Most small commercial van insurance schemes only cover three to five delivery drops per day, so it’s easy to run foul of the policy limits during busy periods. In the worst case scenario, owners find the vehicle is not covered and delivery promises can’t be honoured. No company can afford to let down customers in this way.

“Many insurance companies are cautious when it comes to offering cover on vans for busy small businesses. They seem to think that frequent stops and starts during delivery runs equate to higher risk,” says Julie Carter of Adrian Flux.

“But we’ve looked at the stats and it’s not such a straightforward link. There are many other factors at work such as driver experience, make of van, type of business, time of day etc. By taking these into account we’ve been able to customise a policy especially for these vehicles.”

The multiple-drop insurance scheme developed by Adrian Flux Insurance Services provides peace of mind for small businesses that undertake regular deliveries. It offers cover irrespective of the number of drops per day. By tailoring the policy to the individual business Flux can offer multi-delivery insurance at an affordable price.

Small businesses are advised to contact Flux and discuss their requirements with an experienced underwriter. Since they are especially trained in commercial vehicle insurance, they will calculate the risk, based on the client’s specific requirements, and offer suggestions on how to reduce premiums while still retaining the maximum cover.

Aviva, the new name for Norwich Union, is providing cover for loss or damage to office furniture and equipment that is used for business or professional purposes including filing cabinets, desks, computers, printers, typewriters, photocopiers, answer and fax machines – up to a limit of £5,000.***

This means that if any of the above is stolen or damaged by any of the “standard perils” like fire, flood, escaping water or storm, customers will be covered. It also provides cover for any accidental damage.

What’s more, Aviva is currently offering free contents insurance to new customers when buying buildings insurance, which covers whole home belongings and office equipment for nothing.****

Julie Fromant, home lifestyle manager at Aviva UK, said: “The work landscape is constantly changing and a quarter of the population is expected to work from home at least once a week by 2020. Mums and dads choosing to work flexi hours, the growing number of freelancers and higher levels of redundancy all mean that home working has become a real alternative to the corporate office.

“We recognise the growing trend in home working and that for many, working from home requires additional investments that need to be protected. We felt it was right that this should be covered as standard, as part of the home contents policy and hope this provides extra security for home workers in the UK.”

The cover is available to all new customers and existing customers when they renew their policy.

Aviva’s top tips for home-workers:

• If your home office space is a separate room, make sure you have a door lock and keep it locked when not in use. Keeping your office as a separate, out of bounds space to children and pets will help to prevent unwanted accidents, keeping both your equipment and the people involved safe.
• Keep office equipment covered up or out of reach of pets and children when not in use – most importantly for their own safety but also to minimise risk of damage to the equipment
• Certain office supplies and equipment, like shredders for example, present a great safety risk to children and pets. Look out for products available in the market that are designed for safety
• Keep valuable items out of sight from opportunist thieves
• Mark items with indelible identification – showing your postcode and the number of your house or flat – using an ultra-violet marking pen
• Take pictures and write down the serial numbers of valuable items such as your computer and scanning/printing equipment, to help the police identify them should be recovered after a burglary.
• Ask your local police station for “postcoded property” stickers to display in the front and back windows of your house

* Figures from the Office For National Statistics April – June 2008

** Figures from trends insights company Future Foundation April – June 2009

*** We will not cover:

Accidental damage to mobile phones, laptops or computer equipment designed to be portable.

Damage caused by wear and tear.

Damage caused by cleaning, washing, repairing or restoring.

Electrical breakdown, loss in value, failure to use in line with manufacturer’s instructions or damaged caused by domestic animals.

**** The offer applies for all new Norwich Union buildings and contents home insurance policies when you have been claim free for three or more years on your current buildings and contents insurance.

With the economic downturn increasingly exposing companies to new liabilities it has never been more important for those operating in either the technology or marketing industries to make sure they have full cover for their professional exposures. In addition to breach of contract, these policies will provide:

• cover on a duty to defend basis – on receipt of a claim, the policy will defend the entire claim even if some aspects are not covered (allocation of non-covered parts occurs at point of settlement)
• cover for the insured’s own advertising and website – covering not only the insured’s work with their clients but also their own advertising and website
• cover for negligent transmission of a computer virus.

Commenting on the new products, Suzy Kemble, Head of Hiscox Media and Entertainment, said: “Our experience shows that more than a third of professional indemnity claims are based on an alleged breach of contract and it is critical that companies operating in the media and technology sectors assess this threat to their business.

Our new professional indemnity products provide wider cover for breach of contract claims as well as cover on a ‘duty to defend’ basis and can be combined with our office package to provide a comprehensive, insurance solution.”

Alistair Sclare, Director of Healthcare, comments; “The number of British businesses that fail is set to rise to 36,000 in 2009, the equivalent of one in every 56 companies*. To say times are tough for small businesses would be an understatement. It’s not surprising then that in an effort to cut costs, some SMEs might consider stopping their Group PMI cover. This is a serious decision as any pre-existing conditions would be excluded under a new policy. However, CoverBreak by Groupama Healthcare removes this restriction allowing businesses to take a 12 month break and come back, reinstating the policy with the same medical underwriting terms they had. All that will apply is a temporary waiting period for conditions that have occurred during the cover break.”

To take advantage of CoverBreak, businesses will pay a fee that allows them the option to reinstate their cover at the end of the 12-month period. Crucially, it also offers brokers the opportunity to keep in touch with what otherwise may have been a lost customer.

Alistair Sclare concludes, “CoverBreak gives businesses the flexibility to cut costs during the recession. It also removes the inconvenience of shopping around for new cover or being medically re-underwritten when they are ready to buy again. Reinstating the policy requires minimal administration so when the economy improves businesses can get back on track quickly. The fact that we have brought this product to market so quickly is testament to the agility of our business and our focus on providing innovative solutions to meet the challenges our policyholders and brokers face today.”

*Source: BDO Stoy Hayward

Robert Cholmondeley, director of the Corporate Insurance division of Preston based financial advisory group Taylor Patterson, reveals many businesses are looking to trim their insurance costs to help them tackle the recession.

But he warns that many are in danger of leaving their businesses under-insured or exposed as they cut back on what they believe are unessential insurance costs.

“There are savings to be made for businesses when it comes to corporate insurance premiums, but it is important such decisions are properly researched and well thought out,” says Robert.

He added: “We are finding that the insurance market remains competitive at the moment despite fears of predicted hardening rates. However, saving premiums is not as black and white as some people might think.

“For example, having adequate health and safety and risk management policies can both assist in producing favourable premiums terms and ensuring that the expected premium increases over the next year or two are minimised.

“Under-insuring is an easy trap to fall into. There may be short-term financial gains but the long- term cost could be devastating if the wrong decision is made.

“It is important to get proper advice before making any changes, and never cancel a policy without having evaluated the consequences and additional risks faced by your business without the cover being in force.”

According to Direct Line for Business, if members of the public were to slip on ice on a business’ premises and the owner had not undertaken the appropriate action, such as clearing the ice or placing relevant warning signs, they could potentially be liable if a claim was made. Businesses need to ensure they are able to demonstrate due care had been taken to minimise the likelihood of an accident.

Kate Syred, Head of Direct Line for Business says: “With the recent snow fall now turning into ice, it is essential that business owners think about how to mitigate any potential dangers for their customers and staff. It is also worth ensuring they have the appropriate insurance in the event of any accidents, as although employers’ liability insurance is compulsory by law, public liability is not.”

In addition to potential accidents such as people slipping on ice or water, melting snow drifts and ice can also be hazardous. In order to mitigate the risks, Direct Line has the following tips for businesses:

• If members of the public or employees use any part of a business’ premises such as a walkway, it is essential any ice is cleared or gritted accordingly. Even if a pedestrian walked across a shop’s forecourt or a pub’s car park and slipped, the business owner could be liable.

• Ice and snow also mean wet floors, so it is essential it is either mopped up or warning signs are placed notifying people of the potential risk. Remember, if a floor has been mopped up it may still be slippery so warning signs should still be used.

• Snow melting and falling from roofs can also be a danger. Whilst no attempt should be made to climb onto a roof to remove it, action should be taken to cordon off the area where the snow might fall onto unsuspecting pedestrians and appropriate warning signs placed around the area.

• Staff should be appropriately trained and aware of the correct action to take. The business owner may not be there all the time, so it is essential employees are aware of any potential dangers and how to deal with or avoid them.