THE ESSENTIAL PRE-SURVEY CHECKLIST
So your insurer has requested that a survey be carried out at your premises…
Sometimes, an insurer may request that a survey is carried out to clarify a few things. This can be prompted by a variety of reasons, for example:
- The insurer believes you’re in a high-risk area
- The size of the sum insured is quite high
- Your work is considered specialist or you use specialist materials
- There have been a number of claims at or near the premises
- The construction of the premises is considered to be non-standard
- A whole host of other reasons!
Honestly, having a survey requested doesn’t mean you’ve done anything wrong, but it does mean the insurer will be looking at you more closely so it’s important to make sure everything is ship-shape, and that you’re considered a ‘well-run risk’.
You won’t be visited by a surveyor without prior warning. Usually the surveyor will be in touch with you directly to arrange a date but a survey can be arranged through the broker as well. Since you have the notice, it is worth checking off a few things before the scheduled date (this will normally be confirmed by the surveying team directly)
We have compiled a handy checklist to help ensure it all goes smoothly. Check each point and tick them off as the checks are carried out. Surveyors will normally focus on three main areas: Health & Safety, Fire, and Theft. They will be looking for how your business could be affected by these factors and how you’re working to protect your business against them.
You can access the checklist here and fill it out on your computer or print it off and keep as a hard copy.