I’m trails rep for the Manx Mountain Bike Club – we have built some trails at South Barrule here on the Island.

So far we’ve been covered for insurance by the local Department of Forestry who have been really good in providing assistance, time, machines and money. As we have been working with them present we’ve been covered so far. We want to organise our own liability insurance in any event; our downhillers have a route also in South Barrule plantation planned. They will do the work themselves once Forestry agree the route, but we need insurance.

Any suggestions – we have tried the local NFU Mutual who have been very supportive, but can’t provide cover. They have suggested a UK firm called QBE who (it seems from the website) seem to want major clients looking to pay £25,000 premiums!

Who do you use, as i’m about ready to fall back (reluctantly)on the IMBA suggestion of the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers…

When I was a trail pixie, it was the nfu who insured me, but only for risks against 3rd parties at work, not for the finished trail. The forestry commission signed that the trail was built to the specs they had agreed and took responsibility for the trail.

So do your trail pixies need insurance against negligence at work, or for the product they are building, separate if possible.

When I did an FC job I had to get £5M Public liability insurance as manager/supervisor for a trailbuild project.
Cost me nearly 500 quid from a local broker.Was provided by Ingham underwriting

We used BCTV in the end. After hunting around for other options, they were the only one remotely affordable.

We (TIMBER) use BTCV as well – what have you got against it? Seems reasonable to me and the FC seem happy with it.

From memory it covers us for £5M 3rd party insurance in case we injur someone else when trail building. However you don’t get much if you hack one of your own limbs off – so think on… 🙂

not sure from post if looking for insurance to cover trailbuilding activities or use – assuming it is trailbuilding then i know (and that is all i know) that round here the peeps working with FE encourage diggers to join singletraction http://www.singletraction.org.uk/page.php?page=About_Us
as this covers third party liabilities (but not much else) – think singletraction is pretty much yorkshire based but i’m sure contact might point in right direction

no expert and can’t work out where the imba forum went but seems to me stuff like this doesn’t get much answers unless people are emailing direct and if so apologies if you’ve resolved