£100,000 of legal expenses cover for appeals against firearms licensing decisions will be added to the membership insurance package offered by the UK’s largest shooting organisation, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), from the 1st March 2014.
Concerns have been raised that some firearms licensing departments have appeared reluctant to use proper risk management processes to make decisions in difficult cases; preferring that the courts take responsibility. BASC believes that its members must be able to challenge apparent injustices without the fear of personally incurring heavy legal costs.
The new policy, developed by BASC with AIM Risk Services Limited, offers cover to members against legal expenses should they need to challenge a licensing decision in court. The policy will offer protection from legal costs for valid appeals following:
- Refusal to grant or renew a shotgun or firearm certificate.
- Revocation of a shotgun certificate.
- Revocation of a firearm certificate.
- Refusal to vary a firearm certificate.
- Partial revocation of a firearm certificate.
- Conditions imposed on a firearm certificate.
- Airgun kinetic energy test failure.
David Ilsley, BASC’s head of marketing and membership services, said: “BASC is constantly working to improve and expand the benefits that we can provide to members. Adding legal expenses cover to our existing insurance package means we believe we have developed the best possible membership package and are offering the best possible advantages to BASC members.”
For more information on the new insurance package contact David Ilsley on 01244 573021 david.ilsley@0ld.basc.org.uk or Andy Hearn, Managing Director at AIM Risk Services Limited on 020 7977 7868 andy.hearn@aimriskservices.com.