The Poultry Keeper

Henwife · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 3540 Location: Monmouthshire

With the increase in poultry theft, I decided to check with NFU whether my poultry equipment was covered under buildings & contents. Short answer 'no', though it took over 24 hours to find out, so for very little extra, the insurance is being rewritten to cover it. It's easy to overlook the replacement value of all the stuff one aquires over the years. I was slightly shaken.

mojo · Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2008 10:14 pm Post subject:

a very timely posting

MamaPacker · Joined: 20 Aug 2008 Posts: 322 Location: Essex UK - Sarfend

ahh I was asking about this the other day on here but it got lost Sad

Has anyone else got insurance and how much extra was it?

Henwife · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 3540 Location: Monmouthshire

Cost an extra £16 p.a. which I really can't grumble about.

MamaPacker · Joined: 20 Aug 2008 Posts: 322 Location: Essex UK - Sarfend

with house insurance?

we have contents for home... and business insurance...

Henwife · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 3540 Location: Monmouthshire

We have both house & contents insurance with NFU (and vehicles for that matter), so they decided that the poultry was a home business from the equipment insurance point of view & rejigged the policies to reflect this. I'm still awaiting the paperwork so that I can see exactly what they've done - post doesn't get here until lunchtime. The livestock is not covered, but then there is no way of replacing breeding anyway.

Big D · Joined: 06 Sep 2008 Posts: 361 Location: Cumbria

I would have thought (for back garden chicken keepers anyway) that regular home and contents insurance that includes garden furniture/sheds etc would cover chicken coops and dog kennels.

Then again, Insurance companies, who knows!!!!

Henwife · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 3540 Location: Monmouthshire

I suspect that I have rather more than would count as a back garden poultry keeper. That's where I started, and then things multiplied.

JC · Joined: 24 Mar 2008 Posts: 1116 Location: Sussex

How much land do you have henwife? Do you have many chickens?

Stujan · Joined: 05 Jul 2008 Posts: 465 Location: East Sussex

Hi Henwife , insurance sounds great but can you tell me what the minimum excess is as to lose one chicken would be surely not covered ! is it only for a certain number or for flock theft or coop destruction by wind , gale , fire etc , and by interest could you post a link to your insurers, you say under NFU but is that just an extension to an existing policy for a small farm / smallholding ??
I get the feeling that standard domestic insurers would laugh inwardly at back yard poultry keepers and come up with a mad excess!
I have scrutinised our home and outbuilding and domestic policy and there is no mention of livestock.
I sense that backyard keepers are out in the cold here !

Henwife · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 3540 Location: Monmouthshire

Two acres and about 150 chicken. The birds themselves are not insured. What I wanted covered was the housing, incubtors, brooders, electric netting, energisers and batteries. The replacement cost of those would be horrific. NFU doesn't operate over the internet, so whilst my local office is in Newport, I can only suggest you try Yellow Pages.
I imagine that in most cases, poultry houses would be classed as sheds which are usually covered by buildings insurance. I'm still awaiting documentation from NFU. Our current policy is a straightforward domestic one for buildings and contents. What they are doing is cancelling that and writing a new one to include the poultry equipment. Quite a good thing as it will mean the renewal date will be October rather than January!

Stujan · Joined: 05 Jul 2008 Posts: 465 Location: East Sussex

Thanks for the info , I will give NFU a call and see what they can offer Very Happy

JC · Joined: 24 Mar 2008 Posts: 1116 Location: Sussex

Thats a nice ammount of land Henwife Smile

Henwife · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 3540 Location: Monmouthshire

I have now got all the documentation (and the bill). All poultry related equipment is covered against theft and damage as are the birds. I didn't expect them to be included, but livestock is standard in this. I am now listed as 'hobby farmer' with an turnover of less that £10,000 pa (fat chance) under their 'homeworker' section......complete with public liability insurance certificate 'to be displayed.....etc'. I suppose if my low flying guinea fowl give somebody a heart attack this could be an advantage. The additional cost is higher than I'd originally worked out, but as there is a discount for a 5 year agreement and 'annual bonus' discount because NFU is a Mutual, it still means we have building, contents and now this additional bit for £352 pa - less than the replacement cost of 2 incubators.

JC · Joined: 24 Mar 2008 Posts: 1116 Location: Sussex

Good idea Henwife, and it covers the poultry too Smile