8 FARM NEWS
DEC/JAN 2019 • farmers-mart.co.uk
RURAL CRIME AND ITS IMPACT
ON THE FARMING COMMUNITY
Dominic Snook, Insurance Adviser at Farmers & Mercantile Insurance Brokers (FMIB), discusses the impact Rural
Crime is having on the Farming Community and suggests some key tips on how to protect your Farm and Business.
RURAL Crime continues to be an exten-
sive issue for Farmers, and those living and
working, in rural Britain. The number of inci-
dents relating to Rural Crime have majorly
increased over the past 4 years, with 2018
set to be the worst year yet.
There is no exact definition of Rural Crime
but looking at it from an Insurance aspect
claims usual arise from Livestock Worrying
and Theft.
As urban areas expand and more people
move closer to the countryside the likeli-
hood of incidents involving livestock and
dogs is heightened. In June alone, FMIB had
5 incidents of Sheep Worrying reported,
resulting in compensation being paid for 64
Ewes and Lambs.
‘ Not reporting incidents
can create false figures
that show crime is
reducing. It is important
all incidents are reported
to give an accurate
picture of the crime
in the countryside
’
Insurance protection against Livestock
Worrying is fairly inexpensive but has histori-
cally been missed from Insurance covers. We
also regularly come across Farmers that have
insured against their Sheep but don’t have
cover for the loss of financial income from
their Lambs which are 3-4 times more likely to
be effected by Worrying. It is vital for Farmers
to have an annual review of their Insurance
covers to make sure they are adequate and ac-
tually covering you for your business needs.
The countryside continues to be attrac-
tive to thieves due to properties being often
isolated and hard to protect. At FMIB we
have a theft related claim every 3 days with
Power Tools and Quad Bikes/ATVs being
the most popular. Here are a few practical
actions we recommend you take that may
help to protect your business and assets;
• Removing keys from vehicles – This
may seem obvious but we still see
a high number of Quad Bikes/ATV’s
driven out of the farm yard as the keys
have been left in the ignition. Also, un-
der many insurance policies leaving the
keys in a vehicle can actually invalidate
your insurance!
• Embrace modern technology – CCTV
cameras and motion sensory lights
have been taken to the next level and
can now send notifications of move-
ments to your mobile phone. Items
such as these can provide 24 hour
monitoring in your most vulnerable
locations. Adding tracking devices and
anti-theft sprays to your agricultural
vehicles allows easier identification for
the police and can help with finding
stolen vehicles.
• Locking Windows and Doors – Again
obvious, but this needs to include your
Agricultural Buildings as well as your
House. Installing doors with built in
locks are much more difficult to break
than a padlock.
• Store high risk items in Secure Shipping
Containers – Heavy duty and theft
proof Shipping Containers can provide
safe storage for your theft attractive
items such as Quad Bikes and Power
Tools.
It is important to always report incidents
of Rural Crime to the police. Too often
incidents are not reported as individuals
do not want to be seen as wasting police
time. Not reporting incidents can create
false figures that show crime is reducing.
It is important all incidents are reported to
give an accurate picture of the crime in the
countryside.
If you are concerned about Rural Crime in
your area or if your current Insurances are
inadequate do not hesitate to contact us on
01604 782782 to discuss further or visit our
website at www.fandmgroup.co.uk