Blog
What the Whiplash Reforms Mean for Your Coach or Bus Business
English and Welsh coach operators, unable to operate their fleets for coach trip purposes during the Covid-19 pandemic, should have something to cheer when they finally return to the road this summer.
On May 31, 2021, the long-awaited and delayed Civil Liability Act 2018[1], which includes the Whiplash Injury Regulations[2], will come into force. Otherwise known as the Whiplash Reforms, this will tackle issues relating to the volume and inflation of claims for personal injuries related to soft tissue damage.
What insurance do I need for my business?
At Cheviot Insured, we often get asked by new businesses to advise on what insurance they need. I thought it would therefore be a good idea to provide a quick guide to the different types of business insurance; what is required by law in the UK; what is optional but definitely should be included and what is optional and should be considered depending on risk exposure.
No-deal Brexit - Do I need a Green Card?
With a no-deal Brexit still a possibility, one of the potential impacts will be the return of the Green Card as a requirement for motorists travelling outside the UK.
Safety first: The importance of engineering inspection and maintenance
Occasionally a dramatic news headline may grab our attention: “Coffee boiler explodes” or “Brake failure sends lift plummeting”, for example. Such incidents, although thankfully rare, temporarily remind us that, when equipment fails, the consequences can be severe.
Fire-Ravaged Pubs Experience the Realities of Underinsurance
A few pints supped in front of a roaring fire is a walker’s perfect end to a winter’s ramble, but for the pubs providing the idyll, the flames, or the impacts of creosote build-ups in their chimneys, can lead to much more traumatic memories.
Beware Intellectual Property Infringement
It has been roughly a year since an alleged intellectual property infringement occurred, when Talking Tables, the £16m-turnover party accessories designer, expressed apprehensions over a seeming imitation of its ‘Prosecco Pong’ product, launched into the market by a UK retailer.
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Avoid being one of the 43% of businesses with inadequate business interruption cover
In recent months, we have seen two major fires ravaging buildings in Glasgow city centre
Protect Against Plastic Packaging Recalls
The detrimental effects of plastic on the planet are putting great strain on the plastic industry.
Buy Insurance Before Moving Your Machinery
An impressive state-of-the-art vibratory installation rig used for pile driving, the TM 12/15 LR
What medical conditions do the DVLA need to know about?
The Driving and Vehicle Leasing Agency (DVLA) need to make sure people are safe to drive on the roads. Because of this, they need to know about any medical conditions that might affect your driving.
It’s High Time Businesses Considered Disaster Downtime
The August edition of British Plastics and Rubber reported on the launch of Zero Downtime Technology (ZDT) by FANUC, highlighting the impact that robotic technology is having within the plastic manufacturing sector and how firms like FANUC are seeking to minimise robot ‘sickness’ by creating “intelligent diagnostics for robots”.
Getting smarter in the workplace
Smart building technology is transforming the way businesses operate, with sensors and tracking devices able to monitor everything from an escape of water and temperature changes in electrical systems to how employees move around the workspace. While this is driving efficiencies and making the workplace safer, it’s also changing the risk landscape.
How much does a cyber insurance policy cost?
High profile data breaches, ransomware attacks and cyber crime have raised awareness of cyber risk and has led to an increase in demand for cyber insurance. However, there are some varied cover offerings in the market and this can lead to confusion. Of equal importance is the cost of the insurance when looking at business budgets, so I'll try and explain the main factors that come into play when arriving at a premium.
New guidelines expected to increase prison sentence lengths for gross negligence manslaughter
For the first time, specific sentencing guidelines have been published for English and Welsh courts dealing with cases of unlawful act manslaughter, gross negligence manslaughter, manslaughter by reason of loss of control and manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.
Why Defamation Cover Should be Considered by All
In May, a UK publishing-tech start-up business set up a crowdfunding website, to try to finance expansion into the USA, having already created 100-page biographies for 475 everyday individuals since its foundation in June 2015.
New rules to make transport as sustainable as possible
New biofuel targets were introduced in April that aim to double renewable fuel use in the UK transport sector within 15 years.
Business interruption insurance – the 'often overlooked' insurance
In 2018, business interruption (BI) topped the Allianz Risk Barometer for the sixth year running, as the key concern for businesses globally.
GDPR, the Hospitality Sector and CRM
The hospitality sector needs to be on its mettle, as General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into effect on May 25 2018.
The law of general average and why it pays to have cargo insurance.
The recent tragic fire on board the ultra large container ship, Maersk Honam, has once again, highlighted the importance of cargo insurance. This not only indemnifies the policyholder for loss or damage to the goods being transported, but will also respond to general average and salvage claims when declared by the shipowner.
Driving law: changes coming
2018 sees many new driving laws come into force, while other established laws are set to change. Staying on top of changes could help you avoid breaking any laws in the future.
Food For Thought When It Comes To Product Recalls
During 2016/17, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) - the food-supply regulator in England, Wales and Northern Ireland - recalled 62 products. During the same period, Scotland’s FSS recalled 82 and the FSA and FSS together issued Allergy Alerts for 88 products.
Time to direct yourself to Directors and Officers Insurance
Heading up a company is not easy.
