'Insurance Broker of the Year' - UK Broker Awards
Wow! 2016 has seen us not only win 'Chartered Broker of the Year' for the third consecutive year, but we have also been named 'Insurance Broker of the Year'.
Commercial Property Owners Insurance is a specific insurance policy aimed to cover a landlord’s property against damage and liability arising from its ownership. This could be cover for commercial or mixed use properties which could include industrial estates, office blocks and shops with flats above.
It is significantly different to a buildings policy that is insured by the owner who also occupies the property. This can be confused with landlords insurance so it is important to be aware of the difference.
What is the difference between commercial and domestic landlord insurance?
Domestic landlords insurance is designed for residential properties which are occupied by tenants who use the property as their private dwelling. The landlord will receive a rental income from the tenant but there will be no element of business being transacted at the property by the tenant. Commercial landlord insurance is where the property is occupied by a tenant transacting business – whether that be as a retail shop, office or warehouse. Some commercial properties do have flats above but this would still be insured under a commercial contract because of the business being transacted elsewhere in the property.
As insurance brokers we do the legwork and find you the most suitable solution for your specific risk.
To find out more about commercial landlords insurance cover and what a commercial property insurance brokers can do for you, please read on further or alternatively you can contact us directly and one of our dedicated members of staff will help you with your enquiry.
Our policy wording looks at the “bigger picture” and helps property owners understand from the outset of what the “true” cost of the insurance is. The true annual cost of a property insurance policy is as follows:
“True” annual Insurance Premium = Annual premium + the cost of uninsured losses + the aggregate of all policy excess deductions + the cost of adhering to policy terms and conditions.
Our policy wording is constantly reviewed and adapted to ensure we remain market leaders in this sector by offering one of the widest covers available.
*Subject to underwriting criteria **With certain insurers
Reference should always be made to the policy document for full terms and conditions of the wording. A policy wording is available upon request. One key advantage of our bespoke policy is that we do NOT impose warranties that risk the actions of others invalidating your policy cover. A warranty free policy is essential for a property owner who cannot control the everyday actions of a tenant/ occupant.
Yes! Pi-Property covers Loss of Rent up to 36 months as standard. For commercial properties this is based on the annual rental income received by the landlord. For residential properties this is up to 33.3% of the building sum insured which is automatically included within the policy wording.
We are happy to discuss the factors you should take in to account when arriving at an adequate indemnity period. This includes the estimated time to rebuild the property (allowing for demolition, site clearance, planning and fitting out) ready for occupation again.
It is essential that your policy cover for loss of rent does not stop at the time the property rebuild is complete (some policies on a “material damage” basis will only cover you for loss of rent up until this point).
Our policy wording will continue cover for loss of rent beyond the repair stage and allow for any period of ongoing un-occupancy whilst you find a new tenant. If you have to offer incentives to attract a new tenant, including rental holidays or reduced rent levels, our policy will cover the shortfall in rent right up until rent levels have been restored or the indemnity period expires; whichever comes first. In addition to rental income, consideration should also be given to service charges too.
Yes! Pi-Property would not automatically restrict or refuse cover for any unoccupied property but rather gain an understanding of the property, e.g. how long has it been vacant, what are the intentions for the property, what security measures are in place etc.
We are able to offer more flexible terms for inspections of vacant properties giving up to 45 days between inspections, as opposed to our competitors which could be as little as every 7 days which can be rather inconvenient, costly and impractical. In extreme cases, insurers may restrict cover and/or increase the excess but before we get to that stage we will negotiate with the insurers on your behalf to gain the most satisfactory terms for all parties.
Yes! We just need to take a note of the building construction, what level of grading has been applied and understand any non-standard elements (such as a thatched roof).
Insuring a listed building requires care and attention, most importantly by utilising the services and advice of a professional valuer specialising in reinstatement cost assessments for listed properties. The declared value must make allowance for the method of construction, unusual features and craftsmanship required to repair or rebuild a listed property. Our cover includes additional clauses to make allowances for unique issues that may arise in the event of damage, such as archaeological finds and local authority intervention if overseeing repairs.
As with all property insurance, the declared value for buildings must represent the cost of reinstatement and NOT market value.
We operate through a delegated authority from the insurers and have an online system which produces a certificate per property. As soon as cover has been confirmed we are able to forward a copy of your certificate and policy wordings within 24 hours.
We offer flexible monthly premium payments where required, please contact us on 01789 761660 for further information and we will be happy to confirm various options that best suit your needs.
All insurers will review past claims history, but we recognise that incidents do happen! When we review the insurance for a prospective client, we assess your past claims history, discuss with you the cause of the loss or damage and establish what measures are now in place. Our insurers underwrite on a portfolio basis so if you have a problem property(s), this is taken into consideration within a portfolio.
At Pi-Property we are very proud of our award winning in-house claims team that is rarely matched elsewhere. We have delegated claims authority provided to us by our insurer partners to handle claims on their behalf.
This enables us to take control of the whole claims process.
Our experienced, knowledgeable claims team are immediately on hand to ensure a prompt efficient service for any claims that arise.
Based in Coventry, a commercial property consultancy and agency working in South Warwickshire and the West Midlands.
"We used to consider insurance to be a hassle. Since using Pi-Property Insurance we now have access to all our properties online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with instant quotations, excellent levels of commission received and with claims under £5,000 being settled within 24 hours. Our landlords now have an insurance product which remains unrivalled in the insurance market."
Tom Bromwich, Partner
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'Insurance Broker of the Year' - UK Broker Awards
Wow! 2016 has seen us not only win 'Chartered Broker of the Year' for the third consecutive year, but we have also been named 'Insurance Broker of the Year'.
Our knowledge and expertise in settling property insurance claims is second to none.
We believe it’s important to help our clients when they are at their most vulnerable - and aim to exceed your expectations when it comes to our claims service.