Check Contractors Insurance before allowing them to commence any work
We have experienced cases of claims being paid under a Retailers Insurance when an injury has been incurred owing clearly due to the negligence of a contractor. An example of such an incident was where a Building Contractor was engaged by the owner/operator of a Retail Service Station to carry out some maintenance/repair/upgrade on their forecourt.
A customer climbing from his car stepped on a nail protruding from a piece of timber which the Contractor had mistakenly failed to pick/clear up upon completion of their work for the day.
Whilst the Contractor had verbally confirmed that his “Insurance was in order”, he later admitted, (when a formal claim was served), that he had failed to renew and so had no Insurance.
Owing to what is commonly referred to as the “One Per Cent Rule”, the case was served upon the Retail Operator and the claim subsequently paid under their Shop Insurance.
This rule was established with the intention of protecting injury victims where the negligent party in uninsured and a Judge finds that another party has a 1% contribution toward the negligence. In this case 1% was determined owing to the fact that the Retailer had failed to obtain proof of Insurance from the Contractor.
Before engaging ANY contractor(s), insist upon the Contractor forwarding written confirmation of their current valid Insurance to your Insurance provider.
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