Mr. Stephen Smout

Stephen Smout is the lead for UK & Ireland Agriculture practice at McLarens. He is a well-known figure in the Agricultural Insurance market having worked as a successful operational and strategic loss adjuster/director for over 35 years.

Stephen is a farmers son, qualified in agriculture from Reading University with a working knowledge of dairy, arable, sheep, beef, intensive and organic poultry, and pigs, renewable energy projects and revenue aspects, game rearing/ rural pursuits, estate management/heritage buildings, intensive /organic soft fruit production and growing/packing/logistics/distribution field to table agricultural products. Prior to entering the Insurance industry, Stephen spent nine years as a technical specialist in Agri-nutrition and Pesticides/fertilizers. He has special interest in agriculture, property and casualty.

Stephen has expert witness experience, he has completed the Cardiff University Bond Solon (CUBS) Expert Witness civil accreditation. 

He undertakes cases concerning: 
Agricultural Insurance Claims, 
Agricultural/Rural Property and PL Incidents, 
Forestry Fire and Storm, 
Intensive Livestock and Pedigree Livestock disease, 
Food Manufacturing and Retail Interruption Incidents, 
Renewable Energy and Revenue Claims, 
Heritage Property and Ecclesiastical Claims

Selected experience includes:
CAT Assignment NZ Earthquake
Commercial EQ claims Property and BI on behalf of Re-insurers Losses ranged (£750 K to £50 Million)
UK Agricultural property & BI claims up to (£5 Million)
Farm-based Anaerobic Digester failure environmental and revenue loss (£3.5 Million)
Thatched Grade 11 listed Rural farmhouse fire (£2.5 Million)
Intensive Poultry loss of production (£750 K)
Pedigree Livestock Limousine bull fatality (£500 K)
Fish Farm Flood damage Loss of fish & revenue (£150 K)
Glass House Failure and loss of crop and revenue (£1.25 Million)
USA Avian Influenza Claims (USD 22 Million)
UK    Avian Influenza Claims (£3Million)

2024: CUBS accreditation