Farmers in Scotland are being urged to check their insurance policies as many businesses take on temporary employees during the busy spring season.
That was the warning from Rupert Wailes-Fairbairn, of rural insurance broker Lycetts, who said farmers could risk heavy financial losses if seasonal staff are inadequately insured.
Mr Wailes-Fairburn also emphasised the need to insure new additions to flocks, with livestock rustling incidents having risen during the cost-of-living crisis.
“Having the correct insurance in place is vital to safeguarding livelihoods,” said Mr Wailes-Fairburn.
“This is one of the busiest periods of the farming year and extra staff are often employed to help manage the increased workload.
“Demands of lambing may dominate farmers’ minds and time but they can ill-afford to forget the importance of employers’ liability insurance.”
‘Having the correct insurance in place is vital to safeguarding livelihoods’ says rural insurance broker
The health and safety executive found that 25 people were killed in the agriculture sector in during 2021 and 2022.
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“Apart from the trauma for all concerned, claims for accidents – even non-fatal incidents – can cost thousands of pounds,” he added.
“The assumption shouldn’t be made that having a farm insurance policy offers adequate protection – employers’ liability insurance is not automatically included.
“Mr Wailes-Fairburn said that part-time, casual, seasonal, temporary and voluntary workers all constitute employees.”
‘Employers’ liability is not automatically included’ he says
He said it was also important to check that new lambs are included in your farm insurance policy.
“Not all policies will cover this and with flock sizes often doubling during lambing, and livestock theft on the rise, underinsurance could cost you dear,” he said.
“Progeny should be insured under the loss of revenue section of the policy which provides wider cover than purely insuring under the livestock section.”