Latest From The Blog

24 06, 2020

Covid updates

By |2022-05-05T09:45:06+00:00June 24th, 2020|insurance, Landlord Insurance, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Covid updates

COVID Updates Clients experiencing financial difficulties On the 18th May 2020, the Financial Conduct Authority introduced new measures for insurance and premium finance firms to help clients in financial difficulty.  Should you be experiencing financial hardship, or if things change at work or home, we may be able to help by: Re-assessing your demands & needs Reviewing levels of cover Adding or removing optional covers such as legal expenses Adding or removing people on your policy Where amendments to your insurance cover does not alleviate your payment difficulties, you should contact your finance provider directly as further support may be available, which could potentially include: The possibility of deferring payments (refer to FAQ’s) Reduced repayments, or rescheduled term Waiving missed or late payment fees Amending your repayment date without any cost Reducing interest payments It is important that customers do not leave themselves uninsured, so we encourage you to [...]

16 06, 2020

Second Home Insurance

By |2022-05-05T09:23:38+00:00June 16th, 2020|Block Of Flats Insurance, flats insurance, insurance, insurance for flats, Second Home Insurance, second home insurance, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Second Home Insurance

Second Home Insurance Having a second home can be a fantastic place to spend your weekends or summer holidays. A second home is obviously different than a first home or main residence, and that is why you will require the correct Second Home Insurance policy to make sure you are covered against various risks. Property owners who have second homes can do a number of things: Rent out on a 6 month AST – Landlord Insurance Rent out for short terms period – also known as holiday letting Use it themselves as a weekend or holiday retreat – no letting If the second home is being used precisely as that – quite literally your own second home that only you will use (also known as a holiday home), there are some important things to consider. So, what are they? Well, if you are fortunate enough to own a second [...]

3 06, 2020

Can a missing EIC stop me selling my home?

By |2022-05-05T09:15:07+00:00June 3rd, 2020|Home Insurance, Legal Information|0 Comments

Can a missing EIC stop me selling my home? If you have had any ‘notifiable’ electrical works carried out at your home since 2005, the law requires you to have an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC). If you don’t have an EIC when it comes to selling your home, it can throw a spanner in the works during the conveyancing process. This article looks at the implications of a missing EIC and what a seller’s options are when it comes to moving home. What are ‘notifiable’ works? Electrical work carried out at residential properties in England and Wales is covered by Part P of the Building Regulations. The regulations state that: Reasonable provision shall be made in the design and installation of electrical installations in order to protect persons operating, maintaining or altering the installations from fire or injury’. Building regulations are policed by Local Authority Building Control (LABC). LABC [...]

1 06, 2020

Back to work? Check your Retail Insurance

By |2020-06-01T15:44:21+00:00June 1st, 2020|Block Of Flats Insurance, insurance, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Back to work? Check your Retail Insurance

Back to work? Check your Retail Insurance! As the days and weeks go by, those of us who have been working remotely might be starting to hear some extra noise when the windows are open, due the current sunshine & heat. From March 23rd things got very quiet in most parts of the UK. There was no more morning rush, buses and cars had come to a halt not even venturing outside their driveways or curb side. There is now a different feel…quite literally there is more noise. Construction workers can now be heard with clanging throughout the day on metal or concrete. That noise before was often drowned out by the ‘other’ noise that will surely & inevitably return. However, slowly at this stage, one feels there are steps being taken (slow steps) to get everyone back to normality. There is an air of positive that has been [...]

18 05, 2020

make sure contractors have cleaners insurance

By |2020-05-18T08:59:17+00:00May 18th, 2020|Public Liability Insurance|0 Comments

Back to normality...does your cleaner have Cleaners Insurance? Listening to the news it is fair to say that returning to normality may be some considerable time away, if at all the voices of doom project! That’s another debate. The pragmatic view is that there will certainly be a new normal, at least in the short term. Business Owners, Shop owners, Restaurant Owners, Offices, Schools and not least Cleaning Companies will all need to learn how to adapt due to the Coronavirus. Sadly, COVID-19 will be with us for some time, if not forever. One thing that is essential if you employ cleaning contractors (or are a cleaning contractor yourself), the correct cleaners insurance should definitely be in place. All parties should have this checked! Like anything, those business owners who prepare the most will have the best successes in overcoming whatever effects of the virus are thrown in their [...]

16 05, 2020

Insurance for Flats

By |2022-05-05T09:30:42+00:00May 16th, 2020|Block Of Flats Insurance, flats insurance, insurance, insurance for flats, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Insurance for Flats

Insurance for Flats During these unprecedented times, money is tight! Probably more so than ever for many of us but that doesn't mean you should take lesser insurance for flats if you live in a block or are responsible for its management. With the prospect of redundancies on the horizon due to business cashflow problems, furloughed employees getting 80% of their usual wage, businesses being forced to shut up for good in many cases and the recent announcement of Chancellor Rishi Sunak that we may be entering a deep recession, many of us will be tempted to skimp on luxury items we once took for granted. Although ‘tightening your belt’ is no bad thing, there are things you should not skimp on. Just remember when things get bad, there is the potential for them to get a heck of a lot worse when the next storm or flood arrives [...]

6 05, 2020

Considerations for Business Owners during lockdown

By |2022-05-05T09:18:50+00:00May 6th, 2020|Business Insurance|0 Comments

What will a Business Insurance Quote cover in lockdown? Coronavius and COVID-19 are two things on the lips of people all over the world let alone the UK. In addition to the obvious health issues we are experiencing as a population, it doesn’t take long for radio show hosts or television presenters to mention the need economic salvation. The economy is going to need a kickstart when a handle is on the disease itself, quite simply at some stage we are going to have to get back to ‘business’. When we do it will most likely be in stages, and hearing various media reports business will not just continue to operate the way it used to in a virus-free state, but operate in tandem with the virus. In short, business needs to manage the risk as the virus may be with us for quite some time until a vaccine [...]

27 04, 2020

What is HMO Insurance?

By |2022-05-05T10:44:07+00:00April 27th, 2020|HMO Insurance, insurance, Landlord Insurance|Comments Off on What is HMO Insurance?

What is HMO Insurance? HMO insurance is normally described as a landlord's property which is shared among a number of unrelated people. HMO is an acronym which stands for House in Multiple Occupation. HMO insurance provides the correct insurance. Some HMO properties will require a license – this will normally be the case where the HMO is 3 storeys high and when there are at least 2 different & distinct households & where there are at least 5 unrelated people living there. Landlords of this type of building will require HMO Insurance - Get a Quote For HMO Insurance  A license is obtained from the local authority and will be carefully inspected to ensure it meets the relevant safety standards, such as Gas Safety Smoke alarms Carbon monoxide alarms When a property is deemed to be an HMO and the very fact that licenses are sometimes required, can often [...]

17 04, 2020

Government Support for Self-Employed

By |2022-05-05T09:36:35+00:00April 17th, 2020|insurance, Landlord Insurance, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Government Support for Self-Employed

Coronavirus self-employed help is a very hot topic right now. As there is such a large volume of information to digest in terms of support for businesses from the Government, as your broker we wanted to bring the below to your attention as we feel it is particularly pertinent. This scheme for self-employed will allow you to claim a taxable grant worth 80% of your trading profits up to a maximum of £2,500 per month for the next 3 months. This may be extended if needed. Who can apply for Government Support for Self-Employed You can apply if you’re a self-employed individual or a member of a partnership and you: • have submitted your Income Tax Self Assessment tax return for the tax year 2018-19 • traded in the tax year 2019-20 • are trading when you apply, or would be except for COVID-19 • intend to continue to [...]

9 04, 2020

What should my Business Insurance Cost?

By |2022-05-05T09:39:02+00:00April 9th, 2020|insurance, Landlord Insurance, Uncategorized|Comments Off on What should my Business Insurance Cost?

Business Insurance Cost When choosing insurance for your business, there will be two main questions that you may be asking: How much does Business Insurance Cost? What does Business Insurance Cover me for? To answer these questions, it is important to understand that every business has its very own particular risks that may not be similar to another. Therefore, the premium may differ as it' s not a once size fits all approach! How much will my Business Insurance Cost? In order to get the best premium for your Business Insurance, it is important to show your insurer (or potential insurer) that you have been trading with little to no hick-ups along the way - and by that, we mean you have a clean record with little in the way of claims. This will demonstrate to your insurer that you know what you are doing and that you know [...]

24 03, 2020

Government Support for Coronavirus

By |2020-06-05T13:29:00+00:00March 24th, 2020|insurance, Landlord Insurance, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Government Support for Coronavirus

Government support for Business Interruption As there is such a large volume of information to digest in terms of support for businesses from the Government, as your broker we wanted to bring the below to your attention as we feel it is particularly pertinent. CORONAVIRUS BUSINESS INTERRUPTION LOAN SCHEME The new Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme supports SMEs with access to working capital (including loans, overdrafts, invoice finance and asset finance) of up to £5 million in value and for up to 6 years. The government will pay to cover the first 12 months of interest payments and any lender-levied fees, so smaller businesses will not face any upfront costs and will benefit from lower initial repayments. The government will provide lenders with a guarantee of 80% on each loan (subject to a per-lender cap on claims) to give lenders further confidence in continuing to provide finance to SMEs. This [...]

9 03, 2020

Do I need to insure an Unadopted Road?

By |2020-05-11T16:25:57+00:00March 9th, 2020|insurance, Landlord Insurance|Comments Off on Do I need to insure an Unadopted Road?

Do I need to insure an Unadopted Road? There is a Legal Duty to insure these roads, but this does not fall on the highway authority under the Highways Act 1980. The legal duty for unadopted road insurance falls upon the owners of the road – and this normally means the owners of any properties that front that particular road. The reason for this onus to insure is not on the highway authority, is because although these roads may be a public right of way, they simply do not belong to the public road network. How can I insure an unadopted road? Normally, if you do own one of these properties that fronts an unadopted road, it is common for a resident’s association to be formed. The resident’s association will then be responsible for maintenance and general upkeep of the road, ensuring it is safe for members of the [...]

26 02, 2020

Better Landlords Insurance Prices

By |2020-05-12T09:15:15+00:00February 26th, 2020|insurance, Landlord Insurance, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Better Landlords Insurance Prices

How to get better Landlords Insurance prices! If you are looking for a Landlords Insurance NI Policy you might ask, "What insurance do I need & how can I save money?" Always remember in addition to getting the right policy, you should take note of some of the important legal aspects, relevant laws and Fire Safety Practices that are expected not only by your tenants but by your insurer also. Apply good practice to your Landlord Property and it will even save you some money along the way! If you have a few flats in the same block - a block can be a converted house also, be sure to check out the information on our block of flats insurance page.It is common knowledge that landlords have a level of responsibility for tenants in a typical rental property. However, landlords should also know that safety and more specifically Fire [...]

13 02, 2020

17 property insurance loopholes you need to know about today

By |2024-07-18T07:39:32+00:00February 13th, 2020|Home Insurance, Insurance Loopholes, Property Owners Liability Insurance|0 Comments

This expert guide walks you through the potential property insurance loopholes that insurers will exploit, to reduce their claims' exposure. As a property owner, you might be surprised by some of these potential pitfalls. By Robert Fisher Reading time: 6 minutes Version: USA Your insurance policy has been purchased and so you can rest easy, or can you? If you have purchased the correct policy with the right amount of cover, and added all the required information accurately, plus invested some time to check the finer points then should the worst happen, you will be fine. This is the principle of indemnity. If on the other hand, you get any of this wrong, your mistake could end up costing you hundreds of thousands to reinstate a building following a large loss. It is all in the finer details. This guide dives right into the loopholes and pitfalls you can encounter [...]

13 01, 2020

Can you insure a garage?

By |2026-02-27T10:03:38+00:00January 13th, 2020|insurance, Landlord Insurance, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Can you insure a garage?

