's indeed only £93. apologies for that.

in any case, still interested to hear of other alternatives - bear in mind I have nothing bad to say about BASC, but am always looking to cut costs where feasible.
 
I think the alternatives have already been discussed in detail several times:- BASC, CA, NGO, SGA, SACS, BDS - it's up to each individual to decide which is best organisation suited to represent and insure them, and how much that is worth in terms of subs.Alex - you beat me to it!
 
thanks CSL for the link.

everone else just ignore this thread then :)


Edit - SACS is it. decision made, half the price or less :)

:closed:
 
Last edited:
May i just add that i am a memeber of SACS and they do give the cover most shooters need. But over the last few months i have been dealing with BASC officials at government level and they do a good job. I cant see how they can get away from this situation on one hand they are working at a high level traveling all over and with out doubt influencing government departments. On the other at ground level they seem to be disinterested if i worked at BASC i would look at these threads because with out the core membership they will loose there influence and that would be a bad thing for us all.
 
i have BASC membership and i have also just taken out SACS i wont stop with BASC as i see them all as important i wanted the insurance backup for SACS and at the prices i dont see it as an issue its hardly anything for a years membership, atb wayne
 
In my opinion, there are no real alternatives to BASC. If you only want cheap insurance, just take your pick.
 
In my opinion, there are no real alternatives to BASC. If you only want cheap insurance, just take your pick.
I have been a member of BASC since the days of WAGBI and apart from paying my annual subscription and receiving the periodic magazine, had no other contact.
The only reason I have been a member for so long has been purely for the Insurance but now membership fees have risen to serious money (to me anyway) I will look more closely towards SACs at £22.00 when renewal time comes round.
 
I'm in SACS and very happy, but each to his own, choice for all.

Worth remembering though, that where two or more Insurance Companies involved in a claim it could create a liability issue.
 
If all you want is insurance then read the insurance policies of the alternatives and pick the one with the best insurance.

However, BASC do act to defend our sport and this is an important aspect of their work. In fact as has already been hinted sometimes they might spend more time on "political" action rather than on member facing actions and this does occasionally leave people feeling a little let down. On the other hand they tend to lead the charge on government consultations and are usually the people the media turn to for comment on all matters relating to shooting, stalking and even legally held firearms. BASC have made a contribution to your being allowed to own a firearm at all.

I know that there are a few people who have been unsatisfied with BASCs help in relation to firearms matters but all I can say is that they were very helpful to me. Tommy Mayne, now the BASC head man in Northern Ireland, went out of his way to assist me on several occasions and really did make a significant contribution to my experience as a novice shooter going through the process of getting my first FAC. Consider what it would have cost to have paid a solicitor to assist with an FAC and it seems to me that the help I got was very good value for money.

I have also attended two courses run by BASC and they run a regular DSC1 course in Northern Ireland allowing people here to get a centrefire rifle on their certificate for deer as the police here ask for DSC1 as proof of competence. I'd guess they don't make any money doing this, but it is a valuable service to those interested in rifle shooting or deer stalking in Northern Ireland. You may not need any courses or the like but should consider that your membership might be helping others who do.

BASC also provide some deer stalking opportunities such as their Arran scheme and, again, while you might not use this other people do and it is a valuable service for them, maybe allowing them to hold on to their firearms, to which your membership makes a small contribution.

So, if you want to get insurance for not a lot of cash then there are lots of options but there are not many options that put as much back into the sport as BASC, even if you may not always be directly seeing this or availing of the services available.
 
Back
Top