Any idea how to check if a builder's public liability insurance is real?

Girthhitch

It's extremely important to know for my situation, thanks.

Sea_Shell

Ask for their policy number and ring their insurer.   It's the only way to be SURE*

If they won't give you that, then that would be a red flag.    

"Certificates" can be knocked up quite easily, so if you want to be SURE, don't just accept a copy of one (not that insurers actually issue one for PL)

We used to, as brokers, issue a "confirmation of cover" letter for our PL customers, if asked.   But that was before it was as easy to make up fake documents yourself.


*even then, if they pay by DD and then don't, their policy could be cancelled.

user1977

Ask them for a copy of their current insurance certificate.

Admittedly that's not going to prove that e.g. they didn't cancel it yesterday, but it's what everybody else would normally accept.

Keep_pedalling

The only way is to ask to see proof.

DullGreyGuy

Girthhitch said:

It's extremely important to know for my situation, thanks.

Ultimately... there isn't a way to know for absolute certain. At the end of the day the insurance is there to protect the builder from you not the other way around. 

You can ask for their insurer/policy number and try to call them but you may find they won't talk to you due to data protection reasons. 

There is no legal requirement for PL providers to issue certificates of insurance unlike Motor and EL, which are compulsory insurances. Our insurer doesn't but the broker will write a letter confirming cover is in place and its limit. As said above though 1) its possible for someone to edit any letter and 2) its only valid for the second its written, clearly the policy could be cancelled 2 minutes later. 

Girthhitch

DullGreyGuy said:

Girthhitch said:

It's extremely important to know for my situation, thanks.

Ultimately... there isn't a way to know for absolute certain. At the end of the day the insurance is there to protect the builder from you not the other way around. 

You can ask for their insurer/policy number and try to call them but you may find they won't talk to you due to data protection reasons. 

There is no legal requirement for PL providers to issue certificates of insurance unlike Motor and EL, which are compulsory insurances. Our insurer doesn't but the broker will write a letter confirming cover is in place and its limit. As said above though 1) its possible for someone to edit any letter and 2) its only valid for the second its written, clearly the policy could be cancelled 2 minutes later. 

Thanks all. If they damage something and are sued by me, a neighbor etc, I thought that's what the insurance is for. I have been asked by my lawyer to make sure I have a builder with this insurance anyhow.

bluelad1927

Girthhitch said:

DullGreyGuy said:

Girthhitch said:

It's extremely important to know for my situation, thanks.

Ultimately... there isn't a way to know for absolute certain. At the end of the day the insurance is there to protect the builder from you not the other way around. 

You can ask for their insurer/policy number and try to call them but you may find they won't talk to you due to data protection reasons. 

There is no legal requirement for PL providers to issue certificates of insurance unlike Motor and EL, which are compulsory insurances. Our insurer doesn't but the broker will write a letter confirming cover is in place and its limit. As said above though 1) its possible for someone to edit any letter and 2) its only valid for the second its written, clearly the policy could be cancelled 2 minutes later. 

Thanks all. If they damage something and are sued by me, a neighbor etc, I thought that's what the insurance is for. I have been asked by my lawyer to make sure I have a builder with this insurance anyhow.

I think you are misunderstanding the reply above.

It is correct in saying a policy protects the policy holder. It protects the policy holder from claims made by you, in that the insurance pays out rather than the builder

Without a policy the you could still make a claim (in court) against a builder but they themselves would be liable.

user1977

Girthhitch said:

DullGreyGuy said:

Girthhitch said:

It's extremely important to know for my situation, thanks.

Ultimately... there isn't a way to know for absolute certain. At the end of the day the insurance is there to protect the builder from you not the other way around. 

You can ask for their insurer/policy number and try to call them but you may find they won't talk to you due to data protection reasons. 

There is no legal requirement for PL providers to issue certificates of insurance unlike Motor and EL, which are compulsory insurances. Our insurer doesn't but the broker will write a letter confirming cover is in place and its limit. As said above though 1) its possible for someone to edit any letter and 2) its only valid for the second its written, clearly the policy could be cancelled 2 minutes later. 

I have been asked by my lawyer to make sure I have a builder with this insurance anyhow.

So why can't your lawyer advise you how to check?

DullGreyGuy

Girthhitch said:

DullGreyGuy said:

Girthhitch said:

It's extremely important to know for my situation, thanks.

Ultimately... there isn't a way to know for absolute certain. At the end of the day the insurance is there to protect the builder from you not the other way around. 

You can ask for their insurer/policy number and try to call them but you may find they won't talk to you due to data protection reasons. 

There is no legal requirement for PL providers to issue certificates of insurance unlike Motor and EL, which are compulsory insurances. Our insurer doesn't but the broker will write a letter confirming cover is in place and its limit. As said above though 1) its possible for someone to edit any letter and 2) its only valid for the second its written, clearly the policy could be cancelled 2 minutes later. 

Thanks all. If they damage something and are sued by me, a neighbor etc, I thought that's what the insurance is for. I have been asked by my lawyer to make sure I have a builder with this insurance anyhow.

Yes, it protects them from you suing them because they can hand it to their insurer to deal with you inc paying any settlement that may be due. 

EL and Motor are different as compulsory insurance as the injured party can directly deal with the insurer irrespective if the other party wants it or not. As such there is public record that any claimant can query to identify the insurer in question if the other party isn't playing ball etc. 

Ask your lawyer how they suggest you "make sure" and if they say to ask for a copy of the cert/schedule then you can ask them how you validate 1) its a genuine document and 2) confirm it wasn't cancelled after the date on the document.