Underinsured in a fire? Why your cover could be far weaker than you think

Fire risk is evolving — and many businesses are investing heavily, only to discover their insurance won’t fully protect them when things go wrong. A recent Zurich webinar highlighted major trends: lithium-ion batteries and solar panels now feature in an increasing number of fires. 

Yet the bigger problem? Underinsurance. Many businesses do not review their rebuild cost assessments regularly or account for rising labour and materials. In one example, a company insured for £9.5m faced actual rebuild costs of £13.3m — meaning the insurer paid only ~73% of the loss. 

What does this mean for you?

• Your insurance cover should reflect full reinstatement value — including professional fees, debris removal, VAT and inflation.

• Delaying a rebuild because of insufficient cover can damage reputation, revenue and your future viability.

• Without proper values in place, the “average clause” may reduce your payout proportionally when a claim occurs.
  

How Vista NW can help

At Vista NW we specialise in commercial insurance cover that is not just compliant — it’s comprehensive. We’ll:

• Review your business interruption and property cover values

• Ensure your limits, sums insured and policies reflect current realities

• Support you when major threats change — from fire to supply chain–delay risks

If your last insurance review was over 12 months ago, now is the time to act. 

Contact us today and let’s talk about securing cover you can rely on when it matters most.