Do I need public liability insurance for sea fishing?

So do you need personal public liability insurance for sea fishing?

Yes and No is the short answer. When it comes to the legal aspect of “is it required” then no it is not. There is no legal obligation to get fishing liability insurance unlike your car for example. So one is going to come along and check if you have cover. If you offer services such as a guide or skipper then that’s different. As is coverage for Club members who travel to fish matches etc as a group. You definitely should hold cover in these cases.

However, just like there is not legal requirements to get public liability boat insurance it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t.

There are many instances when sea fishing where you may come into close contact with general public. This close contact is where the potential accidents or incidents are likely to occur but not always.

Piers, jetties and breakwaters are often frequented by anglers and the general public. Moreover, promenades and the like tend to have a fair amount of foot traffic. This will often increase dramatically during periods of fair to nice weather.

As sea anglers we tend to create potentially dangerous situations on a regular basis even if some don’t realise it. As an example we use nice sharp pointy hooks with barbs and leads of all manners of shapes, sizes and weight.

The perfect example is when casting in whatever manner we choose at our skill level. From an over head thump to pendulums, we are swinging around a potential hazard in more ways than one.

Unintentional snap offs or line breaks do occur especially with frayed or damaged line. Occasionally just bad luck or tiredness can play a part, line caught on an eye etc.

There are other examples but you get the picture. That 6oz lead you just lost on the cast, where did it go? Was there someone you didn’t notice walking behind as you were casting? Dogs as we all know are well known for eating baits, what if its a baited hook? All are potential issues where public liability insurance for sea fishing comes into play.

Coverage is not just for people but also property is covered too. That shiny new car with a smash window or worse won’t be best received.

It’ll never happen to me attitude is where anglers can easily be caught out.

There are several insurers that can provide a level of cover for anglers on the Internet. The easiest way of getting yourself cover is though the angling trust. The price is very competitive for good cover and comes with other benefits too.

Check it out today https://anglingtrust.net/memberships/individual/