Public Liability Insurance (PLI)
Frequently Asked Questions
With effect from 12th January 2008, administration of a scheme providing free Public
Liability Insurance (PLI) to Neighbourhood Watch Schemes / Associations in England
& Wales is managed by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) working
in conjunction with CaSE – Charities & Social Enterprise Insurance Management (CaSE).
Public Liability insurance (PLI) is underwritten by Ansvar Insurance Company Ltd.
Important Notice: Change of Co-ordinator
If your scheme has a change of co-ordinator or administrator, it is important that
you inform CaSE Insurance so they can update their database. Renewal reminders and
other correspondence are sent out to the contact details they have on their database.
Help
Further information, including Guidance for Registration of Neighbourhood Watch
Schemes / Associations for Public Liability Insurance (PLI), can be accessed at
http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/NHW or http://www.caseinsurance.co.uk/NHW
or http://www.neighbourhoodwatch.uk.com
Co-ordinators are asked to consult this prior to phoning Help Lines.
Enquiries:
- If you have any enquiry regarding your PLI cover, please direct this to the NCVO
Help Line at 0800 2798 798.
- Enquiries regarding any other insurance requirements, including specific Events,
should be referred to CaSE by email to NHW@caseinsurance.co.uk
or to the CaSE Help Line at 0845 2252288.
- Enquiries regarding Claims can be directed to CaSE by email to
NHW@caseinsurance.co.uk or to the CaSE Help Line at 0845 2252288 or direct to
Ansvar at 01323 737541.
- If you are changing your coordinator, please inform CaSE Insurance (so they can
update their database) by email to NHW@caseinsurance.co.uk
or to the CaSE Help Line at 0845 2252288.
Why do you need insurance?
This free Public Liability Insurance has been designed to allow Schemes / Associations
and volunteers to carry out their legitimate roles with protection for their liability
and without fear of personal loss.
Do you have to pay for the insurance?
No. It is free at the point of access once you have registered for the cover.
Does the insurance have an Excess?
Yes. Insured schemes are responsible for the first £100 of each claim for damage
to property. You should view the Policy document for full terms and conditions.
Does it matter if your scheme isn’t called a ‘Neighbourhood Watch
scheme’?
No. Not all Watch schemes are so named. The key is that the scheme fulfils the same
role as a Neighbourhood Watch scheme. If you are unsure then please discuss this
with your local police contact. They will determine if you are eligible to register
with them.
If you are in Scotland or Northern Ireland, is this free insurance
still available to you?
No. This free insurance cover is only available for Watch schemes registered in
England and Wales. Separate schemes are available for Scotland (http://www.aosnw.co.uk)
and N.I. (http://www.neighbourhoodwatch.uk.com)
Do you have to affiliate with anyone to be eligible for insurance?
No. There is no requirement to affiliate with any organisation aside from registering
with the police.
What if we’re not affiliated to an Association?
This makes no difference. Individual schemes are entitled to register, irrespective
of whether they are affiliated to an Association.
Do you have to register with the police for free cover to apply
to your Scheme / Association?
Yes. Insurers require this to provide a check that only bona fide Schemes / Associations
benefit from the free cover. Additionally it helps to forge a closer link between
NHW and the Police.
The police already know about us, do we still have to register?
Yes. In order to register for the insurance, it is necessary to hold a unique police
reference no., password and username. These can only be obtained through police
registration.
Do you have to register on the insurance website in order for free
cover to apply to your Scheme / Association?
Yes. FSA and DTI regulations dictate that insurance companies must know who they
are insuring, and each insured must understand the nature of the cover and have
adequate access to proof of cover.
What if you have no internet access?
It is anticipated that most co-ordinators will have internet access. However where
co-ordinators do not and thus cannot register on the insurance website, the police
have offered to facilitate access.
Can Associations register their Schemes en-bloc?
Yes. You will only require one reference number, password and username. However,
Association leaders are reminded that the information input must be accurate and
that it is their responsibility to send out the insurance documentation to individual
Scheme co-ordinators. Leaders need to maintain a list of Schemes they registering
for cover.
What information needs to be disseminated and to whom?
If Associations are registering their schemes en-bloc, they must send the Insurance
Certificate to each individual Scheme co-ordinator covered within their Association.
What if you don’t have accurate information?
Information used to register must be as accurate as possible. Approximations will
not suffice and could render any subsequent claim void.
How do you register or re-register?
Registration is quick and easy. But cover is not automatic, and there is no period
of grace, so you will not be covered if you do not register or re-register for cover.
Notes on how to register have been prepared – [Guidance for registration of Neighbourhood
Watch Schemes / Associations for Public Liability Insurance (PLI)].
What if you change your co-ordinator?
If your scheme has a change of co-ordinator or administrator, it is important that
you inform CaSE Insurance so they can update their database. Renewal reminders and
other correspondence are sent out to the contact details they have on their database.
When must you register by?
The present insurance cover runs from 12th January 2007 till 31st March 2008. It
will then be able to be renewed for 12 months at 1st April 2008.
If you currently benefit as a policyholder under this free Public Liability Insurance,
you will need to re-register before 1st April 2008 in order to continue benefiting
from the free insurance.
If you do not currently benefit as a policyholder under this free Public Liability
Insurance, you can register for the first time at any time during the year.
Does it matter if you haven’t previously been covered by this insurance?
No. This insurance is available to any and all bona fide Neighbourhood Watch Schemes
and Associations in England and Wales, irrespective of previous arrangements.
What if you already have cover elsewhere?
There is no obligation to register for this free insurance. If Schemes / Associations
are content with their present arrangements they are more than welcome to keep them.
What if you don’t want cover?
There is no obligation to register for insurance. It is wholly up to individual
Schemes / Associations as to whether they register.
Why is the Home Office funding the PLI?
The Home Office has funded PLI since 2004. It provides this form of support because
it values the Neighbourhood Watch movement and the work it does. The Home Office
also recognises that provision of this type of cover is important to allow schemes
to fulfil their roles.
Will your details be passed to the Home Office?
No. The insurance website is not owned by the Home Office. As such the Home Office
does not have access to personal details submitted to the insurance website.
Is this going to result in junk mail?
No. The web form includes a ‘tick-box’ which must be positively ticked if you desire
to be contacted about other products.
If you still have questions, who should you contact?
A dedicated NCVO Help Line has been set up on 0800 2798 798. This should be able
to deal with any other questions you may have. Enquiries should be directed there
and not to the Home Office or Insurers.
Further information can be accessed at
http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/NHW or
http://www.caseinsurance.co.uk/NHW
or
http://www.neighbourhoodwatch.uk.com
What if your needs go beyond this free Public Liability Insurance
cover?
This insurance has been designed to provide a solid foundation to allow Neighbourhood
Watch schemes to carry out their basic functions. If Schemes / Associations wish
to carry out other functions, or hold Events which require separate cover, then
this can be provided at cost. Contact CaSE Insurance at
NHW@caseinsurance.co.uk or on 0845 225 2288.
