Shooting Insurance: Biting the bullet

What is shooting insurance and why should you, as a shooting or hunting enthusiast, have it?

To help you understand Shooting Insurance requirements and recommendation, Country Cover Club (also known as C³) have put together a useful guide, to answer the following questions:

• Do I need insurance to go shooting?
• Why have shooting insurance?
• Where can I get shooting insurance and how do I choose?
• What level of cover do I need for shooting?
• How much does shooting insurance cost?
• What types of shooting can I get cover for?
• Can I get insurance for shooting abroad?
• Do I need a firearms licence or shotgun certificate to get shooting insurance?
• Can I obtain shooting insurance for persons aged under 18 years?
• I'm part of a shooting syndicate, can I get insurance for the whole group?   

(Click any of the links above to be taken to relevant question)

DO I NEED INSURANCE TO GO SHOOTING

Whilst it is not legally compulsory to hold insurance for shooting, it is definitely advisable to do so. It is important to understand that, generally, household insurances do not cover these activities or your equipment, so it is a good idea to get a specialist policy in place to be certain you are fully protected for all eventualities!

Most clubs, shooting grounds, farmers and land owners will require you to have proof of insurance before they will allow you to shoot. Information about the shooting and country sports insurances offered by C³ can be found by visiting the Country Sports Insurance page.

WHY HAVE SHOOTING INSURANCE

Whilst shooting accidents are rare, the risks involved with any shooting activity can be very high. When using firearms, the potential to cause serious damage or injury increases and, as the risk increases, so does the potential for big compensation claims against you. However skilled and careful you are, accidents happen, so your Public Liability cover (also sometimes known as 3rd Party insurance) is essential to protect you (and others) in the event of any accident.

As well as financial peace of mind, having specialist insurance cover in place also means, in the event of a claim being made against you, the business of resolving that claim becomes the responsibility of the underwriters. They employ experts in the field so you don't have to worry about all the legalities.

WHERE CAN I GET SHOOTING INSURANCE AND HOW DO I CHOOSE?

A quick web search will bring up a number of options for shooting insurance, but what are the differences, and which is the right one for you?

There are two main ways of obtaining shooting insurance; the first is to join an organisation which provides shooting insurance as part of its benefits package to members, the second is to go direct to an insurance company. The option which suits you best will depend on the kinds of shooting you take part in, your budget and the types of cover that you want. 

Shooting organisations operate by having a Master Insurance Policy covering all of their members. They usually offer good value for money with a package deal including insurances and other benefits, and also provide advice and support to Members in their chosen sports. However, they often specialise in particular types of shooting and may not cover a broad range, so always check the list of insurance activities before you sign up. Country Cover Club is proud to offer its members the widest range of Insured Activities of any country sports organisation in the UK, including all legal Sporting Shooting and Hunting, and activities connected therewith.

Insurance companies write individual policies, and often allow you to build your own insurance package, however it can get expensive when you add on all the extras compared to the package deals provided by organisations.

It’s also worth checking each company’s reviews to see how satisfied previous customers have been with the service they receive. You can find Country Cover Club’s reviews on Trustpilot.

WHAT LEVEL OF COVER DO I NEED FOR SHOOTING?

Most shooting grounds, clubs, farmers and land owners will ask to see proof of Public Liability insurance before you shoot. The level of cover required may vary but the most common cover level required is £10million (£10,000,000).

Likewise, the level of cover provided by shooting organisations and insurers varies, with many basic insurance policies providing only low levels of P/L, so check the policy documentation before you buy. Country Cover Club Master Policies provide members with £12million (£12,000,000) Public Liability for all legal Sporting Shooting and Hunting, so you can be sure to be covered for every situation.

HOW MUCH DOES SHOOTING INSURANCE COST?

The cost of shooting insurance can vary from as little as £20 up to £80 plus. Generally this does not include cover for guns and equipment, which will vary considerably depending on their value. When comparing shooting insurances, it is important to look at what cover is included as well as the price. Most of the cheapest options for shooting insurance will have an excess as standard, and have lower cover levels for Public Liability; therefore, they are not actually very useful. Many membership organisations include other insurances, such as Personal Accident or Legal Expenses for Licence Revocation, to provide a more complete insurance package. These organisations usually also offer additional Membership Benefits such as discounted Gun Dog Insurance, and special offers from Shooting Grounds and Country Sports suppliers.

At Country Cover Club, our aim is to provide members with the best value shooting insurance possible. An Annual Membership is just £32.95, and every member is covered for:

• £12 million Public Liability Insurance
• £10,000 Personal Accident Insurance
• £100,000 Legal Expenses Insurance

We also offer short term cover from £18.95, and optional extras such as Travel Extensions, Enhanced Personal Accident Cover and Gun & Equipment Cover so that you are only paying for what you need.

