The Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS) and FBD are to work together to tackle the issue of increasing insurance premiums for livestock marts with mart lockdowns a key emphasis.

At a meeting held this morning (4 February), mart managers where presented with FBD’s mart claims experience and challenges over the last five years in relation to claims.

ICOS’s Ray Doyle said marts could not operate in an environment of unsustainable premiums and, on the same hand, FBD “cannot be expected to subsidise claims arising at a significant and recurring loss to them, which we acknowledge is the case”.

FBD chief commercial officer John Cahalan acknowledged the challenges facing marts but reaffirmed his company’s commitment to work with ICOS to reduce the frequency and severity of mart accidents.

Safety

Doyle said ICOS had worked with FBD for the past three years to try find solutions which could help tackle the rising cost of mart insurance. He added that ICOS looked forward to reduced premiums in the “not so distant future” when claims reduced through various measures that are being taken.

FBD indicated that although still in its infancy, mart lockdown where implemented and enforced held the most potential to eliminate accidents that frequently occur at marts.

Doyle said: “I am confident that the measures being taken collectively by marts throughout Ireland will help to enhance overall health and safety while reducing cost, claim severity and the frequency of accidents.

Mart lockdown

“Mart lockdown has a role to play in this regard, and so too does increased supervision and assistance during sale days in marts where full lockdown has not yet been enacted.”

He said measures such as professional training in livestock management for drovers along with signage and announcements to remind farmers that safety comes first had also helped.

“The public attending marts must also be willing to play their part in a changed health and safety landscape and co-operate fully with mart staff and with any new procedures that are in place,” said Doyle.

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