I would approach the Forestry commission. They do a free visit, and looked at all my boundary trees for nothing.
by andy w » Thu Jun 25, 2009 2:58 pm
That's interesting because the FC aren't insured to carry out tree saftey surveys on private woodland! They might offer passing comments about particular trees and give general advice about tree saftey but certainly shouldn't be undertaking full surveys and reports. Unless things have changed in the last 3 months!?
(I worked for FC until very recently so would like to think I'm fairly accurate on this).
They do do free advisory visits though and it's worth making the most of them.
by greyman » Fri Jun 26, 2009 6:41 pm
And of course we know the RAP insurance isn't really very comprehansive so if you do want to insure your wood to cover most eventualities you'll pay an arm and a leg - So now we add another 400 smackers on to owning woodland - makes it all worthwhile don't it? But, hey! Woodlands.com say most people don't insure woodland - just read thier section under insurance - it only cost's about £100 (I know, I know - you're supposed ot make all suitable enquiries when you are purchasing things - but a bit of realism might not go amiss. And of course you will all know about the change in the pollution legislation that came in earlier in the year......
Greyman - :~(
by James M » Sat Jun 27, 2009 9:01 am
I'd be wary of any insurance provided through a broker rather than by an 'interest group' who actually knows what the issues are and what their members want/need.
If you are a landowner, you could investigate BASC's insurance c. £60 p.a. to join, insurance comes free. Which, IIRC, does covers you for working in woods/on land etc to improve the sporting side of things. It's designed for sporting oriented things and the associated risks e.g. accidental obstruction of rights of way, 3rd party, employee & product liability etc.
BASC insurance has years of dealing with antagonisits who deliberately put themsleves in harms way to cause difficulties - financial and otherwise, so it's pretty wide ranging and robust.
BASC is also handy to be a member of because they also deal with things like access law and so on. Ok, they're also a lobby/pressure group - but they are landowner oriented, very big and the closest we'll ever get to a trade union.
by greyman » Sat Jun 27, 2009 9:19 am
Well James that, does seem to be the issue here - the group policy from R.A.P. LTD does seem to be just that - limited! As you may have gathered we went through a very long winded process of trying to get clarification of what is actually covered in the insurance - frustrated by lack of documentary information from both R.A.P. and the Brokers. I guess wood 'parcel' ownership is still reasonably new in the wider sense there just isn't the support from the insurance industry - they ain't gonna insure it if they can't make money. I think most of us want just a bit more than the R.A.P. scheme but without going to commercial forestry levels. There are quite a few brokers out there that advertise but when you look into it it starts to get complicated. Sigh.
Having lambasted R.A.P. we have still renewed due to the fact that we don't have an alternative at this time. BASC's insurance looks interesting though. If we aren't running our woods for 'sporting' things - by which I guess you mean, huntin', shooting' and fishin' type things - would it cover the range of stuff some of use do do - charcoal making, felling of trees for firewood etc, etc?
I really ought to be outside making a trolley for my wood but had to fix my broken email and couldn't resist a visit to the SWOG site - sad man!
Greyman
by Toby Allen » Mon Jun 29, 2009 5:44 pm
I use beech tree consultancy, they give me a policy to cover most of the things I get up to.
[email protected]
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests