Category: Our Services

Insurers are driving extra anti-theft requirements for high value vehicles

As figures from the Office For National Statistics (ONS) reveal that vehicle thefts rose by a quarter in England and Wales last year, an independent insurance broker is warning owners of top of the range vehicles that they may find it hard to get insurance cover or miss out on claims, if they don’t have the correct anti-theft precautions in place.

The warning from TL Dallas, which has offices throughout the UK, follows a significant increase in the number of thefts of high value cars, including Range Rovers, Land Rover Defenders and Mercedes, which has seen insurance companies respond with demands for increased security measures before providing cover.

Michelle North Gower from TL Dallas, which provides a personal insurance broking service to private and commercial clients across the UK, said: “When buying or leasing a high value car it is essential people understand that the standard, factory fitted security trackers are not always enough for insurers these days, especially as thieves are using high-tech methods including relay attacks, key cloning and signal blocking to breach cars’ security systems.

“Strict Thatcham Cat5 trackers, which are the highest specification car tracking devices approved by insurers, plus extra immobilisers and ghost systems are essential, with the majority of insurers also preferring vehicles to be stored in garages or behind locked gates.

“Insurance companies are understandably asking for more precautions following the rise in the number of stolen to order high value vehicles. It doesn’t help that many dealerships don’t make this clear when selling cars, which are often worth six figure sums, especially when extras are added on. Some dealerships tell buyers that ghost immobilisers will invalidate the warranty, which doesn’t help the situation, as insurers are asking for them to be fitted, so it’s a catch 22.”

A ghost immobiliser system uses the buttons in a vehicle, such as those on the steering wheel, door panels or centre console, to allow the owner to create a unique, changeable, disarm sequence, like a PIN code, that must first be entered before the car can be driven.

Michelle added: “These ghost systems do not interfere with the electrics or integral wiring of the car at all. They are a stand-alone immobiliser that talks straight to the engine, and they are a great way of preventing vehicle thefts, especially on those with keyless entry systems, as they won’t allow the engine to start without the PIN code, even if you have the key! We can suggest an installer who fits ghost systems for between £400 and £500 at the client’s home.

“As well as ghost systems and traditional deterrents like steering locks, Faraday pouches are a must, as they block the keyless signal when the fob is inside it. CCTV and smart doorbells also act as deterrents. 

“If a car is stolen, tracking systems provide a way of recovery.” According to vehicle receiver service firm, Tracker, having a tracker system in place provides a 95% rate of recovery.

Michelle added: “Tracker solutions work like an electronic homing device. They can’t stop wireless signals being intercepted, but they can significantly increase the chances of a car being recovered and returned.

“It’s important that owners of high value vehicles understand that they need to invest in extra vehicle security or face the reality that an insurer won’t insure the car in the first place, or if it is stolen, not pay out. As insurance brokers we can advise on what precautions can be put in place and liaise with insurance companies to make sure every box it ticked.”

To find out more about personal and commercial motor insurance contact: TL Dallas on 01274 465 500.

Trade credit insurance offers a level of certainty in an uncertain economic climate

With UK insolvencies rising and ongoing uncertainty in parts of the economy, increasing numbers of businesses are taking out trade credit insurance to protect themselves against the risks associated with selling goods and services on credit.

It’s an area that TL Dallas is an expert in, and we’re currently supplying trade credit insurance to clients across all industries, but what is trade credit insurance, and how can it benefit your business?

Here’s everything you need to know about trade credit insurance….

Trade credit insurance protects businesses that sell goods or services on credit terms, from the risk of non-payment by their customers, or if invoices aren’t paid within the agreed payment terms.

When a business purchases trade credit insurance, the insurance provider will typically perform a credit assessment of the company’s customers to determine their creditworthiness. If a customer defaults on a payment, the insurance provider will pay out an agreed percentage of the amount owed to the business.

Key benefits of trade credit insurance include:

1. Protection against bad debt – with trade credit insurance in place, businesses can protect themselves against the risk of non-payment by customers, reducing the impact of bad debt on their cash flow.

2. Increased confidence – by being protected against bad debt, businesses can be more confident extending credit terms to their customers, which can lead to increased sales and revenue.

3. Improved access to finance – certain lenders may be more willing to provide finance to businesses that have trade credit insurance in place, as it provides an additional layer of security for their cashflow.

4. Assistance with debt collection – some products provide additional coverage for legal fees and other costs associated with debt collection if a customer fails to pay.

5. Supporting expansion – in some instances expanding into new markets or territories can be risky, but trade credit insurance helps to mitigates this.

6. Additional financial protection – certain insurers offer credit analysis and risk assessment services as part of their coverage, which can help businesses to make more informed decisions about which customers to extend credit to and at what terms.

7. Bespoke products – our trade credit insurance policies can be tailored for all types of business, from regional SMEs to large corporates that are trading globally.

To find out more about trade credit insurance and how it can protect your business against the financial impact of non-payment, contact TL Dallas:

01274 465 500 creditbfd@tldallas.com

01324 717 466 creditdept@tldallas.com

How to avoid underinsurance as building costs inflation reaches record high

Underinsurance remains a concern for many people and businesses. Underinsurance worsened during the COVID pandemic, and the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters has reported that over 40% of all commercial claims exhibit some degree of underinsurance, which is now compounded by soaring inflation.

A new guide from the British Insurers Brokers’ Association (BIBA) advises how to avoid it, and BIBA member, TL Dallas is keen to meet with clients to ensure the right levels of insurance are in place.

Written with loss adjuster and BIBA valuation facility provider, QuestGates, the new ‘guide to valuations’ looks at macro issues that impact sums insured. It also highlights the importance of reviewing sums insured and making accurate valuations of buildings, plant, machinery, and other contents as well as estimating suitable indemnity periods in business interruption cover. 

Managing Director, Polly Staveley, from TL Dallas, added: “Underinsurance is a serious concern and can leave a policyholder responsible for a large percentage of a loss where the discrepancy is significant. Part of our role is to try to ensure this doesn’t happen and advise clients on setting correct sums insured, albeit we are not professional valuers so we recommend their services should always be sought.

“We will also assist with setting the right levels of business interruption cover and indemnity periods, which are especially critical as there are often long delays in deliveries of replacement machinery and also building material supplies are still somewhat disrupted. This new guide from BIBA will act as a great aide-memorie when it comes to reviewing clients’ policies.”

Alistair Steward, director at QuestGates highlighted that: “Getting the sums insured stated correctly at the time of inception of the policy makes the claims process so much easier, avoiding difficult conversations with customers around underinsurance and enabling prompt and full claims settlements.”

To download a copy of the guide, click HERE and to arrange a call with TL Dallas contact your nearest office. 

Our Credit Insurance team welcome new members

Bringing a total of 30 years’ experience to the company, Jonathan Grant and Sandie Cater-Wright join our Credit Insurance team in Bradford’s headquarters. The appointments follow a period of growth we’ve seen in this division, which is expected to continue into 2022.

Joining from Bibby as a Trade Credit Account Handler, Sandie brings extensive experience working in banking and insurance roles and will support our Account Executives locally. Jonathan  joined the team as an Account Executive, having previously worked on a number of large portfolio clients at Aon.

The appointments continue the positive momentum for our company, following the launch of Dallas Wilding Drew, the company’s first North Yorkshire office, in Settle earlier this year, and Dallas Scott Davey Ltd more recently in Lincolnshire.

Jonathan Smith, Strategic Director of Trade Credit and Surety at TL Dallas, said: “After witnessing significant income growth across the company, we’re delighted to welcome Sandie and Jonathan to the Trade Credit division.

“Their expertise and approach will be significant assets to the TL Dallas offering and will help us to further support clients ranging from SMEs to large corporates. In the current climate it is more important than ever for companies to protect their Balance Sheet and Trade Credit insurance assists with this through both insurance and good debtor management ”

Simon Hyde, Director of Trade Credit and Surety, added: “After celebrating our centenary in 2019, TL Dallas continues to go from strength to strength, cementing our position as a top ten specialist broker in the market, and one of the leading independents nationally.

“We expect this period of growth to continue well into next year and are currently on the look-out for further new team members who will help us to maintain our excellent reputation.”

If you’re looking for Trade Credit support or are interested in hearing about available roles at TL Dallas, please get in touch: info@tldallas.com.

