Permission and Insurance

[The Saint]

Hi Eveyone
I'm fairly new to this and need some advice on how to approach landowners - I live in a farming area and want to ask the local
landowner- should I approach with proof of some type of liabiity insurance and membership of a detecting group? If so where
do I get proof of both - I'd like to create a portfolio (a bit like this is your life)       and give the landowner some guarantees -
do you ever get a signature as proof of your ability to detect on their land?

Help please....

Thank you

[jayhay69]

take your insurance,be polite,tell them your interested in the history in the area, tell them your a local family man, if you find anything take the finds to the farmer (not when he`s busy).. just be honest,polite and you cant go wrong good luck

[celticspikey]

I agree with Jay, NCMD or FID good to join and get liability insurance as well as advice.  Out of all my farmers only1 has asked me to sign a contract, most do it by trust as it works both ways,I personally have never had any problems with out contracts despite having a few treasure finds declared as we share 50/50. Also be prepared for some refusals for permission and don't let that put you off.

[probono]

Ask your friends and family if they know anyone who farms - all the places I have permission have come from such links (although I've also got quite a few of 'we never let anyone detect here', even from them.....but keep trying.

[david995]

I know it caused a stir  last time i said this , but both those insurances are a waste of space they cover you if you do something ,ie damage his bull or tractor

 what the farmer wants to know is is he protected should he run you over with a tractor or a bull corners you or you fall under something or you have an accident on his land  , those insurances do not cover the farmer for any of those

[Chef Geoff]

I can honestly say that in 37 years of detecting no farmer has ever asked about insurance of any sort and I don't bring it up as it may only spark their imagination of what could happen.
David the farmer will always have his own public liability insurance for those occurrences and frankly if someone is stupid enough to detect in a field with a bull in it or get run over by 3 tons of brightly coloured and noisy machine then they really shouldn't be allowed out on their own.

[david995]

Hi geoff yes i agree,   all that i was just pointing out was that if a farmer does ask about insurance to cover him ,  the insurances mentioned are of no use to him at all

[celticspikey]

I agree with Geoff, coincidently last year one of my farmers needed my details, adress and phone number as she lost it and her insurance company needed the details of myself as I wonder the land and pigeon shooters and pest control lads. 

[jonty]

One of the biggest problems a detectorist could come across is when he leaves a farm gate open and cattle stray onto a road or even a railway line. You could incur costs of £1000's per hour for train delays, plus damage to trains and livestock. Straying animals can cause the deaths of motorists, in which case costs are phenomenal, Maybe these are worst case scenarios, but I have worked on the rail and they do exist.

Moral: Close all gates and make sure you are insured.

[Dryland]

Agreed Jonty, and as insurance with NCMD and FID is so cheap anyway,it's just not worth taking the risk