Ecclesiastical updates

Ecclesiastical Update 22 March 2021

Updates to your Temporary Cover Enhancements (March 2021)

In line with the UK Government’s recently published roadmap, and in order that we may continue to provide certainty until properties have reopened and we have returned to a more normal way of life, please note we are extending our temporary cover enhancements to expire 31/05/21.

Ecclesiastical Update 11 February 2021

Ecclesiastical have issued the following update:

Updates to your Temporary Cover Enhancements (February 2021)

Further to our announcement in January, and in light of the extended lockdown period, please note we are extending our temporary cover enhancements to expire 31/3/21.

As before we can confirm:

•             There will be no additional premiums for these enhancements;

•             These enhancements apply until any expiry date applicable to them;

•             We will review and extend these enhancements for a further period if we deem it appropriate;

•             These enhancements will be applied via this Letter of Intent and will apply as if endorsed onto each policy.

You can find further details on our website

For more information if you have any questions relating to these updates, please get in touch with your usual Bridge contact.

Ecclesiastical Update 22 January 2021

Ecclesiastical have issued the following Covid-19 update. It is important that you read it and contact your advisor at bridge if you are unable to comply with any of the requirements or have any questions. The full release can be accessed by clicking here.

Updates to your Temporary Cover Enhancements (January) 19 January 2021

In light of current uncertainty caused by the outbreak of COVID-19 we understand that there will inevitably be an impact on your insurance needs. Please see below the automatic enhancements we are applying to all policies during this period to provide additional peace of mind.

• There will be no additional premiums for these enhancements;
• These enhancements apply until any expiry date applicable to them;
• We will review and extend these enhancements for a further period if we deem it appropriate;
• These enhancements will be applied via this Letter of Intent and will apply as if endorsed onto each policy.

Employees working from home – applicable until 31/03/21

As standard most of our policies extend contents cover to include cover whilst away from the premises and/or specifically at the homes of employees. Where your policy does not already include this cover, the following cover is added:

Contents at employees’ homes – Where your policy does not already provide such cover, your policy is extended to provide cover for contents temporarily removed to the homes of employees due to the COVID-19 outbreak up to a limit of:

• £2,500 any one item;
• A maximum of £5,000 any one employee’s home.

For Education insurance policies this extension will additionally extend cover to pupils’ and students’ homes.

Liability – health and safety

Resources for employers are signposted by the Health and Safety Executive on their latest information and advice page. As organisations look to different working models for continuity, they also have useful guidance on homeworking and working alone. 

Subject to the terms and conditions of the policy, both Employers’ and Public Liability policies provide an indemnity to the policyholder if they are held legally liable for accidental bodily injury or illness arising in connection with their business.

Premises that are temporarily closed / unoccupied – applicable until 15/02/21

At the time of writing, the latest Government guidance clarifies that whilst a business may be closed to customers, closed premises can still be occupied for certain purposes including:

• Maintenance, where this is reasonably necessary; and
• Other work to ensure business readiness to open.

In addition, where it is unreasonable for a person to work from home they are permitted to travel to work, provided this can be undertaken safely and in line with the latest Government guidelines.

Our standard policies define “unoccupied” premises, and apply standard restrictions in cover and conditions precedent to cover that need to be complied with where premises qualify as unoccupied. Our normal policy definition of “unoccupied” is:

‘vacant untenanted unfurnished empty or no longer in active use for a period exceeding 30 consecutive days’

Whilst the business may be closed to customers, if it is still used or visited by employees etc. (in accordance with Government guidelines), it may not qualify as unoccupied according to the policy definition. I.e. if the premises are periodically visited / occupied such that the period between visits / occupancy does not exceed the period in any unoccupied definition.

Where a premises does not qualify as unoccupied we confirm there will be no impact on your policy terms, conditions or premium.

However, we do still strongly recommend you implement risk management measures to reduce the risk of damage – please refer to our risk management guidance here for further information. With weather forecasts predicting prolonged periods of cold / freezing weather across the UK, this risk management is especially important to avoid or minimise losses and disruption to customers’ business activities. Any visits to or work undertaken at the premises should be in line with the latest Government guidelines.

If premises do qualify as unoccupied solely due to the national lockdown

If solely as a result of the latest national lockdown the premises qualify as unoccupied (per the applicable policy definition):

• Any automatic cover restrictions and conditions contained in the policy will apply;
• You do not need to notify us of this during the period of the national lockdown, but will need to do so once the national lockdown ceases if the premises are not re-occupied and reopened when allowed to; and
• We will not charge an additional premium for the increased unoccupancy risk for the period commencing during the national lockdown up to the expiry date applicable to this policy enhancement.

However, any dispensations shall not apply to any unoccupied premises that:

• Qualified as unoccupied prior to the latest national lockdown;
• Have permanently closed, i.e. will not reopen / be reoccupied when the national lockdown ends;
• Would have closed for reasons other than solely as a result of the national lockdown.

Important notes

Customers should refer to their policy wording for full details of any definitions, terms and conditions that apply;

This enhancement is generic – it is superseded by any more specific amendments made to your policy by us.

If you have any questions or issues regarding policy cover, you should speak to your broker or insurance adviser (direct customers should use their usual contact points).

Outstanding risk improvements, periodic conditions and maintenance conditions – re-apply from 2/12/20 and all dispensations cease

We temporarily suspended compliance with risk improvements by the deadline specified by us, and other policy terms requiring regular maintenance or inspection, where these could not be completed during the COVID-19 lockdown because of the restrictions on movement and/or the lack of availability of contractors.

With effect from 2/12/20 the suspension of compliance will cease. Any policy term that requires regular maintenance or inspection re-applies from 2/12/20.

If the re-set deadline is not sufficient for any reason please contact us immediately.

Ecclesiastical Update 22 December 2020

Ecclesiastical have issued the following update on the temporary cover enhancements put in pace in response to the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. If you have questions concerning its content please speak to your usual contact at Bridge:  

Updates to your Temporary Cover Enhancements (December 2020)

In order to support customers during a period of uncertainty, we previously added some temporary cover enhancements and wanted to provide clarity on how our cover will respond moving forward. We have therefore updated the temporary cover enhancements we previously applied as follows: 

Employees working from home – enhancement extended until 31/03/21

As standard most of our policies extend contents cover to include cover whilst away from the premises and/or specifically at the homes of employees.

Where your policy does not already include this cover, the following cover is added:

Contents at employees’ homes

Where your policy does not already provide such cover, your policy is extended to provide cover for contents temporarily removed to the homes of employees due to the COVID-19 outbreak up to a limit of:

• £2,500 any one item;
• A maximum of £5,000 any one employee’s home. 

For Education insurance policies this extension will additionally extend cover to pupils’ and students’ homes.

Liability – health and safety

Resources for employers are signposted by the Health and Safety Executive on their latest information and advice page. As organisations look to different working models for continuity, they also have useful guidance on homeworking and working alone.  

Subject to the terms and conditions of the policy, both Employers’ and Public Liability policies provide an indemnity to the policyholder if they are held legally liable for accidental bodily injury or illness arising in connection with their business.

Enhancements ended 02/12/2020

The following enhancements were only introduced for the duration of the English national lockdown period that ended on 2/12/20. These have therefore ceased and, for the avoidance of doubt, do not apply in respect of any tiered restrictions:

Premises that are temporarily closed solely due to the COVID-19 outbreak

Buildings that are temporarily closed/no longer in regular use are exposed to different and usually greater risk than occupied premises and premises that are open for regular trading.

Our standard policies define “unoccupied” premises and apply standard restrictions in cover and conditions precedent to cover that need to be complied with. Normally a higher premium is charged on unoccupied premises.

To ensure customers were not unduly penalised for temporary closures solely due to the COVID-19 full lockdown restrictions the normal terms and conditions applicable to unoccupied premises were not applied to premises that were temporarily closed. 

Temporarily Closed meant premises temporarily closed solely due to the COVID-19 outbreak (and such premises were not regarded as unoccupied as defined in the Policy) during the period when the dispensations applied. 

With effect from 2/12/20 temporarily closed premises must comply with all policy terms and conditions, including (but not restricted to) unoccupied premises conditions, where they fall within the normal policy definition of Unoccupied.

Please note:

1) The start of any period of unoccupancy begins from the date the premises first became unoccupied (not from 2/12/20). 

2) If a premises qualifies as unoccupied on 2/12/20 the insured must comply with all policy terms and conditions for unoccupied premises immediately from 2/12/20 to maintain cover in line with the policy (unless otherwise agreed or varied by us in writing).

3) Premises that are not yet open to customers/other service users, or not yet fully used in the normal way for that premises, but does have daily occupation in line with normal working hours for that premises (such as admin/office functions are now operating, or there is a daily presence in preparing for normal operations to re-commence), will not be deemed unoccupied. 

See the policy definition of Unoccupied for more details. 

If in doubt please contact us via your normal channel of communication.

Outstanding risk improvements, periodic conditions and maintenance conditions – re-apply from 2/12/20 and all dispensations cease

We temporarily suspended compliance with risk improvements by the deadline specified by us, and other policy terms requiring regular maintenance or inspection, where these could not be completed during the COVID-19 lockdown because of the restrictions on movement and/or the lack of availability of contractors.

With effect from 2/12/20 the suspension of compliance will cease. Any policy term that requires regular maintenance or inspection re-applies from 2/12/20.

If the re-set deadline is not sufficient for any reason please contact us immediately. 

Ecclesiastical Updates prior to 22 December 2020

Ecclesiastical Update on Unoccupied Premises

Ecclesiastical have now extended the period to 31 August 2020 where the policy’s unoccupied premises condition will apply for premises that are temporarily closed solely due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Please read below for full details of the provision.

Ecclesiastical Updates prior to 19 June 2020

We have been involved in in-depth discussions with a number of insurers over the arrangements of our clients’ policy in relation to the restrictions imposed by the UK Government in order to contain the COVID 19 pandemic. Ecclesiastical have issued formal guidance following the outbreak of COVID19 and this can be accessed by CLICKING HERE. We have reviewed the guidance and have summarised the important points below. It is important that you read both our summary and Ecclesiastical’s guidance in full.

Policy Coverage

Ecclesiastical’s wordings on business interruption cover vary considerably. In general, they follow the rest of the UK market in that the UK wide lockdown of premises such as your own isn’t a sufficient trigger for policy coverage as the disease has not manifested itself, or occurred specifically on your premises leading to its closure. We appreciate that the above clarification will come as a disappointment, however this is largely the same position for the overwhelming majority of commercial insurance policies in the UK – not just for Ecclesiastical policies. However, we do urge you to check with your usual Bridge contact to clarify the position under your policy.

Further information on the coverage that applies across a wide range of types of insurance contracts across the UK is available from the website of the Association of British Insurers:

https://www.abi.org.uk/products-and-issues/topics-and-issues/coronavirus-hub/

https://www.abi.org.uk/products-and-issues/topics-and-issues/coronavirus-hub/business-insurance/

Unoccupied Premises

Ecclesiastical’s standard policies define “unoccupied” premises and apply standard restrictions in cover and conditions precedent to cover that need to be complied with. To ensure you are not unduly penalised for temporary closures solely due to the COVID-19 outbreak the following applies to affected premises:

•  Unoccupied premises cover restrictions will not apply to Temporarily Closed premises

•  Temporarily Closed premises will benefit from

          – no reduction in the level of policy cover

          – no increase in excesses

          – no increases in premium

Provided you comply with the following condition (Temporarily Closed Premises Condition) which details appropriate risk management practices (and is less stringent than the unoccupied premises condition):

Temporarily Closed means premises temporarily closed solely due to the COVID-19 outbreak (and such premises will not be regarded as unoccupied as defined in the Policy). In respect of Temporarily Closed premises the following risk management measures should be implemented as far as is possible:

(1) where there will be no need to re-enter the premises during the period of temporary closure you must turn off electricity gas and water supplies at the mains (and where reasonable to do so drain down water systems) other than those services required to maintain

•    critical business infrastructure required to allow the continuance of the organisations operations and support temporary home working arrangements

•    intruder alarms

•    fire alarms

•    sprinkler installations

•    other fire suppression security or other risk protection systems or devices

(2) you must maintain in full and efficient working order and keep operational all

•    alarms

•    sprinkler installations

•    fire suppression systems

•    locks and all other protective and security devices including gates and other perimeter security protection at the premises

(3) where water systems have not been drained down and / or where there is a sprinkler installation you must maintain the central heating system to prevent freezing and

i.    the sprinkler system should be inspected to ensure it is operating correctly whenever such buildings are inspected

ii.    the temperature throughout the building must be maintained at not less than 7 degrees Centigrade (45 degrees Fahrenheit)

iii.    where annual servicing and maintenance is due the sprinkler system must be serviced and maintained as soon as circumstance permit by an appropriately qualified engineer

(4) you must

i.    remove all internal waste and

ii.    position all external bins as at least 5 metres from the buildings (or otherwise as far as possible where this is not possible) and secure the bins in position where this is possible

(5) Provided any travel required to carry out an inspection is in line with the latest government advice you must undertake an internal and external inspection of such buildings at least every 7 days and

i.    rectify as soon as is reasonably possible any defects in the fabric of the building or any protective or security devices or installations

ii.    maintain a record of inspections including the remedy of any defects

iii.    remove accumulations of post from the letterbox during each inspection and take any other action to ensure the premises cannot be easily identified as unused or closed down

Where government travel advice does not allow the necessary travel to complete an inspection the need for an inspection is deferred until travel restrictions are lifted to a level that allows inspections to re-commence

(6) you must put in place contingency plans in case the primary person(s) carrying out weekly inspections or responding to alarm activations need to self isolate or are ill so that weekly inspections and alarm activation responses can be maintained by another appointed person

(7) you must tell us as soon as you become aware of any illegal entry to the premises whether or not any damage has occurred

(8) you must review and update your risk assessment (including the fire risk assessment) of such buildings to reflect the temporary change in risk

If you are unable to comply with the above condition then you must speak to your usual Bridge contact so we can agree any variation with Ecclesiastical and ensure you do not run the risk of having any subsequent claim repudiated.

This provision for temporarily unoccupied premises does not apply to premises that were unoccupied before the outbreak or that close down permanently. These will be deemed Unoccupied as defined in the policy and be subject to the normal unoccupied premises terms and conditions as set out in your policy. If you are now unable to meet the terms of the unoccupied conditions in your policy due to the current restrictions, please get in touch with your usual Bridge contact so we can discuss the matter with Ecclesiastical and ensure that your current level of cover is maintained and any subsequent claim is not repudiated due to breach of these conditions.

Change in Risk

We asked Ecclesiastical to relax their requirement for notification of any changes in risk whereby for example you have adopted a change in your business description (for example to accommodate a takeaway/delivery service). Ecclesiastical have not issued any guidance I this respect so we ask you to please review your current business activities and operational arrangements and to speak to your usual Bridge contact if there are any changes that need to be agreed with Ecclesiastical..

Capital Additions

As standard most of Ecclesiastical policies extend contents cover to include cover whilst away from the premises and / or specifically at the homes of your employees. Where your policy does not already include this cover your policy will be extended to provide cover for contents temporarily removed to the homes of employees due to the COVID-19 outbreak up to a limit of £2500 any one item and a maximum of £5000 any one employees home. For Education insurance policies this extension will additionally extend cover to pupils & students homes

We ask you to please review your sums insured and speak to your usual Bridge contact to advise us of any changes if they are not covered in full by the above extension.

Policy Conditions and Warranties

Ecclesiastical have advised that any policy term that requires regular maintenance or inspection, or where they have specified completion of a risk improvement by a specified deadline, that cannot be fully complied with or fully completed solely due to the COVID-19 outbreak causing travel restrictions or the lack of availability of contractors will be held in automatic abeyance until

• the expiry of the current outbreak or
• the availability of contractors or 
• the date the temporary cover enhancement expire

whichever is the sooner provided all reasonable steps have been attempted to comply with the policy terms or complete risk improvements in part or in whole given the circumstances at the time.

All other policy terms, conditions and exception are unchanged so it is important to contact us if you are now unable to comply with these so we can discuss the matter with Ecclesiastical and ensure that your current level of cover is maintained and any subsequent claim is not repudiated due to breach of these conditions.

Renewals

We made a request that for those of you whose policy is due for renewal during the period whilst restrictions from the UK Government remain in place that Ecclesiastical offer an automatic extension to your policy for a limited period of time. Ecclesiastical have agreed to an automatic extension for 30 days following your renewal if you are unable to finalise or agree the renewal for reasons of incapacity as a result of COVID-19. Please CLICK HERE to read the full terms and conditions of this extension.

Your usual advisor at Bridge will be in contact to discuss your renewal in due course.  

Payment Holidays:

Ecclesiastical have not issued any guidance yet in respect of payment holidays or alterations to payment schedules if you are struggling to pay your monthly premium instalment to them. If you are struggling then please contact them in the first instance or email us at [email protected]  

If you pay your instalments through either Close Brothers or Premium Credit then both firms have advised us that they can show flexibility in your schedule of payments by offering limited payment holidays and extending the number of instalments. Both firms will consider each request on a case by case. In the first instance any such request must be made direct to them using the following contacts:

Premium Credit Limited:

Email:    [email protected] or [email protected]

Tel:        0344 736 9836 or 0330 123 9717

Close Brothers Limited:

Email:    [email protected]

Tel:        0333 321 8566 (Personal Lines)

               0333 321 8567 (Commercial)

If you pay for your premium up front then you may want to consider paying it by instalment via one of our Premium Finance partners to help manage your cash flow. If you think you are going to miss a payment deadline then it is important that you contact us as soon as possible so we can assist you.

Useful information

In these challenging and uncertain times we would like to reiterate that Bridge Insurance is deeply to committed to all our clients and we will continue to act in your best interests in these challenging times. We hope that the continued updates from the UK Government regarding financial assistance for business interruption due to the COVID19 pandemic, will prove of use to you.  You can find out more details about this by clicking this link.

Our accountants have produced a very helpful analysis and summary of the financial assistance available from the UK Government and this available to you by clicking this link: https://www.baldwinsaccountants.co.uk/news-and-insights/covid-19

Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can be of further assistance.

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