Insight
Planning works
How effective preparation can help mitigate costly planning delays.
Tailored cover, specialist expertise
We understand the complexities and unique nature of the challenges those working in a heritage building can face – just one reason why brokers have voted Ecclesiastical as the best heritage insurer for the past 11 years1.
Specialist fine art, collections and antiques cover
Art historians and heritage specialists complement our insurance expertise at Ecclesiastical. This means that we have a comprehensive understanding of the unique nature of your artwork and collections and the expertise to protect even the most bespoke risks.
Providing specialist building valuations
We know it’s the specialist characteristics which make historic buildings unique, so we work hard to help you protect those features. We can provide a buildings valuation and link it to our Ecclesiastical Heritage Index, a specialist building index which tracks the costs of building materials and specialist skills that are often unique to heritage buildings, all at no additional cost2.
Risk management services
We work with organisations like The Heritage Alliance and Historic England to understand risks in the sector and find answers to some of the issues our customers face, like health and safety solutions which are not detrimental to the building’s original features. For risk advice, you’ll have access to our free risk advice line and we’ve also developed a Preferred Supplier Network with leading market specialists to help you avoid or mitigate risks to which you may be exposed.
Nobody ever wants to be flooded, but on the evidence of this episode the best thing that can happen to you if you are to be flooded is to be insured by Ecclesiastical.
Historic Britain insurance product highlights
Our Historic Britain insurance can be tailored to meet the needs of both ancient and modern buildings and sites. Cover can include:
- Buildings and contents
- Business interruption
- Reputational risk
- Trustee and management liability
- Cyber
- Employers’ liability
- Public liability
- Director’ and officers’
- Loss of license
- Equipment breakdown
- Fine art, collections and antiques
- Loss of money
- Fidelity guarantee
- Hirers’ liability
- Legal expenses
- Group travel
- Personal accident
- Professional indemnity
- Engineering inspection.
We understand you may be concerned with data safety. We can enhance your reputational risks cover, add cyber cover and give you a PR crisis helpline to deal with any immediate situations.
For our full summary of cover please view our Historic Britain policy.
1Ecclesiastical FWD Broker opinion surveys 2007 to 2017
2Subject to underwriting criteria
Documents
FAQs
Do I need a building valuation?
Ecclesiastical uses building valuations to assess the cost of reinstating the building in the case of a claim. Heritage and listed buildings will require specialist support and valuations so it is important to ensure that you’re insured for an accurate value should an event such as a major fire cause the need for significant restoration.
Our valuation services are delivered at no extra cost by our team of specialist surveyors, subject to underwriting criteria.
Can you provide insurance cover for listed buildings?
Yes. Ecclesiastical is the UK’s leading insurer of Grade I listed properties and we are involved in insuring eight of the UK’s world heritage sites. Listed buildings are often of historical and architectural significance and are registered to protect the buildings’ future.
As specialist insurers we can provide cover and listed building insurance for a Grade I, II or II* listed building in England and Wales or in Scotland and Northern Ireland we cover Category A, B or C listed properties.
Do I need public liability insurance?
Public liability insurance provides cover for an organisation’s legal defence following an incident where a member of the public has suffered an injury or property damage as a result of an incident connected to the organisation. Though cover is not required by law, claims can be costly and therefore insurance is recommended to protect against the financial and reputational impact of a claim.
In addition to providing insurance cover, we provide advice on how to keep evidence of risk assessments and procedures which may help defend your organisation in a public liability claim.
What is a listed building?
There are approximately 500,000 listed buildings in the UK and Grade I listed buildings are of the highest significant historical interest. Grade II* listed buildings are extremely important buildings deemed of more than special interest and Grade II listed buildings are deemed to be of special interest. The majority of all listed buildings in the UK fall into this grade.
What is the Ecclesiastical Heritage Index?
Your building value may be linked to the Ecclesiastical Heritage Index, a specialist buildings index for heritage properties. It tracks the types of material used in, and often unique to, heritage properties to help give an accurate value.