Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty has withdrawn from an insurance scheme for those involved in cruel fox hunting, hare coursing, shooting, dog racing and terrierwork in Ireland.
As highlighted by ICABS last month (January 2022), Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty - which is part of the Allianz Group - had been providing insurance to “Country Sports Ireland”.
We are happy to learn that AGCS has withdrawn this insurance and that it would “not be inviting renewal of these policies from 31 January 2022”.
“Last year, another company within the Allianz Group [Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty] took the decision to withdraw cover they were providing to an organisation involved in hunt activities in Ireland, which took effect in January 2022,” an Allianz representative told us today (11 Feb 2022), adding “Allianz Ireland has not been involved in insuring anything to do with activities of this kind.”
A new notice on the Country Sports Ireland website now states: “Please note insurance benefits apply to members domiciled in the UK only. We are currently unable to provide any insurance benefits for members domiciled in the Republic of Ireland and have therefore suspended taking membership payments from ROI based members until new insurance arrangements are secured.”
A big THANK YOU to everyone who joined our appeal to Allianz.
Allianz Ireland - also part of the Allianz Group - has stressed that it “does not provide insurance to organisations involved in hunt activities in Ireland” and that “as the longest operating pet insurance provider in the Irish market, Allianz Ireland are committed to animal welfare and have longstanding relationships with many welfare groups and vets for almost 20 years.”
We thank Allianz for its positive response and Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty for taking the decision to withdraw cover to those involved in bloodsports in Ireland.
Find out more about Allianz Ireland’s pet insurance at
https://www.allianz.ie/pet-insurance/
The AXA insurance company has also been recently thanked for confirming that “AXA Ireland and AXA UK do not provide insurance to fox hunting associations”.
Many hunts around Ireland had been halted up until recently due to difficulties in obtaining insurance, following the withdrawal of Liberty Mutual from the market. However, last week, Minister of State at the Department of Finance Sean Fleming TD (Fianna Fail, Laois-Offaly) said he was “pleased to announce that the insurance issue that affected the hunt clubs, point-to-point races and pony clubs throughout the country has now been satisfactorily resolved.”
Deputy Fleming - who was criticised for his statement in support of hunting - went on to thank Horse Sport Ireland, Horse Racing Ireland, the insurance industry and “the hunt clubs themselves” all of which, he said, “came together to come up with a solution”. It is currently unknown which insurance company is involved.
ACTION ALERT
A RED C opinion poll, commissioned by the Irish Council Against Blood Sports, shows that a 77% majority agree that the government should ban foxhunting. The poll found that just 12 per cent disagree with a ban on foxhunting. Tell politicians to respect the wishes of the majority and ban foxhunting.
Contact the leaders of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, the Green Party, Sinn Fein and Labour Party to tell them that you want fox hunting and all bloodsports banned.
Micheál Martin
Leader, Fianna Fail
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; info@fiannafail.ie
Phone: +353 (0)1–618 4350 or +353 (0)21-432 0088
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD
Leo Varadkar
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: +353 (0)1-704 3630 OR +353 (0)1-640 3133
Email: leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@LeoVaradkar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradkar
Eamon Ryan
Leader, Green Party
Tel: 01 618 3894
Email: eamon.ryan@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EamonRyanGP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EamonRyan
Mary Lou McDonald TD
Leader, Sinn Fein
Tel: (01) 727 7102
Email: marylou.mcdonald@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryLouMcDonald
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MaryLouMcDonaldTD
Alan Kelly TD
Leader, Labour Party
Tel: 067 34190
Email: alan.kelly@oir.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alankellytd/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alankellylabour
Contact all your local TDs and urge them to push for a ban on foxhunting and all bloodsports. Visit the Oireachtas website for names of TDs and their email addresses http://www.oireachtas.ie/members-hist/default.asp?housetype=0&HouseNum=33&disp=mem
SEE ALSO: Sean Fleming TD welcomes insurance solution for cruel fox hunters
https://www.facebook.com/banbloodsports/videos/653819952702208/