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Insurance
levy at Green Star shows
SOARING
INSURANCE premiums have led to the Irish kennel Club to impose
a levy on each exhibitor at every ‘Green Star’ show
run under the auspices of the Irish Kennel Club.
Despite the IKC’s excellent claims record, their insurance
premiums have – along with those of many other organisations
around the world – rocketed in the wake o the terrorist attacks
of 9/11. And in a ‘double whammy’, the club’s insurers
have set an excess of €6,500 (approx. £5,000) on any
claim.
This presents a serious threat to the financial stability of the
IKC should there be even a small number of claims, so the decision
was taken to impose a levy of one euro per exhibitor at all IKC
shows where Green Stars are on offer with effect from January
1st 2003 in order to build up an ‘insurance fund’ to
be utilised in the event of a claim.
The IKC is careful to point out, however, that the levy is fixed
at 1€, per exhibitor, per show, irrespective of how many
dogs they may enter at that given show.
Wendy Jackson, Public Relations Officer for the IKC told OUR DOGS:
"We regret that we’ve had to impose a levy, but ours
is not the only organisation to have suffered form increased insurance
premiums and higher excesses in the months following 9/11. Basically,
the insurance industry is fearful of being landed with huge claims.
"This is the only decision we could take which would enable
us to build up sufficient funds to face any possible claim. The
IKC is leaving it to each individual club or society to implement
the levy in whichever way they see fit, although I suspect this
will be incorporated into entry fees."
The St Patrick’s Day Show will not be subject to a levy,
as entries have already been received for this event, but it is
understood that the show will be included in the levy in the same
way as other shows in the future.
Mrs Jackson added: "I might point out that exhibitors from
the UK will actually do quite well as regards the levy, as the
charge of 1€ is negligible at the sterling to euro exchange
rate."
The current exchange rate is 65 pence to one € |
