Legal insurance -SxS insurance to close

[tarponhead]

Just been emailed to say my legal cover insurance is being discontinued, so this will make me rethink my NGO membership. Posting just in case others are in the same boat or considering NGO and assuming they can take up the supplementary cover through Side-by-Side.

 

[wytonpjs]

Thanks - I only joined them recently! No email yet..............

 

[Greenmist]

Just been emailed to say my legal cover insurance is being discontinued, so this will make me rethink my NGO membership. Posting just in case others are in the same boat or considering NGO and assuming they can take up the supplementary cover through Side-by-Side.

Did they provide a reason?

 

[andyk]

Wouldn’t surprise me if this becomes increasingly common and it gets hard to get insurance against revocations or refusals.

The legal expenses insurance (LEI) market is geared towards areas where the legal work is process oriented, think personal injury claims. This being as it allows firms to specialise in working with insurers by offering to take all of the insurers work at (very) favourable rates. The firms then make it profitable by getting the majority of the work done by paralegals who are supervised by qualified lawyers (to a lesser or greater extent).

The business model doesn’t lend itself to work that requires particular expertise and cannot be done easily by following set process. Firearms appeals will fall squarely into that, the procedure is fairly unique (it’s a non criminal matter but is dealt with in the Crown Court) and the law is not something your average lawyer will know anything about.

Because of that, I expect many insurers will be reluctant to offer a product when they can’t strictly control who they’ll be giving the work to when a claim is made - they try very hard to prevent their insured from going to their own lawyers, as they want to use their panel solicitors who are beholden to highly insurer friendly retainers.

Recent changes may also have made this an even less attractive prospect for insurers. Legal fees aren’t usually recovered, even on a successful appeal, so even a meritorious claim on the policy leaves the insurer out of pocket for 100% of their insured’s fees. Couple that with more certificates being revoked and I can imagine the cost of providing such a product is going up considerably.

I recall BASC said their reason for withdrawing it was that the premiums kept going up and the insurers were proving reluctant to fund cases. I can fully believe that would be the case.

I wonder if the days of this being a bolt on to a membership are numbered. Perhaps the alternative is for organisations to directly employ a solicitor who can act for members, either for free or at subsidised rates (which may be what Fieldsports Channel does).

 

[bottletopbill]

My membership with NGO is due in the next few weeks no email yet as if they cancel then goodbye

 

[Kyle_hill98]

My BASC insurance is up for renewal end of Feb, was going to go NGO for that reason but maybe not now

Any recommendations?

Currently thinking Field Sports

 

[Liveonce]

My BASC insurance is up for renewal end of Feb, was going to go NGO for that reason but maybe not now

Any recommendations?

Currently thinking Field Sports

CPSA but not sure if it’s just for shotguns.

 

[Sabian223]

Was the email from side by side, Stubben Edge or from NGO direct please? I'm yet to receive anything but that's really frustrating!

 

[tarponhead]

Was the email from side by side, Stubben Edge or from NGO direct please? I'm yet to receive anything but that's really frustrating!

From side by side. No reason given, just that they were winding it up - they did give another name who will take over the remainder of the term but as for renewal, no idea.

 

[Dickie]

WOW so everyone joins a shooting organisation purely for insurance not for the work they do supporting our sport.
When it's gone its gone.

 

[8x57]

Quite right Dickie.

I'm also wondering if some have got the optional SxS insurance policy that was offered as an add on confused with the benefits of basic NGO membership.

 

[Scotty99]

I think the underwriters for these policies are looking at the tightening gun laws and increased revocations and have decided that the risk of significantly increased claims is too great and have pulled the policies.

 

[Lone wolf]

I have gone with fieldsports, simply for their legal cover

 

[VSS]

I have gone with fieldsports, simply for their legal cover

But with only £5M liability cover.
That’s not enough these days.
Most stalking leases will require £10M minimum.

 

[Lone wolf]

But with only £5M liability cover.
That’s not enough these days.
Most stalking leases will require £10M minimum.

In my case I dont require cover for stalking leases, all my shooting is over private land but I can see your point from a stalking perspective

 

[Dickie]

I think the underwriters for these policies are looking at the tightening gun laws and increased revocations and have decided that the risk of significantly increased claims is too great and have pulled the policies.

So what you're saying is others will probably be following suit or increasing premiums to provide it.

 

[Marchman]

I too was with SxS last year. It expired a couple of weeks ago. I had no notification of this expiry. Did a Google search for them and couldn't find them. After further research for similar insurance I went for Field Sports channel.

 

[Scotty99]

So what you're saying is others will probably be following suit or increasing premiums to provide it.

Yes. Actuaries pull out of markets if their assessment is that the risk of claims exceed the reward of premiums revenue. It’s the classic risk vs reward calculation. They will dress it up as no longer economically viable to continue, but that’s just putting a spin on it. BASC’s insurers were the first to do this several years ago.

 

[20-250]

My BASC insurance is up for renewal end of Feb, was going to go NGO for that reason but maybe not now

Any recommendations?

Currently thinking Field Sports

Scottish Gamekeepers Association

 

[Scotty99]

But with only £5M liability cover.
That’s not enough these days.
Most stalking leases will require £10M minimum.

VSS you are right £10m is the norm for public liability insurance when it comes to shooting leases. Every shooting lease, contract, agreement I have seen references £10m. Having only(!) £5m could leave someone financially exposed.