Public Liability Insurance (PLI) provides cover for any damage caused by the insured to a third party person or property.

Should you run a business, despite your best intentions there are bound to be occasions when accidents happen and should the accident happen as a result of something that your business has done, then the client, contractor or member of the public can claim against your business for compensation.

Your Public Liability Insurance will then cover any claims made against you for damage to property or injury to a third party.

For example if a tradesman working in your home were to knock over an expensive clock or vase, his Public Liability Insurance would cover the cost of the damage or replacement.

This insurance would also provide cover for any injury that a third party receives through the neglect of the tradesman, for example, a roofer dropping a tile from the roof onto the third party below, or even causing damage to the third party by leaving tools lying around the house causing the third party to trip and injure themselves.

Clearly any tradesmen or self employed contractors should have a form of Public Liability Insurance in place, but perversely there is no legal obligation to do so, despite the obvious risk to others and the financial implications to the tradesman.

Many employers such as building sites will not allow anyone to work on site without a valid insurance agreement and home owners should take the same stance and ask to see the certificate of anybody that they employ for jobs such as building work, plumbing, window cleaning – anything in fact!

For anyone starting up their own business particularly when working in other peoples homes and business premises, it is recommended that you take out Public Liability Insurance without any doubt.

It only takes a drink being spilled on a clients computer or a third party tripping over unattended tools causing injury to themselves, to realise your business cannot possibly operate without PLI.

Compared to atrocious weather in the same period of 2009, the cold snap in November and December 2010 was not only more severe, but lasted longer and affected more of the country.

Insurance claims against property and vehicles reached a staggering £1.4billion over the most recent winter period compared to the measly £650million paid out for damage caused in 2009.

In fact burst pipes alone accounted for more in pay outs in 2010 than the total claims from the previous winter, with over 100,000 claims totalling £680million.

More than 250,000 vehicles were damaged as a result of the snow and ice on the roads, leading to claims for a further £530million it is claimed.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) who released the figures, suggest that there is no evidence that premiums had increased as a result of the cold weather, but I am sure that will follow during the course of this year.

The item deemed most at risk, by 41% of SME owners in the study, was computer equipment. E-risks that they face, such as theft of data, online identity fraud, loss of confidential information or hacker damage were also cited as a concern. This comes as no surprise as government statistics reveal that the average cost of the worst IT information security incident to a small company each year is £10,000-£20,000. Just 17% of SME owners said they were not concerned about anything being stolen from their office.

Hiscox SME insurance expert, John Heaney, comments: “It’s important for businesses to protect themselves against loss of physical property and data theft. It may sound obvious, but following basic procedures such as checking windows and exits are secured, setting alarms and storing expensive equipment out of sight, can be invaluable.”

“SMEs should also consider their online assets and how to protect them. Given the importance of data to businesses it is essential that SMEs have strategies in place to mitigate online risks. Data is currency and while the internet has made it much easier to access information it has also increased cyber risks such as hacker attacks and electronic ID theft. SMEs need to think beyond securing the building and put in place robust online security measures.”

Hiscox offers the following security tips to help SMEs to protect against online and offline risks:

• Protect information with a need-to-know policy with employees. If storing information on a central file server, manage who has access to files. This can help prevent data loss, whether accidental or deliberate
• Running an enterprise is a full-time activity and if you do not have online technical expertise seek professional advice on security. This can both save time and ensure the security measures cover the business needs
• Encrypt important information for extra security so that only authorised users will be able to access them
• Using the internet and email to conduct business means that data loss becomes a risk. Develop a clear email policy and raise online security awareness and issues with employees
• Back up your files and check your insurance cover so that you can get business up and running again quickly in the event of an incident
• Items like laptops and computer monitors are common targets for thieves and the real cost of a stolen IT asset isn’t just the hardware, it’s the lost data and the lost productivity. Lock servers in a room and move laptops into a secure drawer at the end of a working day

For further advice and information, visit Hiscox, leading providers of business insurance for SME’s including professional indemnity insurance and employers liability insurance cover.

Specialising in particular with organisations that are focused on social welfare, professional pursuits, and specialty risks, Markel insurance has been helping many different organisations find insurance that is tailored to their needs by providing a perfect fit instead of a one size fits all approach to insurance.

Markel offers it services to help managers of insurances who are in need of directors and officers’ liability, trustee indemnity, entity, and employment law protection while also offering a broader range of professional indemnity insurance to a wide array of professionals within the business world.

The leading insurance firm also provides several different types of social welfare cover types, including protection for public, private, and not-for-profit organisations that offer care and support to those in need of charity including both the young, disadvantaged, and elderly members of society.  Also falling under this category is coverage for a variety of different charitable non-profit community groups.

Those who have specialised needs can also seek out insurance coverage under the specialty property cover provided by Markel Insurance UK, which are most often used as underwriters for many online facilities and other bespoke schemes that do not fit into any other insurance category.  Therefore, Markel Insurance is a great alternative for those who are having trouble finding proper coverage for suitably high risk business venture.

