River Cottage

We have public liability insurance with NFU at present, although I will be getting our insurance broker to have a look for an alternative this time. I tried to find an alternative on line but they all need you to fit into their little boxes and we don't.

Our tractors and trailers are insured with Aviva. Not particularly happy with them, but can't get a sensible alternative at the moment.

Not a smallholder, so can't help you on the rest.

OK thanks - you're right about the online offerings. I suppose it's not a one size fits all issue

S

What's wrong with the NFU? I would like to know before I renew with them if I'm in for a serious price rise again this year.

I phoned NFU about 3 weeks ago for a quote for similar.  Not the tractor though.  They promised to phone back in 2 days.  2 weeks later I phoned again as I had not heard from them.  They promised to phone back later that day.  They eventually phoned the next day to say that our house and contents had to be insured with them before they would give me a quote for public liability, etc.  When I told them all I wanted was an idea of what it was going to cost they thought around £200 - £300 for the public liability and the house would be about £300.  At the moment we pay £184 for house and contents!  So I too am looking elsewhere.  Someone said to try Ottery Insurance?

One thing about NFU is that they work by individual offices. If you don't have any luck with one, try another near you. They then usually have to speak to the underwriters before they can give a cost. We found them expensive for the tractor as they had had a lot of claims in that direction over the last few years in this area. Sadly, we are too near the ferry ports, and tractors are going out in containers having been stolen in 3s we understand from the police, as that is the  number that fit in a container.

You may be able to get Public Liability through Co-op, but I didn't have any luck that way.

I use Cliverton Insurance www.cliverton.co.uk 01328 857921. They have always been very helpful. We have 5 acres of our own grazing land covered plus some other land we graze every summer all on the same policy, also covers us for accidents caused by our sheep should they escape and also attacks on the sheep by dogs etc.

After the NFU wanted nearly double for the insurance for the farm buildings, I let it go, thinking I would get whole farm cover when the house insurance was due at the beginning of March.  The quote from the NFU for the house came through today - double what it was two years ago. I rang them to ask for a whole farm cover but apparently they do not do this.  What?  It then transpired that I did not have accidental damage cover which was the whole point of the insurance, I would have thought.

I rang around, but because the house is not "standard construction" as part of it is mud, and as it is only 20 foot from a stream (they like 400 yards distance) - the house is 300 years old and has never flooded, and in fact the whole valley would have to be 40foot underwater for my stream to get anywhere near the house is besides the point, most would not even quote. A couple of quotes I did get were £100 less than the NFU wanted, but they did not cover the farm buildings.

So, if anyone has had any good ideas, good companies etc, please let me know!

Try FUW,found them cheaper than the NFU,also Greenlands are on parr.

The majority of insurance companies,Don't insure houses on Working farms.

For Tractor insurance,i have found Equity a lot cheaper

Thanks Jim, might try them next time the tractor insurance is due.

Ottery insurance now trade as fidelius, we insure the whole farm with them, public and employers liability, open farm as well (we have lots of visiting groups and members of the public) They are really helpful, i deal with Kirsten. 01392 363111