Underinsurance remains a concern for many people and businesses. Underinsurance worsened during the COVID pandemic, and the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters has reported that over 40% of all commercial claims exhibit some degree of underinsurance, which is now compounded by soaring inflation.
A new guide from the British Insurers Brokers’ Association (BIBA) advises how to avoid it, and BIBA member, TL Dallas is keen to meet with clients to ensure the right levels of insurance are in place.
Written with loss adjuster and BIBA valuation facility provider, QuestGates, the new ‘guide to valuations’ looks at macro issues that impact sums insured. It also highlights the importance of reviewing sums insured and making accurate valuations of buildings, plant, machinery, and other contents as well as estimating suitable indemnity periods in business interruption cover.
Managing Director, Polly Staveley, from TL Dallas, added: “Underinsurance is a serious concern and can leave a policyholder responsible for a large percentage of a loss where the discrepancy is significant. Part of our role is to try to ensure this doesn’t happen and advise clients on setting correct sums insured, albeit we are not professional valuers so we recommend their services should always be sought.
“We will also assist with setting the right levels of business interruption cover and indemnity periods, which are especially critical as there are often long delays in deliveries of replacement machinery and also building material supplies are still somewhat disrupted. This new guide from BIBA will act as a great aide-memorie when it comes to reviewing clients’ policies.”
Alistair Steward, director at QuestGates highlighted that: “Getting the sums insured stated correctly at the time of inception of the policy makes the claims process so much easier, avoiding difficult conversations with customers around underinsurance and enabling prompt and full claims settlements.”
To download a copy of the guide, click HERE and to arrange a call with TL Dallas contact your nearest office.