Off Road 4 X 4 - Should I insure it

[tonyshooter]

I am getting a Suzuki Jimny ( cost approx. £3k ) to use solely on a farm that I shoot over. The car will not go on a public highway, and is in no way associated with the farm and it assets.

I am wondering if I should insure it for 3rd party liability, to cover the possibility of colliding with a mountain biker / etc.

Please can anyone advise.

Thanks.

 

[User00035]

Rather than insuring the car, you might be better off getting public liability insurance cover for activities that involve the use of a non-highway vehicle. You'd never get a claim to stick for loss or damage to the vehicle itself in the event of an accident that only involves yourself in any case (I know. I wrote off a car worth no more than yours in an off-road accident that involved no third party. Technically I was covered. In reality, forget it. The excess and write-off value made it a non-starter).
All that matters is indemnity against third party action and PL will likely provide a better fit for that, but it may not be cheap if it involves vehicle or machinery.
I'd weigh it up against the likelihood of an encounter with Joe Public. If it's slight and you're on private land where there's no public access, I wouldn't bother. If you're wading through the great unwashed habitually and the location is riddled with rights of way that make interaction with people inevitable and frequent, its essential.

 

[scotch_egg]

I think if you have thought it and the scenario occurs you will kick yourself, do you get many mountain bikers or public? Could crash into the farmer new tractor in bad conditions. We’ve seen Clarksons miss-haps on the farm.

Also for the menial cost compared to the value of the vehicle it’s nice to have peace of mind. It probably won’t be much.

Might not be something you have to consider but one of the tracks used on a farm I have access to uses a green lane. I’m pretty sure this is covered by the RTA and you would need full shebang to be legal.

Just make sure it has off road covered in the small print.

Not sure if if can be done now days but one of my farmers had a vehicle registered for farm use only could be driven on a road within 1.5 km of the farm. It was MOT and tax except. Also a consideration, if still allowed and would make the vehicle more usable.

Taken from the link

limited use’ vehicles used for short journeys (no more than 1.5km) on a public road between land that’s used by the same person

Vehicles exempt from vehicle tax

Types of vehicle that are free to tax (exempt), including vehicles used by disabled people, mobility scooters, and historic vehicles

www.gov.uk

 

[AGR]

Not sure if if can be done now days but one of my farmers had a vehicle registered for farm use only within 3 miles of the farm. It was MOT and tax except. Also a consideration and would make the vehicle more usable.

My old landrover was taxed like that, but I was told at the DVLA office that it would be restricted to a one mile road journey. When I said that the garage (for fuel) was over a mile away the chap said 'well sir, you'll have to stop more often'! I did keep it mot'd though.
Yes, definitely more usable.

 

[User00035]

You could also de-register the car as a farm vehicle which will confer it the same status as farm machinery.

 

[scotch_egg]

My old landrover was taxed like that, but I was told at the DVLA office that it would be restricted to a one mile road journey. When I said that the garage (for fuel) was over a mile away the chap said 'well sir, you'll have to stop more often'! I did keep it mot'd though.
Yes, definitely more usable.

I have edited my post with more details.

 

[User00035]

Not sure if if can be done now days but one of my farmers had a vehicle registered for farm use only could be driven on a road within 1.5 km of the farm. It was MOT and tax except. Also a consideration, if still allowed and would make the vehicle more usable.

Taken from the link

limited use’ vehicles used for short journeys (no more than 1.5km) on a public road between land that’s used by the same person

Vehicles exempt from vehicle tax

Types of vehicle that are free to tax (exempt), including vehicles used by disabled people, mobility scooters, and historic vehicles

www.gov.uk

Sorry, didn't see this before I posted the above. Yes you can still de-register farm cars. I know people who run them on the roads now, but as you say there are maximum travel limitations applied and I'm not sure if you have to own the land you are travelling to (local farmer trundles about in an ag-deregistered Range Rover and he can run it on red diesel).

 

[Pedro]

So, if I recall correctly, the third party insurance coverage by BASC includes use of vehicles for the usual things it covers you for (stalking, game shooting, vermin control and the other usual suspects). Now this supposes two things. Firstly, whether my memory is good and if it did apply before, whether it still applies now. It's been a good while since I was a BASC member.

The point is, I don't really know if you are covered by a BASC membership insurance for this, but it might be worth your while investigating the possibility and maybe consider joining that organisation if so. At the end of which you can either thank me profusely saying I'm a walking miracle and solved your problem. Or roundly condemn me for my strange fanciful ideas and the time you'll never get back.