Comprehensive Insurance Report
Prepared by: JORO
Client: Coombs Contractors Ltd (Landscaping & Fencing, Construction Support)
Reporting date: May 1, 2025
1. OVERVIEW OF CURRENT COVER
| Policy | Insurer | Period | Key Limits | Annual Cost* | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employers’ Liability | Hadron UK | 09 Sep 24 – 08 Sep 25 | £5 m any one event | Not shown in files | Statutory requirement; protects the company if an employee (e.g. landscaper or fencer) is injured at work |
| Public & Products Liability | Hadron UK | 09 Sep 24 – 08 Sep 25 | £10 m each occurrence/aggregate for products | Not shown | Covers third-party injury or property damage—for example a fence collapses on a passer-by |
| Contractors’ Plant (Own & Hired-in) | Hadron UK | 09 Sep 24 – 08 Sep 25 | Own £12,500; Hired-in £25,000 | Not shown | Pays to repair/replace mowers, post-drivers or hired excavators damaged or stolen |
| Minifleet Motor | Aviva | 21 Sep 24 – 20 Sep 25 | Comprehensive on 14 vehicles; theft excess +5 % on Range Rover & driver age limits | £25,701.83 ex-IPT after Sept 24 adjustment | Keeps the fleet mobile; includes 24/7 Fleetline claims line |
| Management Liability (Directors’ & Officers’) |
AXA | 09 Sep 24 – 08 Sep 25 | £1 m any one claim | £243.81 + IPT £29.26 (£273.07 total) | Protects personal assets of directors if sued over company decisions (e.g. H&S prosecution) |
*Premiums shown where supplied; ask broker for the missing figures to complete your records.
2. COVERAGE SUMMARY
| Coverage | JORO View | Client Covered? | Indicative Premium (ex-IPT) |
Potential Saving† | Typical Claim Scenario | Key Steps & Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employers’ Liability | Essential | ✅ Hadron UK | £3,500 | Up to £350 (≈ 10 %) by tightening PUWER records & refresher training | Ground-worker severs fingers on circular saw | Notify broker < 24 h, RIDDOR; settlement 12–24 mths |
| Public & Products Liability | Essential | ✅ Hadron UK | £4,000 | £400 (certified installers to BS 1722) | Fence panel falls, injuring passer-by | Photos + RAMS; insurer contacts claimant in 7 days |
| Motor – Minifleet | Essential | ✅ Aviva | £25,702 (current) £2,570 (dash-cams & telematics reduce freq 10 %) |
– | Van collision en-route to site | Call Aviva Fleetline 24/7; courtesy van < 48 h |
| Plant (Own & Hired-in) | Recommended | ✅ Hadron UK | £1,200 | £120 (yard CCTV + CESAR marking) | Post-driver stolen overnight | Crime ref; proof of ownership; paid 2–6 wks |
| Management Liability (D&O) | Recommended | ✅ AXA | £274 incl. IPT £25 (Cyber Essentials gives 5 % credit) |
– | HSE prosecutes directors | Notify immediately; defence costs paid as incurred |
| Employment Practices Liability | Missing | ❌ | £750 | n/a | Unfair-dismissal allegation | Extension would pick up legal fees |
| Cyber & Data Liability | Missing | ❌ | £650 | n/a | Ransomware encrypts project drawings | 24 h breach hotline; average pay-out < 30 days |
| Business Interruption | Missing | ❌ | £1,200 (linked to property sum insured) | n/a | Workshop fire halts production | Loss-of-profits claim; advance payments after 4 wks |
| Professional Indemnity (Design) | Optional | ❌ | £1,200 per £1 m limit | n/a | Incorrect garden design causes subsidence | Notify within 7 days; insurer appoints engineer |
3. RED FLAGS & REAL-LIFE SCENARIOS
| Issue | What We See | Documented Example |
|---|---|---|
| Policy Conditions not followed | Underground-service checks not evidenced in RAMS. | Drainage contractor hit water main; insurer initially repudiated claim because mapping checks were not documented. Broker secured payment after 4 months. |
| Machine Guarding / Training | Reliance on hand-held power saws; no evidence of PUWER log. | Landscape gardener lost three fingers when saw guard failed; claim settled for six-figure sum after 18 months. |
| Driver Age & Theft Clauses | Fleet excludes drivers < 25 and adds 5 % theft excess on Range Rover; breaches void cover. | Recent motor claim declined where employee aged 23 was at wheel—cost the firm £12 k. |
| No Cyber Protection | Increasing ransomware against small contractors (UK construction cyber losses up 19 % in 2024). | Welsh building firm lost £38 k when supplier-bank-details email was spoofed; cyber policy reimbursed within 30 days. |
| No Business Interruption | Fire, flood or vandalism could halt operations. | Average rebuild of workshop after arson = 41 weeks (ABI 2023). |
4. RECOMMENDED TESTS & CERTIFICATES
| Service Category | Key Standards / Certificates | Insurance Impact (indicative) |
|---|---|---|
| Timber & Mesh Fencing Installation |
|
Up to 10 % discount on Public Liability once FISS/CSCS accredited and RAMS reference BS 1722. |
| Hard Landscaping (paving, brickwork, retaining walls) |
|
Reduces defective-work claims and can be a condition precedent for Products Liability. |
| Soft Landscaping (tree work, turfing) |
|
Demonstrated competence can cut Employers’ Liability rate 5 %. |
| Hoarding & Temporary Works |
|
Supports SSIP accreditations and tender requirements. |
| Plant & Lifting Operations |
|
Avoids 5 % theft excess and prevents claim rejection. |
| Data & IT Security |
|
Adds underwriting credit (AXA offers 5 % off D&O for Cyber Essentials). |
5. BENEFITS OF TAKING THE EXTRA STEPS
Lower Premiums & Excesses
Meeting BS 1722 and holding FISS/CSCS can save ~£1,200 per year on liability cover. Telematics or dash-cams on fleet typically cut collision frequency 15 %, leading to no-claims discounts.
Faster, Less Disputed Claims
Documented underground-service searches would have avoided the four-month delay in the drainage-pipe claim above. Guard inspection logs help prove compliance, speeding EL settlements by up to six months.
Operational Continuity
Adding Business Interruption ensures wage roll & hire-of-subcontractors are covered if the yard is inaccessible after a fire. Cyber policy gives 24/7 incident response, preventing costly project delays.
Stronger Market Reputation
SSIP accreditations (CHAS, Achilles) signal professionalism to main contractors—often a tender gatekeeper. Good claims history & risk-management evidence give leverage for higher Public Liability limits (£15 m) without major cost uplift.
Director & Employee Peace of Mind
Expanding Management Liability with Employment Practices Liability protects against tribunal awards and legal fees, reassuring staff and investors alike.
6. NEXT ACTIONS FOR COOMBS CONTRACTORS
| Priority | Action | Owner | Target Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | Confirm premiums for EL/PL & Plant with broker; file in central register. | Finance | 14 May 25 |
| High | Schedule BS 1722 refresher toolbox talk & update RAMS to reference underground-service checks. | H&S Manager | 31 May 25 |
| Medium | Obtain Cyber Essentials quote & proposal. | IT / Finance | 30 Jun 25 |
| Medium | Review need for Business Interruption & Employment Practices Liability; seek quotations. | Broker | 15 Jun 25 |
| Low | Fit S5 trackers to any newly acquired vehicles >£75 k. | Fleet | Ongoing |
Prepared by JORO – specialist insurance adviser (30 + yrs broking & risk-management experience).