WHAT TYPES OF SHOOTING CAN I GET COVER FOR?

Cover can be obtained for most recreational forms of shooting but the exact activities covered will vary depending on the organisation or insurer, so always check the policy documentation. 

As an example, C³ Membership provides insurance for all legal Sporting Shooting and activities connected therewith; Shotgun, Airgun and Rifle Shooting, Breech or Muzzle Loading, Target and Clay Shooting including Trapping and Scoring, Live Quarry Shooting, Practical Shotgun, Pistol Target Shooting, Air-Soft, Paintball and Laser Tag. Combat Shooting is excluded.

We also cover hunting sports: Hunting Game, Deer, Vermin and any other legal quarry and activities connected therewith; Stalking, Rough Shooting / Walked Up Game, Driven Game, Beating, Loading and Picking Up, Wild Fowling, Water Fowling, Vermin/Pest Control, Trapping and Humane Dispatch.

For a full list of all C³’s insured activities please visit the Country Sports Insurance page.

CAN I GET INSURANCE FOR SHOOTING ABROAD?

Some organisations offer cover for shooting and hunting abroad, but not all, so you will need to check with your provider whether or not you can shoot outside the UK.

Country Cover Club insurances are valid throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland. We also offer European Union and Worldwide travel extensions as an optional extra. These can be added to any membership for +£7.95 and +£12.95 respectively.

C³ Travel Extensions provide the full £12million Public Liability and £10,000 Personal Accident cover for participation in all Insured Activities within the selected territory, subject to all local law being complied with. European Union Cover is valid in all countries in Europe, and Worldwide Cover is valid around the world including up to 90 days in the USA or Canada in any one year. All cover is subject to UK law and jurisdiction.

Alternatively, you can look at joining an organisation or buying insurance from a company based in the country you are headed to. 

DO I NEED A FIREARMS LICENCE OR SHOTGUN CERTIFICATE TO GET SHOOTING INSURANCE?

No, it is perfectly legal to go shooting without a firearms licence or shotgun certificate. For example, using a legal air weapon in accordance with VCR Act 2006, or using a rifle or shotgun in accordance with either Section 11 or Section 11A of the Firearms Act 1968. As such, it is just as important that a person who doesn't hold a licence is still able to purchase insurance for shooting.

Country Cover Club provides shooting insurance for all legal Sporting Shooting and Hunting (as well as a wide range of other Country Sports) regardless of whether the member holds a licence or not.

CAN I OBTAIN SHOOTING INSURANCE FOR PERSON AGED UNDER 18 YEARS?

Many country sports enthusiasts like to share their hobby with members of the younger generation and, particularly given their inexperience, it is important that they have cover too.

Some organisations offer junior memberships, but again, you’ll need to check with the specific organisation or insurer as to whether they have a minimum age on their policies, or any terms specific to persons under 18.

At C³, the Public Liability insurance policies cover members of any age for recreational shooting, hunting and other country sports, subject to any legal requirements for that sport being met. Please refer to the C³ Summary of Insurance for details of limitations to the Personal Accident policy for members under 18 years of age.

Did you know: if you Recommend a Friend or family member (of any age) to Country Cover Club, we'll send you up to £5 reward for every recommendation? You can claim your reward as your choice of Amazon Voucher, C³ Discount Code (to use on your renewal or another new membership) or make a charity donation.

I'M PART OF A SHOOTING SYNDICATE, CAN I GET INSURANCE FOR THE WHOLE GROUP?

Most specialist Country Sports Associations cater for syndicates and groups as well as individuals.

Country Cover Club offers syndicate membership for groups of 10 or more at a discounted rate of £26.95 per member per annum. As well as the standard £12million Public Liability cover, syndicates benefit from £10million Employers Liability insurance (to cover beaters, pickers up and other employees of the shoot) and the option to insure Guests for just £2.95 per guest per day.

To find out more, or make a Syndicate / Group application, please visit the C³ Syndicates & Groups page.

So what now?

Well, now you know the importance of shooting insurance and have a better idea of the level of cover you might be looking for, we recommend reviewing the options available and getting some shooting insurance in place as soon as possible. After all, it is better to have a “just in case” rather than an “in hindsight”!

Country Cover Club, an association for Country Sports enthusiasts, offers its members a great range of benefits, including market leading Shooting Insurance and Country Sports Insurance, at unbeatable value for money, and is a great place to start your comparison.