Brokers v tick-boxes: The playing field will level
The reasons why clients prefer to use a professional insurance broker, rather than price comparison and aggregator websites, are likely to be reinforced by the end of 2018, as regulators seek to create a more level playing field when it comes to professional standards.
Should your business buy cyber insurance protection?
Cyber risk is now the number one concern for businesses in the UK, whether this is the risk of hacker attack, data privacy breach or cyber crime. The forthcoming General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has also moved cyber security to the head of the list of topics to be discussed at board level.
The problem of underinsurance and how it can be solved.
When disaster strikes, businesses rely on their insurance arrangements to respond so they can recover the full amount of the loss. After all, they buy an insurance product for that very purpose. Why then do some business insurance arrangements fall short when it really matters?
Company Collapses Highlight the Need For Trade Credit Insurance
Since mid-January, the news headlines have been dominated by the collapse of the UK’s second biggest construction firm, Carillion. It is said that 30,000 supply chain businesses are directly, or indirectly, affected by its insolvency and inability to pay suppliers.
Water, water everywhere: Escape of water
The continuing rise in escape of water claims has been identified by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) as an area of focus for 2018.
Building regulations for safety
Following the tragic fire at Grenfell Tower, attention is rightly focused on the regulations surrounding fire safety. Ensuring that these are fit for purpose to protect both people and property is a top priority. The Association of British Insurers (ABI) recently called for a change to the regulations and a clearer framework of responsibility for all those in the protection of buildings from fire.
5 March 2018 sees rule changes to commercial driving hours
The rules will change from 5 March 2018 so lorry, bus and coach drivers who drive tired will be fined for every time they've done it in the last 28 days.
Duplicate of Nightmare car-hacking: The remote-controlled car
Hostile interventions by hackers in vehicle technology are not science fiction, as various cases have proven with different car manufacturers in the last few years. But what can be done about it?
Recovering after a flood
An increase in extreme weather across the UK is exacerbating the problem of flooding, which is why it pays to have the correct insurance in place for your business premises.
Are you GDPR ready?
The new EU General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) is already law, with an enforcement date of 25 May 2018. By then, all businesses will need to be fully compliant or face heavy fines, which means you need to make the necessary changes now.
How would you handle a product recall?
Product recall cannot only be costly for your business, but it could also threaten your reputation. Do not wait until it is too late - think now about how you would manage a recall.
Social engineering, spear phishing, whaling….the latest trends in cyber-crime
Cyber-crime is on the increase. The UK’s 5.4 million small businesses are collectively attacked more than seven million times a year, costing the UK economy a staggering £5.26 billion for 2014 and 2015, according to a survey by the Federation of Small Businesses.
Ryecroft Glenton warns of SEIS changes
Joel Marks with Peter Glenton and Charlotte Burton of Ryecroft Glenton
Protecting your business against cyber-attacks
In May 2017, “WannaCry” ransomware reportedly hit over 200,000 computers in 150 countries, affecting many NHS Trusts in the UK.
Is the Cloud really less secure than onsite?
Cloud security. It’s one of the most frequently cited concerns for businesses that are considering moving their applications and data to a cloud provider.
Connectivity in cars – Developing cyber risks
The modern vehicle exemplifies the interconnectivity of modern systems. Computer systems can now control navigation, braking, steering and many other safety and performance functions.
Business Interruption Values
Accurately measuring and presenting business interruption values is a critical part of an organisation’s pre-loss planning process.
Preparing for a flood makes good business sense
In recent years, we have seen an increasing amount of flooding in England and Wales
ID Theft Prevention
There were more than 100,000 identity theft cases in the UK in 2014 where thieves used identity theft to obtain products or services, with 80% now happening online.
Health & Safety Minefield
In February this year we saw the most dramatic change in health & safety enforcement for almost 50 years with new sentencing guidelines coming into force.
Big changes are coming in data protection
On 14th April 2016 the European Parliament voted to adopt a new data protection law for Europe. Under the General Data Protection Regulation, data protection law will be significantly tightened and individuals’ rights to bring claims will be strengthened.
Reinstatement, Does It Always Make Sense?
Many property insurance policies are underwritten on a reinstatement basis. Reinstatement means repairing (or replacing) a building to the exact specifications as before it was damaged.
Flooding and the impact on your business
Many of Britain's business owners have witnessed the devastating effects of flooding. The need for adequate insurance cover and business continuity planning has never been more apparent.
Insure Against Cyber Attack
Cyber attack is no longer aimed solely at large corporations and governments.
Hackers are targeting smaller, less sophisticated targets, with individuals facing such problems as malware attacks, online fraud and breaches of information.
Myths Around Cyber Liability Cover
Cyber insurance is becoming increasingly popular. However, there are still a lot of misconceptions surrounding it.
Insurance brokers could have been bankers
A group of regional entrepreneurs decided against opening a new bank – but have instead launched a new commercial insurance brokers.
Charlie Hoult, owner of the Hoults Yard, Joel Marks and John Baty started the process of creating Cheviot Insured two years ago, but only after initially considering opening a bank. They are joined by investment from angel investors Anthony Swaddle and Matt Stephenson, of ChocNibbles.
