Public Liability Insurance for a community food growing consultant

I have been offered a 2 days a week contract with a community project funded by the Climate Challenge Fund in Scotland. They need help to establish a sustainable food growing project using school grounds and other public spaces as well as private gardens around their village.They want me to have my own public liability insurance but I'm having trouble finding suitable cover.The "job" (I will in fact be self employed) is very wide ranging, including:- running workshops with volunteers- coordinating risk management for the project and drawing up risk assessments- calculating carbon emissions savings delivered by the projectand, of course, planning and planting productive gardens and landscapes - including school allotments, a forest garden and an "urban orchard" (an orchard's worth of fruit trees planted in puiblic spaces)I'm excited about the project but wary about this insurance issue with such a wide range of potential liabilities.Does anyone know of a suitable, affordable policy which would cover everything from workshops with volunteers to landscaping in schools etc. etc.?Thanks in advance, and thanks for having such an interesting forumDan

Hi Dan

Don't just click because it seems cheap. m£1 and associated is what you you get on most home buildings insurance.

I would suggest you talk to a broker face to face and explain what you you are proposing.

Tinterweb will not be best route on this occasion I believe - you need to be over insured.

Tony

Dan trotter said:

Thanks very much for the reply. It saves a lot of guesswork having a few names to approach.

In case this helps anyone else I got a quick online quote through Simply Business. They are the only online "brokers" (if that's the right term) I've come across so far who mention "professional indemnity" cover in an online proposal form.

For £1m public liability, £50k professional indemnity and £3k each for tools and "goods in transit" 3 quotes came back - £761, £300 and £198

The cheap one's with Glemham Underwriting Limited, which "provides insurance in association with Xbridge Ltd and underwriters Brit Insurance" according to the Simply Business site. I've never heard of them but I'm quite quite keen to just press the button - it "seems" such a great deal compared to the other 2.

I might phone a few other places first though, it seems well worth shopping around.

Thanks again for the suggestions

Dan

Replies

PRO

Gary RK July 29, 2010 at 5:58pm

Dan,

I doubt if you will find something 'off-the-peg', so can only suggest you talk at length with a good broker and explain your needs - try Heath Lambert, NFU or GroundCover - they all deal with landscaping, gardeners & groundscare liability insurances.
Dan trotter July 29, 2010 at 11:35pm

Thanks very much for the reply. It saves a lot of guesswork having a few names to approach.

In case this helps anyone else I got a quick online quote through Simply Business. They are the only online "brokers" (if that's the right term) I've come across so far who mention "professional indemnity" cover in an online proposal form.

For £1m public liability, £50k professional indemnity and £3k each for tools and "goods in transit" 3 quotes came back - £761, £300 and £198

The cheap one's with Glemham Underwriting Limited, which "provides insurance in association with Xbridge Ltd and underwriters Brit Insurance" according to the Simply Business site. I've never heard of them but I'm quite quite keen to just press the button - it "seems" such a great deal compared to the other 2.

I might phone a few other places first though, it seems well worth shopping around.

Thanks again for the suggestions

Dan
HM GARDENS July 30, 2010 at 9:33am

I have insurance with simply business very reasonable.

Dan trotter said:
Thanks very much for the reply. It saves a lot of guesswork having a few names to approach.

In case this helps anyone else I got a quick online quote through Simply Business. They are the only online "brokers" (if that's the right term) I've come across so far who mention "professional indemnity" cover in an online proposal form.

For £1m public liability, £50k professional indemnity and £3k each for tools and "goods in transit" 3 quotes came back - £761, £300 and £198

The cheap one's with Glemham Underwriting Limited, which "provides insurance in association with Xbridge Ltd and underwriters Brit Insurance" according to the Simply Business site. I've never heard of them but I'm quite quite keen to just press the button - it "seems" such a great deal compared to the other 2.

I might phone a few other places first though, it seems well worth shopping around.

Thanks again for the suggestions

Dan
Tony July 30, 2010 at 4:07pm

Hi Dan

Don't just click because it seems cheap. m£1 and associated is what you you get on most home buildings insurance.

I would suggest you talk to a broker face to face and explain what you you are proposing.

Tinterweb will not be best route on this occasion I believe - you need to be over insured.

Tony

Dan trotter said:
Thanks very much for the reply. It saves a lot of guesswork having a few names to approach.

In case this helps anyone else I got a quick online quote through Simply Business. They are the only online "brokers" (if that's the right term) I've come across so far who mention "professional indemnity" cover in an online proposal form.

For £1m public liability, £50k professional indemnity and £3k each for tools and "goods in transit" 3 quotes came back - £761, £300 and £198

The cheap one's with Glemham Underwriting Limited, which "provides insurance in association with Xbridge Ltd and underwriters Brit Insurance" according to the Simply Business site. I've never heard of them but I'm quite quite keen to just press the button - it "seems" such a great deal compared to the other 2.

I might phone a few other places first though, it seems well worth shopping around.

Thanks again for the suggestions

Dan
lisa skipton July 30, 2010 at 5:02pm

The community gardening project I'm involved with has insurance with www.towergate.co.uk. We were advised to use them by the federation of city farms as they deal with lots of community garden projects. Our new policy with them costs half the price of our old one with a different insurer. It costs us £200 a year for public liability and we can add on extra sites for around £105
Simply Business August 4, 2010 at 8:53am

Hi Dan,
I came across your post online and I'm happy you already got some quotes.
Simply Business = Xbridge and Glemham is one of the brands we exclusively offer. The reason why some quotes are cheaper is the fact that not all insurers want to offer you a policy. But instead of denying you a policy, they just put up the price. Always check the amount of cover p/quote and do not always focus on the price alone.

I don't know if you really need Professional Indemnity Insurance. The best you can do is give us a call on 0845 450 9959. One of my colleagues might be able to tell you if you need Professional Indemnity insurance.