Business Type: Mixed Farming
Section of Cover: Company Legal Liability
Applicable Cover: Investigation costs cover
Circumstance: A telescopic handler tipped over and rolled whilst being used by an employee of the business.
Legal & Investigation fees value: £21,486
The Scenario:
An employee of the insured company was operating a telescopic handler when it tipped and rolled over, resulting in an ankle injury. The injured employee decided to escalate the matter, prompting intervention by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
What Happened:
The HSE launched an investigation to determine whether any health and safety regulations had been breached. Upon concluding the investigation, the HSE found that the business had taken all reasonable steps to prevent such an incident and decided not to take further action.
The Outcome:
rradar, the commercial law firm appointed under Rural Protect acted for the insured to defend the matter and their costs as well as the HSE’s Fee for Intervention were met by Rural Protect.
Things to Consider:
As of 1 April 2025, the HSE has raised the Fee for Intervention (FFI) to £183 per hour. When the FFI scheme was first introduced in October 2012, the rate stood at £124 per hour, meaning we’ve seen an increase of approximately 47% since then.
If your business involves employees working with large machinery or equipment that could cause injury, it is essential to ensure they are properly trained to do so. You should also review your insurance policy to confirm it includes appropriate cover in the event of an incident. Even though the insured was not found at fault and no legal action was taken, the HSE still issued a Fee for Intervention—which was fortunately covered under the Rural Protect policy.
To know more about Rural Protect and how it can benefit your business, call us on 01653 609090 or email enquiries@hbunderwriting.co.uk.