Can you insure a Garage? Believe it or not, this is an extremely common question! Mostly, garages that are within the boundaries of the main property residence are insured automatically and included within the buildings sums insured specified. However there is an ever growing need for standalone garage insurance – what we mean here is, insurance for garages that are outside the boundaries of a home. This is mainly due to: Garages that are rented out to tenants Garages that are not listed on the same property deeds as the main residence Garages that are rented out to tenants Garages can be a superb investment opportunity. Once frowned upon as an investment, they are now extremely popular with a steady rental yield which will appeal to investors. The market value has also increased substantially in recent years, primarily due to a surge in their demand, driven by an increase [...]

8 01, 2020

Is it more expensive to insure a listed building?

By |2022-05-05T10:48:53+00:00January 8th, 2020|insurance, Landlord Insurance, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Is it more expensive to insure a listed building?

Is it more expensive to insure a Listed Building? The two most common questions we are asked at Property Insurance Centre (PIC) in relation to Listed Building Insurance are: Is it more expensive to insure a listed building? What does insurance cost on a grade 2 listed building? To answer these questions, it is important to understand what listed buildings are & the various categories of listed buildings there are: Listed Building Categories Grade 1 – These are buildings of exceptional special interest Grade 2* - These are particularly important buildings of more than special interest Grade 2 – These are buildings of special interest, warranting every effort to preserve them Straight away you will see which one will carry to most risk for insurers & therefore might cost more if it require reinstatement! Get a Quote Insurance under one roof [...]

3 01, 2020

How much is the average house insurance?

By |2022-05-05T10:50:20+00:00January 3rd, 2020|insurance, Landlord Insurance, Uncategorized|Comments Off on How much is the average house insurance?

How much is the average house insurance? This is a fairly subjective questions and there are many factors to consider when looking at premiums for all homes, including older properties & for new build insurance policies. These factors, will or course be considered by the insurance company or insurance broker. The insurer, however which avenue you pursue, will take into consideration some of the following factors: Please note the list is not exhaustive, but it will generally give you a basic idea as to why your premium is lower of higher than that of your workmate! Age of the building How many years you have owned the building Claims experience Postcode (some areas carry a higher risk that others) Rebuilding costs Amount of contents insured Amount of personal possessions insured away from the home We get told over and over, that their friend is paying cheaper insurance – but [...]

30 12, 2019

Get your Property Winter Ready

By |2021-10-19T18:50:24+00:00December 30th, 2019|insurance|Comments Off on Get your Property Winter Ready

Get your property Winter Ready Now is the time to take the appropriate measures before the worst of the weather arrives. Especially if you are a Commercial Property Owner, business owner or the person responsible for the maintenance & upkeep of a Commercial Building, if it’s a full repairing and insuring lease for example. Commercial Buildings, are actually one of the most neglected types of building there are in the UK. The reasons for this are varied & range from: Confusion as to who is responsible Owner not on site daily if it’s on long lease One thing is for sure, however, claims will increase the cost of insurance premiums & reduce the chances of getting the best cover with the best insurers. Property maintenance and getting the property Winter Ready, will help reduce the chances of you needing to make a claim greatly! Get a Quote [...]

23 12, 2019

Wear and Tear on Landlords Insurance

By |2022-05-10T14:16:32+00:00December 23rd, 2019|insurance, Landlord Insurance, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Wear and Tear on Landlords Insurance

What is the definition of Wear & Tear in a Landlord Policy? Wear & Tear is often claimed for and always turned down by insurers. That’s because Wear & Tear is a maintenance issue. Maintenance is the responsibility of the Landlord and a Landlord’s Policy is not a maintenance contract. However, wear & tear is open to interpretation and we aim to shed some light on what it actually is & what influences it! If not Wear & Tear, what am I actually insured for? Well, every policy wording will have a list of ‘insured perils’. These are what you as a Landlord are insured for. Example may be Fire, Malicious Damage or Theft. Your policy wording will expressly state that wear & tear is not covered. Get a Quote Insurance under one roof We are specialists in many types of [...]

