Most people don’t compare insurance as often as they should, and many customers may be renewing their existing farm insurance policy every year without realising they could make a saving by having a good broker shop around for them while retaining the same level of protection, or even gaining enhanced benefits. With Brady Insurance as your broker you benefit from great advice on your farm insurance and can access the three most competitive Irish Farm Insurers.
KEY COVERS AVAILABLE:
- Farm dwelling and contents (up to 4 houses)
- Outbuildings – including storm
- Livestock
- Milking Machinery
- Personal accident
- Agricultural Produce
- Farm vehicles (tractors, jeeps, combine harvesters)
- Legal expenses
- Pedigree livestock
- Agricultural contractors liability insurance
- Public liability
- Employers Liability
Top Tips to keep your farm safe!
As brokers we have seen many changes in the way farms are run in recent years and also understand the key risk management steps that help keep farmers and farm property safe. It is also safe to say that insurers have responded by giving cheaper farm insurance premiums to farms who can implement certain safety practices. To help our customers, we have collated our top tips for farm safety and hope that these refresh your mind and help you think of ways you can improve your farm safety and ultimately reduce your Farm premium!
- Start by Conducting a risk assessment using the BeSmart tool from the HSA. A great tool that helps you think of all aspects of risk on your farm.
- Do a walking survey your farm, thinking of varying conditions, seasons and farm operations that happen at different times of year. Think about the access, hazards, lighting, environment, livestock and how all your farm activities could give rise to accidents.
- Consider farm workers, family members, visitors, animals and machinery and how they could interact in an unsafe way.
- Ensure you only use competent contractors if you need work done on your farm particularly agri-contractors or waste spreading contractors who are trained, and ensure they only follow the appropriate methods.
- Never allow children unsupervised around your farm, or young children in the cabs of farm vehicles.
- Keep machinery maintained and use only for its appropriate use. Do not allow machinery idle whilst turned on and unoperated.
- Use the guards on your machinery, tractors, hydraulic equipment and take adequate precaution when changing equipment or performing routine checks or repairs.
- Use Fixed guards to prevent entanglement in drive shafts, chains, sprockets, v-belt and pulley drives.
- Ensure you are dressed in the right gear for the job at hand. Loose clothes can contribute to getting entangled, proper footwear, gloves, ear protectors, visors, and high-visibility strips all protect you from injury.
- Animals need a lot of consideration in their handling and can get spooked causing all kinds of accidents, so ensure you have adequate manpower and are prepared when moving them or treating them.
- Ensure your Vehicles are fit for use on public roads, tyres, lights, wipers and visibility are important for your safety & that of other road users.
- Do not use the “Lazy man’s load” and overload your trailer to avoid an extra journey, this could lead in bad balance and even overturning.
- You should always have safety in mind when handling risky substances, from a potential claims view as well as remaining in good stead with your insurer.
- Ensure you have adequate and appropriate storage for pollutants, and always spread fertilisers a suitable distance from watercourses, including ditches.
- Inspect water discharge points in the farm, in particular the hard standing areas. Ensure the waste water is not allowed run directly into rivers or ditches.
- Remember gases can be odourless & Slurry tanks are the cause of 14% of farm deaths in Ireland. Only agitate slurry tanks when there is adequate ventilation and follow the detailed guidance of the HSA here
- Keep your buildings maintained properly to protect against storm and collapse. Periodically inspect all areas of your farm property and keep on top of the maintenance, perhaps doing an upgrade on something each year.
- Ensure access and routes around your farm are orderly and unobstructed, leaving space around buildings for vehicle access and avoiding having blind corners.
- Keep your farm well lit and ensure you have reflective signage / strips on your machinery, trailers and yourself!
- Ladders and falls from heights account for a high percentage of farm accidents. Take care to have your ladder footed and ensure you are stepping onto a firm footing. Avoid carrying equipment up ladders.
- Finally Take your time! Speed, shortcuts and lack of preparation can be found in most farm accidents according to the HSA.
Providers look favourably on farms which take every precaution to ensure their working operations are safe.
To get a great farm quote you can go here and submit your farm information or call 071 9620193.