Insurance for SAR dog Handlers

[sardogjames]

Hi all, My first post!
I have recently graded a dog with SARDA England. AS i am a coastguard and not mountain rescue I fall outside the MR insurance policy. The Coastguard will not insure me either as they dont recongnise SAR dogs within the MCA..Iam now left with a graded dog and no one to insure me.I understand that the poice have a limited insurance policy but is this enough? I dont want to dislodge a stone and hit a casualty and get sued but have no insurance.. Can anyone point me in the right direction please? Lots of calls later and still no one wants to insure me..
EEK!!
James

[Philip E]

Hi James

What do youu want to insure?
The dog or you and the dog as a team.

What team do you belong to? As most teams have 3rd party and all you need is dog insurance.

[sardogjames]

Hi Philip,
I am a member of Coastguard Westward Ho!
We have full insurance but as soon as I start working the dog I have to take off the CG hat and put on the SARDA hat..and this is where the difficalty lies..
I am no longer insured by the MCA and because I am not a Mountain rescue member..who currently insure SARDA I am outside of thier policy too...
SARDA cover the dog under public liability but not me so its me really that needs insuring..

James

[Daryl]

Hi James, as an organisation we use Zurich to insure our members.

There are a few insurance companies out there that will insure you so might be worth looking up;
http://www.tennysoninsurance.co.uk/

We did get a leaflet through about another company but cant remember who - I will try to find out.

Another thing you need to do is check that your dogs veterinary insurance covers you whilst working as quite a few people have had a shock to find out that they arent oin the past.....

[mike]

Try contacting SARDA wales, Geraint is coastguard and also SARDA Wales, he may have an answer, also is there not a water search dog in Scotland that is coastguard. Mike

[sardogjames]

Thanks didn't know tha
t there was a water rescue dog for the coastguard in Scotland.. The plot thickens. I will contact rob in sarda lakes and see what his coastguard does.. Also thanks for the input about Zurich, I will follow that up. I will keep you posted. Thanks for the replies so far.. James.

[mike]

found an article which may help you

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scott ... -23504413/


Mike

[sardogjames]

Thanks mike, I have had a look and have managed to get some contact details. For interest sarda wales does have a coastguard in their team but it's sarda wales and they are a recognised MRTram for insurance purposes. I have made further enquiries with the police and hope that they will cover me as most other teams seem to use their local police policy on a call out.

Will keep you posted!
Jamez

[Andy W.]

Jamez,

I'd check what cover your local police actually have for you as I'd be most surprised if there was any at all, not even piblic liability cover extending to volunteers who don't belong to a police volunteer group set u[ by that force.

Andy.

[sardogjames]

Hi Andy,
Thanks for your reply, there is still no answer that has helped but thanks to all that have posted a reply. We are just waiting to hear back from the police, the underwriter their own Public liability insurance and pay out from the pot should there ever been the need to claim. I dont trust this too much though.
I have found an insurance company that will cover Poppy and I whilst we are working..its not cheap though so will have to do a little fund raising.

Thanks again to all..Will let you know!

James