Join Us Employment Essentials Recruitment Good Employment Resources Business Hub Employers Life The EEA Contact

GET ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP

ONLY

£49.50

PER
YEAR

SIGN UP NOW

What our members say

“As a livery yard owner, the support from the EEA has been invaluable in the employment of our staff and the efficient running of the business.”

Day Dressage

EEA Member

“We decided we were going to do things differently, I just wasn't always sure how to do it! The EEA has all the solutions to employing staff legally.”

D & L Performance Horses

EEA Member

Watch Our Video

The Equestrian Employers Association (EEA) is the organisation for you if you employ staff in the equestrian industry.

Some functionality of the website is not currently available due to technical difficulties. We're working on fixing the issue.

Employer's Life

Insurance Needs for Yard Owners

22nd July 2024

The EEA has teamed up with Cheryl Johns the owner and founder of LiveryList and the Yard Owner Hub to spread important news to our auidences.

Cheryl is a qualified and experienced yard manager, marketing advisor, and business consultant with experience across a range of industries. Cheryl works as a consultant for equestrian charities and organisations to develop their understanding of the livery sector.

In this blog, Cheryl discusses the importance of insurance for equestrian businesses.

"As a business owner, ensuring that you are appropriately insured for your business activities is an absolute necessity.

Whilst there is no legal obligation for yard owners to hold any insurance for the services they provide- except for Employers Liability where necessary- holding insurances for your premises and the services you provide can help protect anyone who may be on the yard, both horse and human.

Depending on the type of services you offer, and your business situation, insurance needs will vary. Here we will briefly lay out those to be aware of.

Public Liability Insurance:

Whether you have a small yard of DIY liveries at home, or a large purpose-built facility offering full livery you should have a public liability policy in place. This will help protect against claims of negligence against the yard owner in the event of damage, loss, or injury to any parties- human or equine- on the premises or affected by its activities and will also cover any associated legal fees

Care, Custody and Control:

Care, Custody and Control (CCC) insurance cover the injury or death of an equine in your care, where you may be found liable. Contrary to belief, it is advised to hold this insurance even if you own or manage a DIY livery yard, as there may still be occurrences where you could be found liable in the event of injury or loss to an equine on your yard though the livery services and facilities you provide.

Employers Liability:

If you employ anyone on the yard- either employed or freelance- you have a legal responsibility to be appropriately insured.  If someone working for you is injured, they could make a claim against you. If you are inadequately insured this could not only be costly if you are found personally liable, but you could also face criminal prosecution. Even with subcontracted staff and volunteers, in the eyes of the law if they are working under your instruction and using your equipment then you are deemed as their employer and should have an Employers’ Liability policy in place.

Business Disruption Insurance:

Storm damage, flooding, fire, burst pipes, theft or malicious damage ca all affect a business. Whilst buildings and content policies should be able to contribute to the reparation of any physical loss or damage, this often will not include any cover for the stoppage and losses of the business income for any length of time. Business Interruption insurance can cover you for a nominated period whilst the business may need to be closed for repairs to be carried out.

Buildings and Contents Insurance:

If you own your yard, then a Buildings and Contents policy should be in place for the premises and facilities. In the event of damage or losses this will help cover the cost of repairs. You should also consider suitable insurance to cover anything stored on the premises such as farm vehicles and machinery, tack and equipment, or consumables such as hay and bedding.

If your premises is rented, then you need to be clear in your tenancy agreement whose responsibility it is to insure the premises. Usually, a commercial tenant is not required to arrange their own buildings insurance policy, this should be the responsibility of the landlord/ property owner.

Insurance Requirement for Clients Horses:

Whilst covered to an extent under your livery yard insurance policy, as ‘best practice’ it is ideal to ensure that your livery clients hold public liability insurance for their horses. Should a horse on your yard cause damage or injury to the premises, people, or other equines on the yard then they would be suitable covered for any losses to be claimed against. It is ideal to request a copy of the horses insurance for your records.

Insurance Requirement for Service Providers:

If anyone is providing services for your livery clients be this freelance grooms, equine therapists, trainer and the like, it is sensible to ensure that they have suitable professional insurance to cover their activity on the yard, and to request a copy for your records. 

  At any time that you change the services you provide, extend or add to facilities or make any other business changes, it is important to contact your insurer to declare any changes and ensure you have appropriate insurance taking the changes into account.

You can find various resources in relation to insurance on the Yard Owner Hub, including some useful insurance-related documentation and templates, and two recent webinars we have held in relation to yard insurances and care, custody and control insurance."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cheryl Johns, owner and founder of LiveryList and the Yard Owner Hub, is a qualified and experienced yard manager, marketing advisor and business consultant with experience across a range of industries. She works as a consultant for equestrian charities and organisations developing their understanding of the livery sector.


ABOUT LIVERYLIST

Launched in 2011, LiveryList is the UK’s leading directory of equestrian establishments. In 2023 they launched the Yard Owner Hub, and industry leading and industry recognised resource for the owners of equestrian establishments.

Thanks Cheryl for talking about this important topic!

 

EEA Resources

The EEA Employment Essentials has all you need to provide Good Employment, sart with the contract creator which makes generating contracts easy! Make sure you sign up to the Code of Good Employment.

 

The Equestrian Employers Association has been created to help employers of all sizes of business to be compliant, thereby helping you to protect your business. Your team are key to the performance and development of your business which is why looking after them is so important.

If you would like help and support when it comes to employing your staff have a look at how we can help you today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



BLOG ARCHIVE

 
BACK TO BLOG HOME
 
 
OUR PARTNERS

Your item has been added to the basket

You need to create an account, or login before you can add this item to your basket.