British Carriagedriving

Members' Liability Insurance

4 Aug 2023

Catherine Morgan, a Divisional Director from Howden, based the webinar on the information shown below. A number of members had submitted questions in advance of the meeting and others were sent in live on the night.

The full recording of the webinar can be streamed here:.

Overview

• What is third party liability?
• Difference between third party liability and personal accident
• Brief summary of policy cover
• Differences in insurance cover for membership categories
• Changes to BC policy
• Policy extensions
• Young drivers
• Queries from members
• Where to find additional information

What is Third Party Liability?

Third party liability protects the insured person if they are held legally liable for

• An injury to a third party
• Damage to property owned by a third party

What is a third party?

• Any other person!
• Policy excludes injury to any family member or member of your household
• Policy excludes damage to property in your care or in the care of your family or member of your household

Liability insurance is essential for anyone who has regular contact with horses!

What is the difference between Personal Accident and Liability Insurance?

Two very different types of cover which frequently get confused!  

Public liability:

Covers an injury to a third party or damage to third party property caused by your alleged negligence (does not cover injury to the Insured person)  

Personal Accident:

Provides benefits in the event that YOU are injured (or the specific insured person) -No fault policy

BC Membership provides third party liability insurance and NOT personal accident

Brief summary of policy cover

Limit of Liability: £30,000,000

Excess: £500 each and every property damage claim

Key exclusions applying to all membership types (this is not a full list):

• Injury to the member, a member of their family or household
• Injury to someone you employ
• Claims due to hire and reward
• Claims arising out of your business or profession
• Horse racing, point to point racing, steeplechasing and team chasing
• Professional Grooms

• The policy is one of last resort. If you or anyone else afforded cover under the policy has other insurance in place that will respond first.
• You must take reasonable precautions to avoid or minimise injury to others or damage to third party property.
• If you cancel your membership of British Carriagedriving, your insurance will also be cancelled

Insurance for different membership types

The three British Carriagedriving membership types have subtle differences in their liability insurance cover;

Affiliated Club Membership

• Affiliated Club members do not have 24/7 cover
• Covered at the following events only:
  • Any Affiliated Club event
  • A British Carriagedriving event if you are eligible to enter as a Club Member e.g. Gateway Classes

Changes to British Carriagedriving Insurance Policy

• Effective 1st July 2023 changes have been made to the BC policy
• There are no changes to the cover that members themselves receive as part of their membership
• Changes only relate to when other people are afforded cover under the member’s policy

Policy Extensions

Authorised User Extension

• Applies to activity outside of a BC or BC Affiliated Club event
• Previously covered any person using your horse with your permission
• Now covers any person using your horse in the presence of the member

What does ‘in the presence of’ mean?

• The member is physically with the third party and they are under the supervision of the member

What does ‘using your horse’ mean?

• Examples include but are not limited to riding, driving or leading the horse or horse drawn vehicle, and backstepping

Horse Grooms Extension

• Applies to activity outside of a BC or BC Affiliated Club event
• Previously covered any groom whilst looking after a member's horse
• Now covers any groom looking after your horse but does not cover any riding or driving activities
• Does not apply to Professional Grooms who should have their own business insurance in place

What is a Professional Groom?

• Any person undertaking equine grooming services where the grooming services provided are the occupation of such a person.

Backsteppers and Helpers

• There has been no change to the cover provided under this extension
• Applies to activity at a BC or BC Affiliated Club event
• Provides cover to any helper, groom, backstep who is assisting the member at any BC or BC Affiliated Club event providing that;
  • They do not have their own liability insurance in place
  • They are not a Professional Groom

Young Drivers  

The BC members policy defines Young Drivers as any Member of British Carriagedriving aged between 6 and 11

• Young Drivers between 6 and 11 are covered at;
  • BC Young Drivers training Camps
  • BC Young Drivers competitions
• Drivers aged 12 and over have cover in line with the normal associate, full or international membership terms and conditions.
• Members of a BC Affiliated Club aged between 6 and 11 are covered in the same way as any other Affiliated Club member i.e. at BC Affiliated Club events only.

Clarification: Previous communication provided by Howden stated Young Drivers between 6 and 12 are covered at events only. This was incorrect and the Young Drivers section applies to drivers between 6 and 11

Queries from members

Q: I am an Associate Member and have a horse on loan, does the owner need to be present when I drive the horse?

A: No. You are covered under your associate membership for your legal liability whilst riding or driving. The owner does not need to be present.

Q: Is the owner of my loan horse covered under my membership when they visit the horse?

A: Only if you are present when the owner visits, and the owner has no other insurance in place.

We strongly recommend the owner of any horse has their own public liability insurance in place due to The Animals Act.

Q: I am a Full member and compete at BC competitions. My partner backsteps for me at events but they are an Associate member. Are they covered whilst backstepping at an event?

A: As an Associate member your partner does not have cover during any timed driving competitions BUT your full membership will extend to include any helper or backstep at a BC competition, providing they do not have other insurance in place.

Q: I am a Full member and my partner is an Associate member. Is my partner covered under my insurance to back step for me at a non-BC event?

A: Yes. Your partner will be covered under the authorised user extension during a non-BC timed driving event providing they have no other insurance in place.

Q: I am an Associate member and would like to compete at BC Affiliated Club events only. Does my BC insurance cover me during a competition that has a timed element?

A: As an Associate member you do not have cover for timed driving events, however if you are also a BC Affiliated Club member your club membership will provide cover for timed driving events run by an Affiliated Club.

Q: I had an accident at a BC event and my carriage was damaged. Can I claim the cost to repair it?

A: No. The BC policy provides third party liability cover only and does not cover any damage to property that you own or that is in your care, custody or control.

More information  

Submit questions to: bcinsurance@howdengroup.com

The full recording of the webinar can be streamed here:.

All insurance information, accident reports and claims can be accessed through the Howden BC Insurance Centre

If you have any queries regarding the insurance cover provided as part of your membership, please contact bcinsurance@howdengroup.com