Fastpedaller
Über Member
I hope I've put this in the correct part of the forums. I've just received my renewal to cover my company liability insurance for Plumbing. Last year (when they introduced the exclusion) I renewed it because it provided me with the legally required public and employee liability cover at the best cost I could find.
These are the endorsements in the Policy:-
Gas work exclusion - not covered (not an issue as I'm not trained on gas)
More worryingly..
1) Internal Work Height Restriction - We will not cover any internal work that is carried out more than I metre (3 ft 3 inches) from the floor
Heat work (other than soldering) Exclusion - We will not cover any claim arising out of the use of many equipment that produces heat or flames other than soldering irons.
!a) No underground interior work.
2)External Work Above Ground Level Exclusion - We will not cover any claim resulting from external work involving the use of access equipment
I expect someone to ask 'why did you renew with those exclusions'? and my simple answer is that I'd been trading for over 20 years and with the same insurance provider for about half that time and never had a claim, the excess applied in the (unlikely) event of a claim is over £500, and mirrored by the other insurers who wanted twice the premium (and maybe the same exclusion, I didn't delve further). On the basis that I had the legally required cover (and a limited company) I decided an immediate saving for a lower-cost policy was the way to go. In the event of a low-cost claim I'd have to cover the excess anyway, and if I experienced a high-cost claim I'd challenge the unfair contract or go into liquidation (as the big companies do) although I wouldn't choose that route unless pushed.
n.b. This Policy is promoted as professional plumber Insurance, yet with those exclusions (unless I'm reading it entirely wrong)
Exclusion1) means no work on showers as they are too high (or do the insurers mean the plumber is 1 metre from the floor? If so is that to his/her feet or does it really mean no shower work?
Exclusion 2) External work above ground level - So I can't fit an outside (garden)tap to the outside on someone's kitchen wall? Access equipment.... drilling to make hole through wall. The wording seem deliberately vague. I suspect (because I'm having to ask the question) that the answers aren't straight-forward, however some here may respond to say I'm entirely mistaken, but I'm wondering how to proceed:-
If the policy has unfair terms which are designed to reject claims from all plumbers I'm thinking of bringing it to light to the senior management of the company with a view to
a) Trying to reclaim some of my policy fee (although I expect nothing as I agreed to it albeit with unfair terms)
b) 'Shame' them into doing a better job - Maybe bring it to the attention of Martin Lewis?
I add that I've recently retired, so won't be renewing, but if they are being unfair I'd like to hold them to account (for the benefit of other plumbers). Please note.... don't fall into the "plumbers earn lots of money" mindset. We don't earn lots - that's reserved for 'heating engineers' and I've retired because the physical strain and my age were fast catching up with me (now 66)
These are the endorsements in the Policy:-
Gas work exclusion - not covered (not an issue as I'm not trained on gas)
More worryingly..
1) Internal Work Height Restriction - We will not cover any internal work that is carried out more than I metre (3 ft 3 inches) from the floor
Heat work (other than soldering) Exclusion - We will not cover any claim arising out of the use of many equipment that produces heat or flames other than soldering irons.
!a) No underground interior work.
2)External Work Above Ground Level Exclusion - We will not cover any claim resulting from external work involving the use of access equipment
I expect someone to ask 'why did you renew with those exclusions'? and my simple answer is that I'd been trading for over 20 years and with the same insurance provider for about half that time and never had a claim, the excess applied in the (unlikely) event of a claim is over £500, and mirrored by the other insurers who wanted twice the premium (and maybe the same exclusion, I didn't delve further). On the basis that I had the legally required cover (and a limited company) I decided an immediate saving for a lower-cost policy was the way to go. In the event of a low-cost claim I'd have to cover the excess anyway, and if I experienced a high-cost claim I'd challenge the unfair contract or go into liquidation (as the big companies do) although I wouldn't choose that route unless pushed.
n.b. This Policy is promoted as professional plumber Insurance, yet with those exclusions (unless I'm reading it entirely wrong)
Exclusion1) means no work on showers as they are too high (or do the insurers mean the plumber is 1 metre from the floor? If so is that to his/her feet or does it really mean no shower work?
Exclusion 2) External work above ground level - So I can't fit an outside (garden)tap to the outside on someone's kitchen wall? Access equipment.... drilling to make hole through wall. The wording seem deliberately vague. I suspect (because I'm having to ask the question) that the answers aren't straight-forward, however some here may respond to say I'm entirely mistaken, but I'm wondering how to proceed:-
If the policy has unfair terms which are designed to reject claims from all plumbers I'm thinking of bringing it to light to the senior management of the company with a view to
a) Trying to reclaim some of my policy fee (although I expect nothing as I agreed to it albeit with unfair terms)
b) 'Shame' them into doing a better job - Maybe bring it to the attention of Martin Lewis?
I add that I've recently retired, so won't be renewing, but if they are being unfair I'd like to hold them to account (for the benefit of other plumbers). Please note.... don't fall into the "plumbers earn lots of money" mindset. We don't earn lots - that's reserved for 'heating engineers' and I've retired because the physical strain and my age were fast catching up with me (now 66)
