News

Our property specialist, James King, recently published a feature in the RICS Property Journal on the ramifications of Covid-19 on insuring properties.

We’re pleased to be able to share the feature, reproduced in full below.

The risk of what is termed ‘long Covid’ has been much reported recently - and insurers are reacting.

‘Long Covid’ is the term given to long term symptoms of Covid-19. While initial scientific studies into the disease suggested its duration was relatively short, more recent research suggests a small portion of people infected will suffer from symptoms over a much longer period.  

As we head into the second national lockdown, it may be necessary for you or your tenants to vacate your premises entirely or change how it is occupied. 

The High Court's ruling on the FCA's test case, which sought legal clarity on business interruption insurance, provides some clarification on issues that were a source of confusion and concern for small business policyholders affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The English High Court judgment on a case brought by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on business interruption (BI) insurance coverage is expected on 15 September at 10:30am. 

We've already written about a 'hardening' insurance market and how, until recently, this was primarily confined to the supply of professional indemnity insurance (PII).  However, conditions across the whole insurance sector are now becoming more challenging as insurers are forced to increase premiums, reduce their presence in specific markets or withdraw from them altogether because they are no longer financially viable. 

The advent of Covid-19 has given the property sector much to think about. While attention is focused on finding solutions to multiple challenges, from the economic fallout from lockdown to ensuring spaces comply with social distancing, there are several insurance issues which should not be overlooked. In many respects, risk has changed – for better or worse – and action may need to be taken accordingly in order to satisfy any relevant policy conditions, ensure cover is adequate and to avoid paying unnecessarily inflated premiums. Our property specialist, James King, recently caught up with Estates Gazette to discuss this in more depth:

During the lockdown, many insurers extended or relaxed their policy conditions for unoccupied properties. This situation has changed, potentially affecting anyone who owns or rents a property that currently remains unoccupied.

If you think this may include you, please continue reading.

With the majority of businesses now working remotely, laptops have replaced desktops for many.

This change in equipment presents additional risks for data security that may harm your business.

We have outlined how to identify and reduce the likelihood of data loss via laptop thefts in this 3-step guide:

There has been much confusion over the COVID-19 crisis and the response from insurers. In an attempt to gain greater clarity over policy cover the FCA has started a High Court action against a number of insurers. We have had a number of queries from our customers regarding the test case and what it means for commercial policyholders; we hope this note will help you to understand the process and how it might affect you.

Businesses across the UK are now returning to the workplace, meaning many workers will now be commuting again for the first time since March.

As with ensuring offices and other work environments are as safe as possible, proactivity is the key to supporting staff safety as they commute. It’s worth considering adjusting your working practices, as well as your rules and guidance for staff, to help ensure they’re as safe as possible.

Here, we’ve compiled 5 key factors to consider as you do this:

CLEAR is here to help you throughout the crisis and lockdown. So, we've created a hub of useful COVID-19 information including business guides and useful downloads and the frequently asked questions (FAQs) we've been receiving about insurance cover and payments.

So, now you can find all of the important and useful guidance you need in one place. Click here to visit our COVID-19 hub.

Many businesses across the UK will be preparing to reopen and allow staff to return to work as lockdown restrictions ease. However, employers, the self-employed, and landlords must take steps to identify and control the risk of Legionella before employees and the public re-enter their premises.

With lockdown beginning to ease, many employers are now need to begin planning for what is likely to be a staged return to the workplace. 

If you’re among them, we’ve published a full guide to creating your ‘Return To Work’ action plan. No time to read the guide yet? We've prepared a summary of the key areas it covers:

If COVID-19 has taught us anything, it's that if a business is to ride out a major crisis and continue trading, it needs a risk management plan.

That's not to say that a risk management plan is a silver bullet. But without one, you can't hope to understand how your business might suffer and, crucially, how it might adapt and respond to minimise disruption to its operations.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic the safety of CLEAR’s staff and clients has been of paramount importance.

As the lockdown has continued to evolve, we wanted to take the opportunity to provide an update on how we are continuing to support both.

COVID-19 has affected all elements of business practice, and onboarding is no exception. 

With remote work now the norm in many sectors, business owners must refine their onboarding strategy to provide new employees with a comprehensive overview of the business, its challenges and its opportunities - and all while cultivating a feeling of belonging.

Achieving this at a time when new employees might not meet a colleague face-to-face for many months is difficult, so onboarding should begin at the moment an offer is made. 

Here are our best practice guidelines to help you in this new process: 

Protecting key staff who are both crucial and influential is of paramount importance to any business. Key persons normally possess special skills, intellect, knowledge, experience and/or have valuable contacts, or they could be a person whose loss or replacement attracts significant financial expense. Examples might include an IT manager, an Account Director, or indeed COO and CEO’s.

Avoiding ergonomic injuries is one of the difficulties associated with working from home that is most often overlooked. 

The outcomes of poor ergonomics – sitting with bad posture, having only a limited range of movements, having to bend or reach repeatedly – may seem fairly innocuous, but over the long term it’s possible they can lead to a range of issues that may have long-lasting effects, including damage to muscles, nerves, blood vessels, ligaments and tendons.

Many factors that feed into good ergonomics are taken for granted in an office but can be lacking in a remote workspace. For example, while at the office, you likely have access to a suitable desk and chair, but at home you might not have an optimal setup.

To transform a section of your home into a suitable workspace, consider the set up of the following: 

The idea of working from home may initially sound appealing – no commute, more time in bed, access to your own kitchen – but remote work is a double-edged sword. 

For people who are not used to working from home, distractions and a lack of structure can limit productivity and drive. On the other hand, you may find yourself continuing to work long after you would have normally finished for the day because you are not leaving your work environment.

For these reasons, it is vital that you plan ahead and create a healthy, sustainable routine that you can follow on working days, and that you prioritise your work effectively. 

Here are four things to bear in mind when you are designing your day: