A recent case where a child suffered brain damage from a turn on a bouncy castle, brings into sharp focus the importance of ensuring that you have sufficient supervision and insurance coverage in place when hiring inflatable equipment.

Sam Harris, now 13, has won his damages case and as he now requires round-the-clock care, is expected to receive compensation in excess of £1m.

This would be enough to destroy the vast majority of families, but fortunately the defendants; Mr & Mrs Perry had the appropriate levels of Public Liability cover in place and as a result their insurers (unknown at the time of writing) will meet the amount awarded.

For more information and guidance regarding insurance coverage for the hire of inflatable equipment please do not hesitate to contact me.

Well, you’ve probably read the recent article in the Westmorland Gazette and if you’re a client of ours, you should have received a letter confirming that Talbot Insurance Brokers are now part of the Smart & Cook group.

But what does it all mean to you, the consumer?

We now have access to bigger and better schemes and a lot more “clout” in the industry, which simply means that we have a better chance of getting insurers to do what we want!

We will now obviously look to pass the benefits of this back to you, with a view to giving you an improved product at a competitive price all backed up by the same high level of service that you should currently be receiving (please contact us if you aren’t!).

Have there been any redundancies or change of staff?

In short, no. The directors and all of the existing staff have been retained by Smart & Cook and will be here for the foreseeable future to service your needs. We may look to bring in additional, qualified and well-trained staff, so if this is you then please get in touch!

Will there be a change of office?

No. Talbot Insurance Brokers will continue to trade – as they always have done – from the heart of Kendal “down the Old Shambles”.

If you have any queries about the recent developments here, then please do not hesitate to get in touch with your appointed representative or contact the office direct on 01539 732000.

Oh dear. Just when us lowly brokers thought it was safe to go back in the water, direct insurers have been spotted ominously circling our sole trader and partnership client base!

That’s right, in an attempt to take over the insurance world from the ground up, sole traders and partnerships will be able to buy their insurance direct from an insurer via the internet.

These direct insurers are using the old adage: “cut out the middle man” with reckless abandon.

It seems to have gone unnoticed that the majority of businesses value a broker’s guidance on the types of cover that they may and may not need.

They also appreciate that with an independent broker, they will be getting the best possible deal, because any broker worth his salt will have been round to all of the UK’s leading insurers to secure the best possible rate and product.

Let us not forget the purpose of insurance in the first place, namely claims. Some brokers run the entire claims process off their own back because the service from insurers is that deplorable!

So, the message from your friendly, neighbourhood insurance broker is this: cut out the middle man at your peril, you may cut your costs in one way, but you’ll pay for it in others.

As ever, should you have any insurance-related queries, please get in touch!

Don’t panic! This isn’t another flood related article! I think we’ve all had enough of being repeatedly clouted with the insurance stick in a bid to get us to understand the importance of having cover in place.

We get it. Flood bad. Check insurance policy protects against loss from flood.

So, you have your home insurance policy in place, but is it the right policy?

If you have a high value home containing fine arts and valuables in excess of £75,000 then you may wish to consider a High Net Worth policy. Not only will this provide wider cover than a standard home insurance policy, but you will also be on the receiving end of some added benefits such as:-

- Worldwide cover for contents and new purchases made abroad
- Warranty-free for most customers ie. fewer stipulations and restrictions in cover
- 24 hour Travel helpline
- 24 hour GP helpline

In addition, some policies will also provide a discounted rate from a caretaking service to look after your property when you are away for an extended period!

If you feel that your property warrants more than a standard policy, please consult your broker (or me) to discuss the options available to you!

Bluetongue could be on its way to Britain after outbreaks were confirmed in both Germany and Belgium.

Unlike Foot & Mouth disease there is no government compensation scheme in force, but fortunately for discerning insurance consumer, Bluetongue is an “insurable risk” and your insurance broker should be able to assist you in arranging cover.

For further information regarding the outbreak, please visit the DEFRA website at: DEFRA

UK businesses will be hit for £50m due to the recent severe flooding, according to a business analyst at Grant Thornton.
Maurice Fitzpatrick, business analyst, at Grant Thornton's said: “This figure does not include the physical cost of damage much of which will be the subject of insurance claims. Nor does it include costs from future damage."
Angus Tucker, Director of Insurance Claims Solutions within Grant Thornton's Forensic and Investigation Services practice added: “While many businesses in the area will be covered by 'physical damage' and 'business interruption' policies for damage from today's flooding, further problems will arrive if business owners are denied access to their premises by local authorities (i.e. Police/Fire) and therefore cannot trade.
To be covered by such an eventuality, business owners are required to have purchased a far more complex and lesser known cover which is 'denial of access'."
"The key message to businesses is to look beyond the basic insurance offerings and to consider the effect of supplementary risks which they may face," he continues.
"As flooding has become more widespread in recent years, insurers have been increasing excess levels and businesses may find themselves footing a significant portion of the bill before they are covered by their policy.
However, the final nail in the coffin for many companies within flood-prone areas will be that they find it increasingly harder to even purchase flood cover on their policies in the future, as insurers have become wary of constantly paying out claims for events which they are now coming to regard as inevitable," he concludes.