We offer a broad range of cover for farms and rural communities in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset. This can include cover for your home, property, vehicles, machinery, livestock, produce & loss of earnings.
We believe that by living and working in the South West we are better able to understand the needs of our Members and tailor our agricultural and farm insurances to meet those requirements Agvendor.co.uk Welcomes Cornish Mutual.
Cornish Mutual is the only general insurer based in the South West. As a mutual company we do nothave to pay dividends to shareholders. This means that we exist purely to provide an excellent service, which is important to us because it means our Members' interests are at the heart of everything we do.
Your Own Local Insurance Inspector
In addition to our two main offices in Truro and Exeter, we have nineteen locally-based insurance inspectors throughout the region, from the far South West of Cornwall to the top of Somerset.
These local Insurance Inspectors offer a friendly, face-to-face service, as well as in-depth knowledge of the local area and conditions. They are always happy to visit, to give advice and help with managing risks, claims and quotes.
A fast, fair and straightforward claims service
It's never an easy time if something goes wrong and you have to make an insurance claim - which is why it's so important to Cornish Mutual to deliver a smooth, professional and extremely capable claims service for all our Members.
Our Claims Department prides itself on an effective and freindly service that gets our Members back on their feet as quickly as possible - it is not unusual for a cheque to be issued the same day.
“Cornish Mutual is one of the best firms to deal with and have looked after us very well,” says St Blazey farmer Anthony Carne, “Joan is the best insurance Inspector we have ever had and has been working with us for the last six years.”
Anthony and his wife Kay, with their son James, own and manage the 120 acre Cornhill Farm on the outskirts of St Austell, near the Eden Project. Joan Ball, who lives near St Newlyn East, is their Cornish Mutual Insurance Inspector and makes sure they are covered for their farm, motor fleet, buildings, public liability and holiday cottages.
Anthony explains, “We see Joan several times a year and get on really well with her. We always have a good catch-up and a bit of a laugh too which is really important. All we need to do is give Joan a call and she’ll pop over and sort things out.”
Five years ago, to secure the future of the farm and provide an extra source of income, five granite barns were converted into holiday cottages with the help of Objective One and DEFRA. After eight and a half months the builders finalised the work on the cottages last thing on a Friday night and the couple needed cover for buildings and contents immediately. Joan says, “It was around 7.30pm and the contractors had just handed the barns back, so when I was informed I immediately put the policy into action so that they were covered straight away.” Once completed, after being inspected by the Tourist Board, the cottages received a four star rating.
Cornhill Farm was bought by Anthony’s Grandfather in 1923 and Anthony’s Father signed up to Cornish Mutual. Like most farmers in the South West, they have had to diversify over the years. They keep around 70 cattle, grow 40 acres of cereal and also eight acres of winter vegetables and potatoes, which are sold through the small farm shop and supplied to local businesses.
Following in the footsteps of his Grandfather John, James (4th generation Farmer), has brought pigs back to Cornhill Farm. The pedigree Saddlebacks and Landrace pigs have proved to be a huge hit with visitors to the cottages along with a healthy demand for young stock.
Pleased with the diversification into the tourist industry, Anthony added, “Our holiday lets are particularly busy from Easter right through to the end of September with Christmas and New Year also being very popular. Because of our location, most guests will visit the Eden Project which is just a short stroll away. James designed and maintains the website which is the source of the majority of bookings and keeps regular visitors up to date with events on the farm.”
Kay adds, “We have had a couple of insurance claims in the past, and with Cornish Mutual, the claims process has always been very straightforward. With Joan, it’s nice to know who you’re speaking to on the phone – it’s just like having a friend calling!”