 

Working in Hot Weather

During the summer months we can look forward to some hot weather, however, it is not what most people consider to be ideal working conditions and it carries risks whether you work inside or out.

What constitutes acceptable working temperatures?

Under the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, the temperature inside workplace buildings, during working hours, must be ‘reasonable’. But what is meant by ‘reasonable’?

Health and Safety legislation does not refer to maximum temperatures, but it states, “the employer must provide a working environment which as far as is reasonably practicable, is safe and without risks to health.” Therefore whatever the temperature and measures taken to control it, the result must be a workplace that is safe and without risk to health.

What does it mean in practice to safeguard the health, safety and welfare of employees at work? We want employees to remain safe and healthy even when they are not at work, so what advice should we give them?

Indoor Workers

People working indoors have a broad mix of conditions to cope with, ranging from those who work in air conditioned offices to others who are in accommodation that offers little or no defence against outside temperatures.

People who particularly need our sympathy are those who work in premises that are hot and humid at the best of times, such as kitchens. High outside temperatures usually make things so much worse and there may appear to be little that can be done to improve the conditions because of the nature of the work being carried out.

Adequate ventilation must be ensured. Additional fans may be needed and efficient means for extracting stale air. In the worst cases, it may be necessary to call on the services of a ventilation engineer to solve the problem.

It is in everyone’s interest to address these issues because, apart from the risk to health, people who are working in premises that are too hot and humid will be uncomfortable and less efficient. That in turn is likely to lead to lower productivity and increased risk of accidents.

Outdoor Workers

Outdoor workers run major risks from sunburn, sunstroke and heat exhaustion and the risks typically increase for those involved in heavy physical work.

If adequate precautions are not taken, there are further risks with the possibility of rashes, burns or even skin cancer. The people most at risk are those who have fair skins and who don’t tan quickly. Whatever your susceptibility, good sun protection creams may help.

Recommended precautions, however, include frequent and plentiful drinks (clean water being preferable to other types of drink), with regular rest breaks in a cool place. Clothing should be worn to protect from the effects of direct radiation but, for obvious reasons, it should be light and loose fitting to allow body heat to escape easily.

Vulnerable Workers

Some people are more vulnerable to the effects of heat than others. A good example is pregnant workers.

Apart from personal consequences for the mother, breastfeeding may also be impaired by heat dehydration.

Regardless of temperature, employers are required to undertake specific risk assessments for pregnant workers. Typical temperatures in the workplace and the effects of particularly warm spells of weather should be included as part of such assessments.

Simple arrangements need to be made to combat the effects of excessive heat, such as ensuring adequate rest provision, along with suitable refreshment facilities.

Precautions

So in general, what should employers do?

The first task is to assess the problem. People’s comfort depends on a number of factors including humidity, air movement and change, heat sources associated with the work and any protective clothing that has to be worn. It is fair to say that if most people are complaining about the heat, then action needs to be taken regardless of thermometer readings.

Alongside assessing the problem, it is also worth assessing the effectiveness of control measures that are already in place. Is the air conditioning in need of maintenance or repair? Are window blinds broken? Are there sufficient fans and are they strategically placed? Is there an adequate supply of clean drinking water?

Other, less routine, possibilities includes examining job design or organisation of the works to move people away from direct heat sources (including windows, for example). Heat gain from windows can also be controlled at little additional cost by applying reflective film.

The next task is to ensure employees know how best to cope with the hot temperatures and, perhaps, relax such things as dress code. Employees should be actively encouraged to take plenty of drinks. Water coolers might encourage people to drink more water rather than other drinks, particularly anything containing caffeine. Outside workers in particular need to be able to recognise the symptoms of heat stress and how to deal with them.

If the problem is persistent, it may be appropriate to look at longer term solutions such as installing air conditioning or upgrading an aging system. Even small portable air conditioning units can make a useful contribution.

Although the law is vague when it comes to precise numbers, that doesn’t mean we are without authoritative guidance.

In terms of maximum temperature, the World Health Organisation recommends 24ºC(that is 75ºC). The Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers recommends an acceptable temperature range for most types of work as 16ºCto 23ºC(that is 61ºFto 72ºF). However there are different ideal temperatures suggested for different workplaces such as 20ºCfor offices, 19ºC for hospital wards, 18ºCfor shops and 16ºCfor warehouses.

Given the cold and wet that we have to cope with for most of the year, we should be able to enjoy the occasional heat wave. We are all responsible for each other’s welfare, including employers and employees. So let’s do all we can to keep our cool as well as our safety and health during the hot weather.

For Further Information contact: mike.martin@tldallas.com or david.cartwright@tldallas.com

A New Threat & Maybe A Nasty Phone Bill

 

One of our Unitas Partner Insurers, QBE, has recently reported on a new threat to hit business. Phone Phreaking is a fraud where commercial phone systems are hacked in order to place outbound calls to premium-rate numbers. These numbers are controlled by the fraudsters themselves and can be charged at extortionate rates.

It is an attractive scam to the criminals; it’s carried out remotely, difficult to prevent and unlikely to be detected until a large phone bill arrives.

Although still a relatively new crime, Phone Phreaking is already estimated to cost UK businesses over £1bn per year, with the average cost of a UK attack thought to be around £10,000. Currently there is no silver bullet for preventing this fraud, save investing in an expensive software solution.

QBE provides up to £50,000 cover for Phone Phreaking under their Cyber & Data Security policy.

If you have any concerns please don’t hesitate to contact us so we can look at the options available to insure your business against these types of losses.

Mike Martin

Group Director

 

mike.martin@tldallas.com

Warning over new ‘flash for cash’ insurance scam

Criminals gangs tricking motorists before intentionally crashing into them

Investigators are warning about a new tactic by criminal gangs, dubbed ‘flash for cash’, where a driver flashes their lights to let another driver out of a junction, and then crashes into them deliberately.

The criminals then make money by putting in false personal injury claims for whiplash and loss of earnings, as well as submitting fake bills for vehicle recovery, repair and replacement car hire.

The Asset Protection Unit, which investigates fraud in collaboration with police and the insurance sector, has warned that the fraudsters often target elderly motorists or women with young children – drivers they believe will not challenge them on the scene.

And the new scam is harder to prove in court, because it comes down to the innocent driver’s word against the criminal’s that they flashed their lights to let them out.

 The number of flash for crash scams are not known, but the IFB estimates that 380 fraudulent personal injury claims from deliberate crashes are made every day and cost the motor insurance industry £392m every year.

 Detective inspector Dave Hindmarsh from the Metropolitan Police told the BBC: “[There are] emotional costs if you’re involved in a crash: you could well lose your confidence, and if your passengers are children they may well become wary of being passengers in cars, and of course you may get injured or killed.

 “It’s an extra £50 to £100 on every person’s premium, so that’s a financial cost.”

 

This article has been taken from The Insurance Times dated 16th August 2013 

http://www.insurancetimes.co.uk/warning-over-new-flash-for-cash-insurance-scam/1404027.article

The Herald Family Business Breakfast is Back

TL Dallas is delighted to be sponsoring The Herald Scottish Family Business Breakfast again this year, alongside Business Gateway, Campbell Dallas, Clydesdale Bank, Strathclyde Business School, Turcan Connell and Western Pension Solutions.

The breakfast event takes place on Tuesday, August 20 at WEST on the Green, Glasgow and will see lively discussion and debate on matters affecting family businesses in Scotland.

This breakfast is free to attend for anyone in Scotland who runs or is part of a family business. Please note, places are limited for this event, so secure your invitation now at https://lnkd.in/diarxfP.

Find out more here.

The real value provided by credit insurance

New unsecured creditor figures illustrate the value of trade credit insurance.

New research by InfolinkGazette has indicated that the recent failures of Pretty Green Limited, Freemont Ltd, British Midland Regional Limited (t/a Flybmi), Better Bathrooms, Ubercasual Limited (t/a Jack & Jones), Blenheim Homes North East Limited, El Ganso (Acturus Retail (UK) Ltd), and Boing Zone Limited have left at least 866 unsecured creditors owed approximately £32.3 million.

In Pretty Green’s case, they were themselves an unsecured trade creditor of House of Fraser and lost £522,000 when the store entered administration last year. Greg Connell, Managing Director of InfolinkGazette, commented:

Credit insurance cover isn’t always available, but when it is obtainable, can avert the disastrous consequences of becoming an unsecured creditor.

You can read InfolinkGazette’s analysis here.

An interesting perspective recently shared by Greg Connell, Managing Director of InfolinkGazette of what the real value of Credit Insurance can provide. With insolvency numbers and claims now mirroring those last seen in 2009 and all the Political uncertainty abounding with hard Brexit looking evermore likely, we believe things are going to become more difficult before they get better.

TL Dallas is a leading provider of insurance solutions to protect against insolvency or default exposures and if you would like to talk about specific needs, export related or otherwise, we would welcome the opportunity to talk to you further. Please email our Credit Insurance team on credit@tldallas.com.

Kier Group KIE share price lowest since the 1990’s

December 2018 signified a share price of 409p and yet June 2019 evidenced a crash all the way down to 161p. Is it a case of ‘Kitchen Sinking’? With a new Chief at the helm, Andrew Davies has signified the company’s falling profits, rising debt and higher costs in one swift move. Perhaps he is being more pragmatic in his findings since undertaking the role in March this year, coming in and seeing things in a harsher, realistic light. However, it’s not uncommon for a new boss to portray a dark picture soon after arriving, to then depict themselves as saviours to investors on the precarious path ahead.

Step back to December 2018 and the rights issue offered to investor’s on the understanding that by June 2019 the cash position would be c.£25m. In actual fact, there is a strong claim that the £265m cash raised must have been based on fundamentally wrong financial forecasts as instead there is now a net debt position of c.£56m to be expected.

Of note, there was an anticipated £250m increase in turnover for 2019 from the £4.5bn sales in 2018, yet uncontrollable issues outside of management’s control such as, a slowdown in construction, budget constraints on schools and hospitals have caused turnover to remain stagnant. This culminates with the issues relating to the restructuring costs increasing by £15m, yet there has been discussions this relates to an acceleration of the programme, albeit unavoidable one off costs.

FT advisor Mathew Vincent states, ‘It smells horribly like Carillion’. It cannot be ignored, that certain similarities are evidenced. However, the spread of risk is far less concentrated, whilst the business still remains profitable and there does seem to be a clear strategy being put in place by the new Chief to help cement the company’s market position. Carillion was profitable until the goodwill was omitted from the balance sheet. Moving aside from the accounting gimmickry, Kier has almost £800m goodwill on it’s balance sheet.

Trust with investors has been tarnished and will need to be rebuilt. It is almost unthinkable for the CEO to request a fresh rights issue given the current predicament coupled with the endless paroxysms encountered in the sector currently.

The strategy update in July will be Pivotal to hopefully rebuilding Trust with the market/shareholder’s whilst perhaps focusing more heavily on margin than turnover. Key future requirements of improving cash generation and reducing leverage should not be ignored.

 

TL Dallas is a leading provider of insurance solutions to protect against insolvency or default exposures. If you would like to talk about specific needs, we would welcome the opportunity to talk to you further. Please email our Credit Insurance team on credit@tldallas.com.

 

No deal no British Steel

No Deal No British Steel – What does Comet, Monarch Airlines and British Steel have in common..?

  • All acquired and owned by Greybull Capital
  • All went into administration to the detriment of the taxpayer

Greybull offered a mere £1m to save the company whilst requesting £75m from the Government which was subsequently reduced to £30m. There’s a culmination of problems facing the steel industry at the moment, with the value of sterling, coupled with European/US Trade Tariff’s causing uncertainty.

A Sector Deal along with taking steps on energy prices could have been reviewed. Redcar Steelworks was closed with the loss of 3100 jobs – the Government’s final statement on this being ‘Never again’.

In a positive swing, we wake up this morning to hear that 60 potential buyers have came forward, whilst a treasury backed indemnity has been put in place by the Government to keep the business afloat ensuring all staff will continue to be paid. Combined with Network Rail increasing their orders to help keep it trading, there may yet be light at the end of the tunnel, helping to save a potential 25,000 jobs throughout the supply chain.

 

TL Dallas is a leading provider of insurance solutions to protect against insolvency or default exposures. If you would like to talk about specific needs, we would welcome the opportunity to talk to you further. Please email our Credit Insurance team on credit@tldallas.com.

