Property Owners
Winchester Hawkins specialises in providing insurance and risk management services for all types of property including those for Residential, Commercial and Industrial Property Owners, Freeholders, Right-To-Manage Companies, Letting and Managing Agents.
We have helped a number of clients deal with the issues associated with cladding and the use of combustible materials within the external walls of buildings and the increased and associated fire and health and safety risks that accompany the use of such materials; helping clients reduce risk, meet requirements for External Wall System Certification (EWS1) and the associated mortgage / lending and valuation survey requirements – and most importantly, obtaining “All Risks” insurance cover for their properties at the best available premiums through our extensive access of the insurance market.
The Government has a Fund to help with the cost of removing high risk cladding on buildings and Winchester Hawkins is totally dedicated to helping clients to understand any existing cladding issues that may exist and the reasoning for the increase in any potential and associated risk.
Cladding in any form is generally regarded as a higher fire risk and buildings with combustible material can be harder risks to insure.
Certain cladding material is deemed highly flammable; the outer membranes can be damaged easily and the panels allow for an increased risk in the spread of a fire.
The various cladding materials and the associated combustibility can be classified as follows:
| Cladding Type: | Level of Combustibility: |
|---|---|
| Expanded/Extruded Polystyrene (EPS/XPS) | Highly Combustible |
| Fire Retardant EPS | Combustible |
| Polyethylene used in connection to Aluminium Composite Materials (PE) | Combustible |
| High Pressure Laminate (HPL) | Combustible |
| Structural Insulated Panel Systems (often filled with EPS) | Combustible |
| Polyurethane (PUR) | Combustible |
| Polyisocyanurate (PIR) | Combustible |
| Loss Prevention Certification Board/Factory Mutual Approved Phenolic Foam | Combustible despite withstanding PIR Modified fires for longer |
| Modified Phenolic Foam | Combustible but with a good degree of fire resistance |
| Foamed Glass | Non-combustible |
| Glass Fibre | Non-combustible |
| Mineral/Rock Wool | Non-combustible |
Our overall service includes advice and risk management guidance and support to minimise future claims; thereby reducing insurance premiums and other third-party costs in order to ensure minimum disruption to all property users; tenants, leaseholders, owners and those who work there.
If you own or are the letting or managing agent for a property or properties, whether it is used for residential, commercial or industrial purposes or whether it is occupied or unoccupied, rest assured Winchester Hawkins will deliver the package most appropriate for you.
- Residential Property Owners (Occupied and Unoccupied)
- Commercial Property Owners (Occupied and Unoccupied)
- Industrial Property Owners (Occupied and Unoccupied)
- Freeholders
- Right-To-Manage Companies
- Letting Agents
- Managing Agents
Examples of Insurance Cover:
- “All Risks” Building and Contents Property Damage
- Business Interruption
- Cyber
- Engineering Insurance and Inspection
- Employers’ Liability
- Legal Expenses
- Management Liability Portfolio (Directors’ & Officers’, Corporate Legal Liability, Employment Practices Liability and Crime)
- Public Liability
- Terrorism