Purchasing insurance cover is one of the most important financial decisions that you will make for your business.
As insurance brokers we make that process easier for you by offering an independent and unbiased service in sourcing the most relevant insurance products for the protection of your business.
We have expertise and extensive knowledge in a broad range of industries including retail, manufacturing, wholesale, construction and engineering.
By using a combination of face to face negotiations with insurers and state of the art technology, we work hard to maximise your business exposure to insurance companies. We are confident nobody goes further in sourcing the right policy for your needs.
All our client facing Brokers are members of the Chartered Insurance Institute.
As part of our service to commercial clients we can conduct a visit your premises, or telephone review, where we will discuss protections and safety precautions as well as advising on hazardous exposures that could give rise to a claim.
We believe that getting to know your business better helps us to represent you to insurance companies and identify where there are weaknesses in your current protection.
We have a Broking Team that look after all insurances and we would expect our policies to include cover for:
RECOMMENDED INSURANCE PROGRAMME
Prospective clients may approach us for a single cover; however we should do our best to recommend a programme of insurances to fully protect their interests. Of course, this applies to existing clients also. As an indication rather than an exhaustive list, the majority of our clients will require -
Employers' Liability Compulsory Insurance
Employers' Liability Compulsory Insurance helps employers to meet the cost of compensation for injuries to their employees, where employees are doing their job.
The Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 requires that employers have insurance cover against any such claims.
All businesses need Employers' Liability Compulsory Insurance unless exempt under the Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969.
The Health & Safety Executive guide to employers' liability will help you decide whether this law applies to you.
Public liability insurance
Public liability insurance covers your legal liability to pay damages to members of the public for death, bodily injury or damage to their property which occurs as a result of your business activities.
It also covers legal fees, costs and expenses such as representation at any coroners inquest, fatal accident enquiry or other court hearing because of an accident.
Product liability insurance
If you make, repair or sell products, you could be held legally liable for damage or injury arising from defects in their design or manufacture even if you have not been negligent.
Product liability insurance covers you in these circumstances up to a maximum amount each year.
Professional indemnity insurance
Protects professional businesses against their legal liability towards third parties for injury, loss, or damage, arising from their professional negligence or that of their employees.
Certain professions must have professional indemnity insurance as a regulatory requirement or as a result of their professional authorisation, including architects, accountants, solicitors, surveyors, insurance brokers and financial advisers.
Directors and officers insurance
Company directors and officers have specific duties and responsibilities, for which they can be held responsible. Directors and officers insurance provides cover for compensation and legal costs, if they are found to have inadvertently acted outside their terms of reference.
Motor vehicle insurance
By law you must at least insure your legal liability for injury to others and damage to their property arising from the use of vehicles on the road - this is known as third-party insurance.
Most business policies are either comprehensive or third party, fire and theft. Comprehensive cover includes damage to your vehicle. The third-party section of a commercial vehicle policy will meet your legal requirements to cover your liability to others.
Motor vehicle insurance
If you also use private vehicles for business use, you must ensure the owners private policies cover this. If you are not sure, ask them to check this with their insurance providers.
Business interruption insurance
Insuring you against disruptions to your business that lead to loss of income and extra expenses, business interruption insurance compensates you for the shortfall in gross profit and pays any increased working costs and fees incurred.
Premises insurance
Your business premises should be insured for the full rebuilding cost (including professional fees and the cost of site clearance) and not just for the market value.
Standard cover insures against fire, lightning, explosion of gas and boilers used for domestic purposes. You may also consider insuring against 'special perils' such as explosion, riot, malicious damage, storm, flood, impact by aircraft, road and rail vehicles, escape of water from tanks or pipes and sprinkler leakage.
An alternative is an 'all risks' insurance, which gives wider cover including any accidental damage or loss not specifically excluded in a standard policy.
Glass and sign cover
Glass and sign cover provides cover for the replacement of glass or signs following malicious or accidental damage. It is not normally included under standard premises insurance.
Contents cover
Stock - should be insured for its cost price without any addition for profit. Provision can be made for seasonal stock fluctuations.
Plant and business equipment - can be insured on either: replacement as new or indemnity basis - wear and tear is taken into account when settling any claims
Goods in transit cover
Goods in transit insurance covers goods against loss or damage while in your vehicle or when sent by carrier. The sum insured may be a limit for each vehicle or any one consignment.
Money (cash loss) insurance
Money insurance covers cash, cheques, postage stamps and certain other negotiable documents. Different limits apply to money on the premises in and out of business hours, in safes, at the homes of directors or employees and in transit. There may be requirements in the policy relating to safe keys and the method of transit.
Personal assault cover may be included, which will provide compensation for you or your employees following injury during theft or attempted theft of money.
Employee travel insurance
If your employees travel abroad you should ensure they are covered by employee travel insurance and that the policy covers their country of destination and any other countries they may pass through en route. Make sure the cover extends to equipment, computers and money, if necessary.
Fidelity guarantees
Fidelity guarantees cover you against loss of money or stock arising from dishonesty by your employees.
Key person insurance
Protects your business against the loss of income resulting from the disability or death of a person in a key position.
Trade credit insurance
Trade credit insurance covers businesses against the risk of bad debt due to the insolvency or default of their buyers.
This cover can be an important tool in credit management and can also provide a replacement of working capital when bad debts and late payment impact on cash flow.
