Public liability insurance - nothing else (yet)

[Drellingore]

Anyone got any recommendations for folks that can provide only public liability insurance for a barn conversion site?

 

Protek are asking for a list of stuff that's longer than both my arms and my legs - like estimated costs to rebuild the 18th century barn back to its prior state. They're refusing to separate out the public liability insurance, which I need by Wednesday 20th ideally. Instead they want to quote for all aspects of insurance.

 

When I've done this for my IT consultancy businesses, some of which had their own offices, this was a trivial box-ticking exercise and I'm pretty sure was just a matter of filling an online form. Are any of y'all aware of someone that makes it this simple?

[BadgerBodger]

Howdens brokers I had a reasonable quote from them for various individual aspects

[Gus Potter]

1 hour ago, Drellingore said:

like estimated costs to rebuild the 18th century barn back to its prior state.

1 hour ago, Drellingore said:

Anyone got any recommendations for folks that can provide only public liability insurance for a barn conversion site?

 

Protek are asking for a list of stuff that's longer than both my arms and my legs - like estimated costs to rebuild the 18th century barn back to its prior state. They're refusing to separate out the public liability insurance, which I need by Wednesday 20th ideally. Instead they want to quote for all aspects of insurance.

 

When I've done this for my IT consultancy businesses, some of which had their own offices, this was a trivial box-ticking exercise and I'm pretty sure was just a matter of filling an online form. Are any of y'all aware of someone that makes it this simple?

Interesting. I've been working and advising a Client that has been wading their way through the ProteK procedures, their fine print, how they are looking to offset their risk to produce, I assume, a competetive 10 year warranty quote. In the last couple of days this seems to be resolved and a deal has been done. I can say it's been a journey and I feel for the Client but they are now able to move on. I can't expand much more on the detail as much is confidential. 

 

From my experience so far with ProteK it may be worth letting the public liability slide for now. My reasoning is as follows:

 

As an SE / Architectural designer my Professional indemnity insurance premium is quite a lot. There are two primary reasons for this.

 

First is that if I cock up as an SE injury or worse could occur and that would result in a high level of claim. If you want to be an SE then a high premium comes with the terratory and we maintain that cover normally for 3 to 5 years unless otherwise agreed. 

 

Second. with my Architectural hat on if I miss something like daylight requirement, breach the building regs there will be a potential claim. ProteK, as you'll find out may or may not ask you for a plans check / the insurance the Architect or you carry  if have drawn the plans yourself carry against a breach of the building regs. Again cover is for 3 to 5 years unless agreed otherwise. 

 

ProteK have "now" got the jist of the above. 

 

Now the above coupled with your (Contractor's site insurance) adds up to a fair sum, but all of the above cover most aspects of risk and what you are left with is the public liability (PL) insurance which is cheep in comparison. I think ProteK bundle everything up and that is why they don't want the hassle of separating out the PL as it's a small element. There are "commisions" and so on. To provide a bit of context my PL cover is less than 5% of my PI cover. 

 

1 hour ago, Drellingore said:

like estimated costs to rebuild the 18th century barn back to its prior state

This is where the premium could vary a lot, concentrate on this bigger ticket item rather than the PL. 

 

Check your fine print for contaminated land clauses and the statement of facts you made. They may have updated their documentation but note, SE's need to be insured, but by omission in their statement of fact questions an Architect or Architectural Technician maybe does not require insurance and thus this could  infer that you can do your own drawings for BC as a self builder. Have a look at their PD (CDM) requirements and with that comes the need for a health and safety file at the end of the build. 

 

I'm sure you'll get it sorted out but you probably need to get a hold of a senior person at ProteK. ProteK as I understand (having sat down with one of their inspectors) sub contract (sort of) out their site inspections to independent surveyors. The inspector that came to meet me in my office was highly competent and appeared a dilligent individual which was reassuring I felt. 

 

In the round I got the feeling that ProteK are doing a good job, have quality surveyors, yes they might be strict but that is what you want surely.. to get your house right? Where I think they may fall down is on admin and the computer says no!

 

 

 

 

 

[Drellingore]

Thanks for the very detailed and considered thoughts, @Gus Potter. This insurance malarkey sounds a lot more complicated than I was expecting... And I don't know why I was expecting it to be simple!

 

We need the public liability insurance for the Grand Designs film crew. I think getting that in place as a separate item, and then giving the overall package more thought is the way to go. We do have an architect and an SE involved, so hopefully that makes things easier and the exposure smaller.