Shoot Cancellation Insurance - is it worth it?

With more guns than ever choosing to protect their days from bad weather, we took a closer look at what’s behind this growing appetite for cancellation insurance.

From 2023 to 2025, our annual census shows an upwards trend in guns taking out shoot cancellation insurance, which we can only expect to continue. 

What has quickly become clear is that this isn’t simply a passing trend, but a response to a changing climate. It’s little surprise, then, that more guns are seeking the reassurance of cancellation insurance, particularly when adverse weather has the potential to disrupt even the most carefully planned day.

What is shoot cancellation insurance? 

Shoot Cancellation insurance is peace of mind when you need it most. Covering a range of scenarios, including adverse weather and protesting, this cover is one that is worth investing in. 

On top of basic cover, cancellation insurance can include anything from jury service to bad travel conditions. 

Our partners at Lycetts have seen first hand the effect of a cancelled shoot on guns. Our broker, Edmund Sword of Lycetts notes  ‘As the weather in this country becomes more unpredictable shoot cancellation insurance becomes more and more important. Numbers of claims have increased year on year, even in places where shooting pheasants would never be cancelled due to weather before’.

Why is shoot cancellation insurance more important than ever? 

Shoot cancellation insurance has never been more essential - especially when it comes to protecting against the ever-growing risk of adverse weather.

In 2025, the Met Office published a report on the state of the UK climate.

The latest look at the UK’s climate shows things are clearly changing. What used to be considered unusual is now happening more often - with hotter temperatures, heavier rainfall, and more extreme weather becoming the new normal. Some of the key takeaways include: 

• Extreme weather is becoming more common
  Very hot days are happening more often and are getting hotter. In some parts of the UK, the hottest summer days are warming about twice as fast as average summer temperatures compared to the past.
• Sea levels are rising faster
  Sea levels around the UK have gone up by nearly 20cm since 1901, and the past three years have seen the highest levels ever recorded. Increasing the risk of nuisance flooding. 
• Winters are getting wetter
  The period from October 2023 to March 2024 was the wettest winter on record. Looking further back, most of the wettest winters have happened in this century.

This report is based on long-term data from hundreds of weather stations across the UK, some going back to the 1800s. Together, they show just how much the UK’s climate has already changed.

Please find the full report here. 

What are the shoots doing? 

Following these investigations, we went straight to those on the ground to hear what they thought. A number of shoots have started to write cancellation insurance into the terms and conditions when selling shooting. We spoke to Will Horner of Cambrian Birds, who have gone a step further and included it in the cost of a day shooting with them. 

“We have decided to add bad weather cancellation insurance to our invoices due to the unpredictable nature of the UK climate. It seems, particularly in the past few years, that weather events have become more extreme and so the need to insure days has, perhaps, never been stronger than ever. 

In other walks of life we insure holidays, houses and valuables - often without a second thought. Why, therefore, is there such a stigma surrounding the insuring of shoot days? Yes of course it adds cost to an already expensive experience. But on the flip side surely it is worth insuring what is often a large financial outlay. 

The insurance is completely optional and guns, at their discretion, may choose to opt in or out. But with the clear understanding that uninsured days will not be refunded in the event that poor weather results in cancellation. We chose to add insurance to the invoices to take the hassle away for guns. By simply paying the invoice we then arrange the insurance on their behalf with our friends at GunsOnPegs. Thus simplifying the whole process. 

In the past we have always refunded or rolled over days for guns if they were cancelled - as many shoots do. However in the modern and unpredictable climate the financial cost and risk to the business is just too much to shoulder. Hence forming the basis for our decision this year.”

Final Thoughts 

In an increasingly unpredictable climate, the rise in shoot cancellation insurance is no coincidence. What was once seen as an optional extra is fast becoming a considered part of planning a successful season. As weather patterns continue to shift and disruption becomes more likely, both guns and shoots alike are recognising the value of being prepared. 

If you want to get covered for this season, click here to get a quote.