In addition, Markel UK also provides insurance for UK companies that do not fit into any insurance niche and have a turnover less than twenty million pounds per year, such as companies that are operate within the industries of scientific equipment, medical products, supplements, pharmaceuticals, surgical products, and cosmetics.

Markel Limited is a part of the broader Markel Corporation, which has served the US since the start of last century and has now become a leader of insurance brands within the United States.  Over the past few decades the UK branch Markel Limited has gained positive recognition as a suite of brokers and offices that are able to provide an excellent array of insurance options to those who often may struggle to find appropriate coverage for their unique business ventures.

When the weather starts to warm up, home and contents insurer Hiscox is encouraging homeowners to be on the lookout for leaks caused by burst pipes. The sub zero temperatures can result in pipes freezing and homeowners could be unaware their pipes have burst until the thaw when water begins to leak into their property.

Austyn Tusler, home insurance expert at Hiscox, comments: “The early onset of snow and ice may have caught people under prepared with their winter proofing measures. However taking some simple steps and generally being vigilant for burst pipes can prevent major damage. There is still a long winter ahead, however as the cold snap ends and there are slightly higher temperatures, frozen pipes will begin to thaw.

“Unchecked, a leak can quickly turn into large amounts of water gushing into attics or lofts, damaging the structure, electrical wiring and belongings. Catching leaks early can prevent water damage and save homeowners time and money as well as the emotional stress of experiencing loss or damage to personal belongings.”

To spot a burst pipe:

• Look for damp patches on ceilings and walls
• Inspect the loft and any isolated areas that may not be as adequately insulated to check for leaks
• If you turn on the tap and no water comes out – don’t take any chances – call a plumber immediately and turn off the water supply
• Check exposed pipes for signs of damage – a leak will not occur until the water has thawed
• If you are going away for an extended period leaving your property unattended, make sure you have someone who can check on your home regularly

If you discover a burst or damaged pipe:

• Turn off the water supply at the main water tap (or valve), and turn off the stopcock in your cold water tank if you have one
• If water has leaked near electrics or electrical appliances, switch off the mains immediately and don’t touch any areas that are damp
• Protect everything around any pipe that appears to be frozen to avoid damage
• Contact your insurer to let them know about the damage within the time specified in your insurance policy
• Ring a tradesperson – again check with your insurer on whether they have a panel of approved tradespeople

For further insurance advice, visit Hiscox, specialists in a variety of insurance packages, including both Home & Personal and Business, such as Professional Indemnity Insurance.

So it is always advisable to take out your cover with an insurer who is experienced in many different areas of commercial insurance.  Unfortunately, not all insurance companies will be able to offer this same high level of expertise…  and that is why it is so important to look around carefully for the right insurer.

Staveley Head are extremely knowledgeable when it comes to business insurance.  They make a point of providing their customers with the very highest levels of cover for their specific line of work, they can provide all the cover you need at the lowest possible prices.

They pride themselves on being experts at what they do and their team of specialists make the whole matter of taking out cover for a company both fast and simple.  In fact, most of the time Staveley Head will be able to organise your business insurance policy in one single phone call.  And that is very welcome news indeed!

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) say that £639 million was paid out over the course of the first six months of 2009, a staggering £3.6 million each day for damage caused by fires.

The plague continues to grow and looks set to exceed the twelve month record set in 2008 when insurers recorded £1.3 billion losses to fire damage in the UK.

The ABI claim in their report ‘Tackling Fire: A Call For Action’ that arson accounts for over half of all commercial fires and tends to increase in times of recession. They say that socially deprived areas and schools are particularly vulnerable, with twenty schools a week currently suffering from some form of arson attack.

The report suggests that while the number of fires reported are falling the increase in large scale fires is increasingly putting lives at risk as well as the incredible financial burden on owners and insurance companies in these difficult times.

Small business owners are advised that there is a standard procedure to follow when considering redundancy and many owners are either are unaware of the guidelines or choose to ignore them.

The repercussions are serious for employers, who can be sued for ‘unfair dismissal’ if the former  employee believes that the rules were not correctly adhered to. Discrimination claims can be made on the basis of race, age  or gender if the redundancy process has been abused.

Gary Head of Hiscox says; “All businesses should seek professional advice when it comes to making redundancies or they might find that what started out as a cost-cutting exercise could cost them far more in the long run.”

APC research has shown that over 14,000 home based businesses are launched each week in the UK, representing 60% of all start ups. The underwriter is aware that historically it has been difficult to obtain cover for home businesses and has designed this latest product, underwritten by Lloyds, with the flexibility to cater for both residential and commercial risks.

APC say that the product covers in excess of 200 trades and should give brokers a better opportunity to cater for the fast growing home business market.

The company estimates that the improvements would cost the government around £720million and will push up the UK flood defence budget to £1.5billion for 2010/2011.

The insurer is also demanding a system of clear accountability over drainage problems that cause flooding, after revealing that 75% of last years flood claims resulted from drainage issues.

While the government has made all the right noises it seems that they have only committed £5million for the development of Surface Water Management Plans, but none of the money has been allocated to implement the actions that are called for.