The importance of credit risk protection

 
This article recently published in Construction Enquirer highlights the impact that bad debts and insolvencies can have on suppliers.
 
Building services specialist, Proline Group, reported to be owed vast sums, have placed the business into administration – highlighting the need for credit risk protection.
 
Cash flow management is essential to keep businesses going. Late payments from your customers can impact your own ability to pay debts as they fall due.
 
In these ever uncertain times TL Dallas & Co can offer various solutions for credit risk protection. If you are interested in a no obligation review please get in touch to discuss your specific business needs. You can email our Credit Insurance team on credit@tldallas.com.

Trade credit insurers pay out a record £1 million a day to help UK firms stay afloat

Whatever you hear about Credit Insurance underwriters reducing risk exposure, the reality is that exposure has increased significantly over the last decade and the other side of this can be seen in the claims now being paid. An interesting article as this represents the collective experience which is the reality of what all in the industry are experiencing right now. Not a time for the feint hearted!

 

TL Dallas is a leading provider of insurance solutions to protect against insolvency or protracted default exposures. If you would like to discuss your specific business needs we would welcome the opportunity to see if we can help provide more certainty in these uncertain times. Please email our Credit Insurance team on credit@tldallas.com.

 

No place like home – keeping art properly protected on the move

When a piece of art is static and in its regular ‘home’ – whether that’s a painting on a wall or sculpture on a plinth, it is usually well protected and unlikely to get damaged. It’s when clients need to move their art – either to a different home, overseas or to an exhibition or museum – we see increased risk to these valuable pieces.

When people think about threats to artwork, front of mind is usually theft and fire, but it’s more mundane risks like moving art when we see the most damage, and these claims are often the most challenging.

High profile examples of damage to masterpieces and ancient works of art in transit shows how real this threat is. In 2001 Rembrandt’s ‘Portrait of an Elderly Woman’ arrived in Moscow from Houston with a large gash in the canvas. In 2000, the 9th Century Book of Kells was reportedly affected by vibration after a flight from Ireland to Australia. If damage can occur to such pieces, it drives home the need for every owner of art to ensure they are doing everything to mitigate risk when their pieces are on the move.

 

Leave it to the specialists

Clients should be just as discerning about their transit company or shipper as they are about their art collection. The art market is, after all, completely unregulated. There’s no code of conduct, so you rely on the specialist knowledge and experience of shippers and packers. Fine art shippers can work with auction houses, curators and collectors on a loss prevention analysis to assess the best way to move the item and to arrange for adequate handling and storage throughout the journey. However, there will always be times of increased risk, particularly with international transit. Curators and owners often choose to travel with artworks but even they can’t go in the hold! A condition report can be carried out on both sides, before the piece travels and when it arrives, much like when you hire a car on holiday, which gives both the owner and insurer peace of mind.

“We always advise our clients – commercial and private – to use a professional shipping company who specialise in transporting different types of collections. Nevertheless accidents can still happen. Many of the losses you see in transit are down to human error such as a third party putting a forklift through a crate or dropping an artefact while being carried.”

 

Preparing to manage moving art

We appreciate our clients may often have more than one property and will want to move their art or antiques between homes, sometimes overseas. There can also be frequent movement between galleries and museums.

There are three key areas to think about:

• Collectors often don’t think about insurance from the moment of purchase. Once bought, at the auction house or a private sale, it is the collector’s asset and needs to have cover in place, especially when it is being transported. You should be aware of insurance policy conditions following new purchases. Some policies provide automatic cover for newly acquired art and antiques up to 30% of the total sum insured under this section provided your insurer is advised within 60 days of the purchase.

• Artwork is at its most vulnerable when it is being moved, so it is vital to use a professional and specialist transit company who will treat the item like it is their own. Auction houses and dealers will be able to make these recommendations, as will your insurance broker who will have personal knowledge of the leading international fine art shippers and packers.

• Collectors are increasingly buying art as an investment. Whatever their motives for collecting it is important they maintain up to date valuations for their collection.

 

For further information contact Michael Gregson, TL Dallas Private Clients on 0131 322 2634 or email michael.gregson@tldallas.com.

 

Source: Dr James Lindow, Underwriting Director, Ecclesiastical’s Art and Private Client Team