Care Claims - we've got you covered.

Electrical fire damage case study

It is rare for an electrical installation to cause a fire, but unfortunately a CHIS client recently suffered a fire of this nature which resulted in the complete evacuation of the care home.

When the loss adjuster arrived at the facility he found that the mains electrical wiring running through the attic space was completely burnt out. He was pleased to know all the residents, staff and visitors had been safely evacuated.

Our client had an overseas family commitment and he wanted to ensure that the repair work was in safe hands whilst away. He asked us to look after all the works in his absence so that the residents were able to return to their home as quickly as possible.

An electrician replaced the damaged electrical cabling and did a complete electrical survey of the care home. A survey had not been done for over 8 years and the electrical system should have been installed to BS 7671:2008. This system hadn't, and it was recommended to be checked at least once every five years by a qualified person, which also hadn't happened.

While the fire damage and electrical installation has been repaired, and it is a blessing that no-one was injured, the care home owner now has the very probable threat of an HSE prosecution hanging over him.

Insurance cover can only go so far. CHIS would strongly urge all care home owners to make sure they are aware of their own obligations to provide a safe home for their residents and safe place to work for their employees.

If you want to know more and are a CHIS or PrimeCare Insurance client, then you can visit our Carerisk website and find all the details on your statutory obligations in this respect. If you are not a CHIS or PrimeCare Insurance client and want to get access to members area of the Carerisk website, please call us on 01273 645920.

Flood damage case study

Severe weather conditions over the last few years has increased the risk of flooding, and with it, the crippling costs of damages. For one care home owner the cost of repairing flood damage at their facility and lost income exceeded £2 million.

When it came time for their next insurance renewal the underwriters excluded all flood cover.

For almost 15 months, this was a major concern for our client as they had explored other avenues and practical measures to minimise flood risk, but finding adequate protection remained unattainable.

CHIS was able to help our client by speaking with various underwriters about providing cover for flood damage and finally (fortunately) one came to the party, albeit with a high excess (circa £250,000).

So finally our client is protected and has some peace of mind. Without the cover, if another flood were to occur and result in similar damages of £2 million, his business would not have survived. However, with a £250,000 excess his business has a better chance of survival.

CHIS is currently negotiating with underwriters to reduce the excess to £100,000 for the benefit of the care industry.

Being a voice for our care clients is just another way CHIS is protecting people who care.