18 12, 2019

Christmas Opening Times

By |2025-12-29T12:29:19+00:00December 18th, 2019|insurance, Landlord Insurance, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Christmas Opening Times

Property Insurance Centre Christmas Opening Hours '25 - '26 Christmas Staff Lunch Closure - Friday 19th December from 1.30pm (returning Monday 9am) Christmas Eve - 9am - 1.00pm Christmas Day - Closed Boxing Day - Closed 29th December - 9am - 12.30 30th December - 9am - 12.30 31st December - 9am - 12.30 New Years Day - Closed 2nd January - Normal hours... PLEASE REMEMBER IF YOU INTEND TO RENEW BY BANK TRANSFER - WE CAN ONLY PROCESS THE RENEWALS AND CONFIRM COVER WHEN WE RETURN ON THE NEXT WORKING DAY. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Insurance under one roof We are specialists in many types of insurance Block of Flats Unoccupied [...]

17 12, 2019

Escape of Water Insurance

By |2022-05-10T14:18:56+00:00December 17th, 2019|insurance, Landlord Insurance, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Escape of Water Insurance

Escape of Water Insurance Escape of water is one of the most common types of claim there is on a buildings insurance policy, including Home Insurance, Block of flats Insurance and Landlords Insurance. It is therefore important that you have this cover under your current buildings policy. It can be a horrible experience & all of your floors, walls & ceilings take the brunt of it! The most common cause is burst pipes from cold weather & of course leaks from the bath or bathroom causing damage to the room below. Do not Panic! If you are reading this, hopefully you will have taken the most important step – turn the water off! If you are reading this and have no need to make a claim, why not act before disaster strikes with escape of water: CHECK where your Stopcock is CHECK the insulation of the pipes and tank [...]

9 12, 2019

The Importance of Tradesman Insurance

By |2023-06-22T10:13:48+00:00December 9th, 2019|insurance, Landlord Insurance, Uncategorized|Comments Off on The Importance of Tradesman Insurance

The importance of Tradesman Insurance?Firstly it does not matter how experienced or good a tradesman you are, accidents happen and that is the very reason we have Public Liability Insurance as part of a Tradesman Insurance Policy.  A tradesman insurance policy will protect:YouYour LivelihoodYour IncomeWithout a proper policy in place you will lose potential contracts as many clients will require you to have PL Insurance in place before they let you carry out any work. It also lets people know you are legitimate and mean Business.  Get a Quote Insurance under one roof We are specialists in many types of insurance Why do you need Public Liability Insurance? PL as it is known is a necessity amongst tradesmen. If your business has contact with others in great numbers [...]

4 12, 2019

What is underinsurance?

By |2024-09-04T07:58:35+00:00December 4th, 2019|insurance, Landlord Insurance, Uncategorized|Comments Off on What is underinsurance?

What is Underinsurance? Here are some important Statistics on underinsurance of commercial buildings before we explain - this is not just limited to commercial property it should be noted. Underinsurance affects all property owners, either COMMERCIAL or RESIDENTIAL! Around 90% of buildings are insured for the wrong amount 8 out of 10 buildings are insured for 60% of what they should be Underinsurance can mean you will not be paid for the full value of your claim if you are ever in the unfortunate position of having to make one! It can be costly to you & even catastrophic. The next time you review your insurance policy for your Commercial Building, please ensure you are not underinsuring. Below are some important points as well as a short video to help explain. Get a Quote Insurance under one roof We [...]

26 11, 2019

Business Insurance in Northern Ireland

By |2022-05-10T14:22:38+00:00November 26th, 2019|insurance, Landlord Insurance, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Business Insurance in Northern Ireland

Why Business Insurance in Northern Ireland is important Every business in Northern Ireland should have the correct Business Insurance in place. There are various factors highlighting why this is so important, notwithstanding the fact that Employers Liability Insurance is a legal requirement – and this is why Business Insurance in NI is important! For the purposes of this article; let’s refer to Business Insurance in Northern Ireland as ‘Business Insurance NI’. Business Insurance NI provides a business with insurance cover for 3 important aspects – this list is nowhere near exhaustive, but are areas we have highlighted which are a major concern to business owners throughout Northern Ireland and beyond: Material Damage Business Interruption Liability Get a Quote Insurance under one roof We are specialists in many types of insurance [...]

Go to Top