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Old HutProperty and Equipment Insurance

Buildings Cover

 

Whatever the size or type of building(s) you own, it is important to you and important to us too! It may simply be a garden shed next to a church hall where you store your equipment, or it may be a multifunction activity centre. Whichever it is, you need an insurance policy which recognises the particular risks you face.

 

Unity’s buildings insurance is underwritten by Lloyd's of London and provides unique levels of protection for buildings occupied by Scout Groups. The basic cover includes loss or damage by fire, break-in, storm and vandals and has low excesses and few restrictions.

 

Just look at these valuable protection benefits:

  • Cover applies even when you hire out the building to others;
  • Impact damage caused by moving objects, e.g. a lorry crashing into your building; a herd of cows running through your hall; a hooligan throwing a brick though your window;
  • Water damage due to burst pipes, water tanks or equipment;
  • Damage due to heating fuel oil escaping;
  • Accidental breakage to fixed glass and sanitary fittings;
  • Accidental damage to underground pipes, sewers and cables;
  • Loss of metered water;
  • Loss of rent receivable or payable; and
  • Cover extended to include legal expenses incurred as a result of disputes relating to your property.

 

In addition, should the unthinkable happen, the costs of clearing the site, employing architects, surveyors and associated legal fees would be met.

 

It doesn’t stop there. Cover also applies to any boundary walls, gates and fences associated with the building. Optional extensions may be available for additional risks such as flood or subsidence.

 

 

An online version of the policy summary, and application forms are available in our Resources section here.

 

 

For further information, to request an application pack, or if you wish to apply for this cover, please contact us on 0845 0945 703.

 

Useful Information

Importance of Valuing your Building Correctly

“Under insurance” is a major issue for Scout Groups. If your building is under insured, you may not get the full amount needed to repair or replace it, when you make a claim. This may leave you to meet the shortfall.

 

It is therefore essential that the sum insured for the building represents the present day rebuilding cost and this should be confirmed by a valuer, surveyor, or builder. You should make appropriate allowances for such things as asbestos, fees, VAT and rent.

 

With property insurance there is a term known as ‘average’ that is applied by insurers. This means that in the event of a claim if you are under-insured, any settlement on the claim will be reduced proportionally.

 

Example: In general terms, if the rebuild value of your Scout building is £100,000 and you only insure it for £50,000, then an insurance company may only pay 50% of any claim you make.

 

It is recommended that you get your building valued every 3 years.

 

Help is at hand; Unity is partnered with IAS Chartered Loss Adjusters to provide an indication of rebuilding cost free of charge for anyone taking out the Scout Property & Equipment policy with us.

 

If IAS is not used, architects, Chartered Surveyors or quantity surveyors should be used to value your Scout building, or reference made to manufacturers of factory-made modules.

 

 

Subsidence and Heave

The Scout Association has received an increasing number of enquiries concerning the provision of subsidence and heave cover. These perils have not previously been widely available, although we have negotiated cover in specific instances.

 

Due to the variations in style and construction implicit in a contract policy of this kind, it is not possible to provide such cover within the existing framework. However, the Insurers have agreed that subsidence and heave cover may be available on buildings of brick, slate, stone, or concrete construction, subject to completion of an appropriate questionnaire and payment of an additional premium.

 

 

Value Added Tax - Guidance Notes

It is important to ensure that declared sums insured should be adequate to cover rebuilding costs. Allowance must be made for the effects of inflation during the policy year, and rebuilding period. You should also provide for normal VAT not recoverable in the case of partial exemption status.

 

Although the 1989 Finance Act states that new constructions and total rebuilds in respect of domestic buildings or buildings used for relevant charitable purpose will remain zero rated, partial rebuilds will, however, continue to remain subject to standard VAT rating.

 

It is possible that in extreme circumstances the repair of a building could equal the cost of a total rebuild. Accordingly, to avoid the problems of under-insurance, it is recommended that sums insured be increased by the proportion of VAT not recoverable by individual Scout Groups.