The 20-minute project consultation isn't a sales pitch – it's work: by the end, it should be clear what cover structure suits the project, and what the next step is. Whether it really takes 20 minutes rather than three rounds of emails depends on what's to hand during the conversation. This article shows exactly that.
- The consultation is free of charge and comes with no obligation – at the end, you decide whether to take it further.
- The useful basic kit: the project's key facts + the insurance clauses of the draft contract + the deadlines.
- For anyone facing a tender: the insurance-related pages of the documentation are the most important item.
- There's no need to "prepare" – but having the facts ready gets us further in the same amount of time.
What will I definitely ask?
The first round is always the same: what's being built (technical content, technological elements – this is what decides the CAR/EAR classification), at what value (the full value of the works: sum insured article), where (the surroundings: neighbours, an operating plant, hydrology), from when to when (schedule, maintenance period), and with whom (main contractor, subcontractor chain, designer). These five questions frame the cover structure.
What's worth bringing along?
Nothing formal is needed – but what speeds things up a lot: the insurance clauses of the works contract (or its draft) (clauses article), for a tender the relevant pages of the documentation (tender article), the details of any existing cover (open cover, liability insurance – so we don't duplicate anything), and the deadlines: when a certificate is needed, when work starts. The full set of questions can be filled in ahead of time: project data sheet template – though I should stress: we can sit down without it too.
What happens in the 20 minutes?
From the facts, the risk picture takes shape: the cover elements that are needed, any open questions (typically: existing property, machinery, maintenance cover), and the route – project policy or open cover, on what timeline, with what certification needs. At the end, you'll see exactly what would follow – and you decide freely whether to go ahead. I assess the need and explain the options – the decision is yours.
And after that?
If you give the go-ahead, next comes the round of competing quotes: several insurers' offers, in one clear table – the following steps are set out on the How it works page and in the needs-assessment article. You'll find a slot in the embedded calendar: booking – before a tender deadline, it's worth doing this as early as possible, since issuing a certificate takes some lead time.
A question tailored to your own project? Book a free 20-minute project consultation →
