BBKA membership

[Ian123]

But if you've only got the basic insurance for 3 colonies and they see you have more, which 3 are insured?
They won't cover you for any if you're underinsured.

Forget the insurance for hive parts it’s a pittance although may come a bit closer if using seconds frames it certainly doesn’t cover hive boxes. These are also generally cleaned and retained.
The only part worth while is the liability!!!

 

[North End Bees]

none of them are, all your colonies have to be insured - same as if you share an apiary with an uninsured beekeeper, or you have more than 40 colonies your BDI is rendered invalid

My point exactly

 

[Brian Bush]

Let me clear up a couple of misunderstandings.
I belong to my local MBBKA and that gives me BBKA membership and Public Liability Insurance.
My Local Association does not take part in the Bee Disease Insurance. It costs extra for more than 3 hives and they don't want the paperwork and collection headache.
I take out BDI insurance directly as I have up to 30 hives, care for another 10 for a charity and have a couple of bee buddies who have more than 3 hives.
I have been doing this for several years and our premium was about £1 per hive this year as we have no claims discounts.
The importance of this insurance was brought home to me this year when there was an outbreak of AFB in a pop-up apiary less than 500m from my hives.
As someone says you don't need insurance until the worst happens!!!

 

[North End Bees]

Let me clear up a couple of misunderstandings.

Not sure which misunderstandings you're clearing up?

Any beekeeper can take out BDI separately for however many colonies they have. As long as they don't exceed the insured number they're covered.

But in the OP's case, if he's hesitant about spending out ~£30 which would cover public liability (a claim could be potentially millions in the case of a fatality) he's not going to be worrying about disease insurance for a few frames.

 

[Newbeeneil]

but you don't have two policies - you have over 40 colonies so the BBKA won't insure you

Before I joined BFA I enquired of the BBKA insurer who said the limit on hives is flexible. They said they were willing to ensure me with 40+ hives within the BBKA system. I joined BFA because of other positives.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

As long as they don't exceed the insured number they're covered.

or they share an apiary with an uninsured beekeeper (as then their BDI, once again becomes invalid)

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Before I joined BFA I enquired of the BBKA insurer who said the limit on hives is flexible. They said they were willing to ensure me with 40+ hives within the BBKA system. I joined BFA because of other positives.

but you didn't take them up on the offer, thus you are not insured by them - I also enquired with them regards 40+ hives and one of the things they stipulated was that all the colonies would have to be kept at my home premises and/or they had to be locked up in a secure building every night

 

[Newbeeneil]

but you didn't take them up on the offer, thus you are not insured by them - I also enquired with them regards 40+ hives and one of the things they stipulated was that all the colonies would have to be kept at my home premises and/or they had to be locked up in a secure building every night

I only came up against that stipulation when I asked NFU for a quote (£700+)

 

[North End Bees]

regards 40+ hives and one of the things they stipulated was that all the colonies would have to be kept at my home premises

That's just mad! 40+ colonies at home would eat up most of the local forage for any wild pollinators a mile about.
That's not likely to happen unless some one has quite extensive home premises! Or is a bee farmer with presumably access to BFA insurance.

 

[hemo]

But if you've only got the basic insurance for 3 colonies and they see you have more, which 3 are insured?
They won't cover you for any if you're underinsured.

None are insured if you have more then three hives/colonies, one has to make sure all colonies are covered so an extra premium is due.

 

[North End Bees]

None are insured if you have more then three hives/colonies, one has to make sure all colonies are covered so an extra premium is due.

That's what I said!

 

[hemo]

That's only true if you join your local BKA as a 'local' or associate member but that won't give you the features of BBKA membership such as the magazine, basic BDI, or public liability insurance.

Your post is wrong and misguided.
One can join any BBKA affiliated association that will have you, one then gets the full BBKA package if joined up as a full member.
Another advantage of membership is some cheaper jars from Harding and what it's name.

 

[North End Bees]

Joining a LBKA can be cheaper then direct BBKA membership.

How is it cheaper if the LBKA membership includes the BBKA capitation (£21) as well as their own division capitation?

 

[rolande]

How is it cheaper if the LBKA membership includes the BBKA capitation (£21) as well as their own division capitation?

Because that's some kind of discount for the local association. You can't join the bbka as a direct member for £21.

EDIT:

The LBKA appears to be one of the costlier associations so may be an outlier in this instance, but it is often cheaper (according to the BBKA website and my own experience in Dorset) to join through the local associations.

This, is copied from the BBKA site:

Direct Membership of British Beekeepers Association​

We strongly recommend that you join a local BBKA affiliated Association especially if you are a new or inexperienced beekeeper. The fees are often less than those of Direct Membership. For experienced beekeepers who prefer to join the BBKA directly or for those who live abroad we offer Direct Memberships. Please note applications may take up to 10

 

[Mint Bee]

so for clarity, say I have 30 over wintered hives in 4 different apiaries. A few splits for swarm control, maybe a bit of queen rearing and collection of a few swarms would soon push that over 40 hive in total at peak. Even if this got reduced down for the coming overwinter, does that mean that whilst over 39 hive I would not be covered via BBKA third party liability, or once over 39 the insurance is null and void full stop?

 

[Newbeeneil]

so for clarity, say I have 30 over wintered hives in 4 different apiaries. A few splits for swarm control, maybe a bit of queen rearing and collection of a few swarms would soon push that over 40 hive in total at peak. Even if this got reduced down for the coming overwinter, does that mean that whilst over 39 hive I would not be covered via BBKA third party liability, or once over 39 the insurance is null and void full stop?

Chat to the BBKA insurers. They will clarify. From memory I think it’s Hiscocks.

 

[North End Bees]

does that mean that whilst over 39 hive I would not be covered via BBKA third party liability, or once over 39 the insurance is null and void full stop?

That's how I've always understood it. I've always accounted for summer nucs in my numbers but then again I never go over 20.
I pass most swarms on and unite most swarm control nucs so never get anywhere near 40.

If that's not right do let us know if you talk to them!

 

[North End Bees]

Because that's some kind of discount for the local association. You can't join the bbka as a direct member for £21.

EDIT:

The LBKA appears to be one of the costlier associations so may be an outlier in this instance, but it is often cheaper (according to the BBKA website and my own experience in Dorset) to join through the local associations.

This, is copied from the BBKA site:

Direct Membership of British Beekeepers Association​

We strongly recommend that you join a local BBKA affiliated Association especially if you are a new or inexperienced beekeeper. The fees are often less than those of Direct Membership. For experienced beekeepers who prefer to join the BBKA directly or for those who live abroad we offer Direct Memberships. Please note applications may take up to 10

Are they adding a surcharge to the Direct membership to encourage people to join the local associations??
I suppose it saves them doing the legwork themselves by getting the local membership secretaries to do it all!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

so for clarity, say I have 30 over wintered hives in 4 different apiaries. A few splits for swarm control, maybe a bit of queen rearing and collection of a few swarms would soon push that over 40 hive in total at peak. Even if this got reduced down for the coming overwinter, does that mean that whilst over 39 hive I would not be covered via BBKA third party liability, or once over 39 the insurance is null and void full stop?

in a nutcase - yes

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Chat to the BBKA insurers. They will clarify. From memory I think it’s Hiscocks.

BDI is a totally different system to their PLI. BDI Is the insurer