What is a indemnity insurance policy?

Indemnity insurance is a type of insurance policy where the insurance company guarantees compensation for losses or damages sustained by a policyholder. Indemnity insurance is designed to protect professionals and business owners when found to be at fault for a specific event such as misjudgment.

How does an indemnity policy work?

In simple terms, an indemnity policy is an insurance policy to cover a defect relating to a property. Such policies are commonly used to cover against the cost implications of a third party making a claim against the defects. The policy will last for many years – the exact length of this will depend on the insurer.

Who usually pays for an indemnity policy?

Who pays for indemnity insurance? Both buyer and seller of a property can pay for an indemnity policy. Often, house sellers take out an indemnity policy to cover the cost implications of the buyer making a claim against their property. The insurance requires a one-off payment and lasts forever.

Do mortgage lenders accept indemnity insurance?

Since the COVID pandemic began the processing of local searches by local authorities has slowed considerably and, in some cases, has ground to a halt. An alternative to a full local search result is the availability of indemnity insurance but most lenders will only accept indemnity insurance on re-mortgage cases.

How long do indemnity policies last?

Indemnity insurance has a one-off fee and never expires. Indemnity insurance is not just limited to sellers. Buyers can purchase a policy instead of rectifying defects in a property.

Why do I need an indemnity policy?

An indemnity insurance policy covers a legal defect with the property that either can’t be resolved or would be very costly and/or time consuming to do so. So, instead of trying to fix the problem you simply take out indemnity insurance to protect you against an expensive bill in the future.

Should I get indemnity insurance?

Professional indemnity insurance is highly advisable for any business that provides advice or services to clients. Because if you make an error that causes the client damage, injury or loss, then you could be liable – which could cost you a lot of money.

Should the seller pay for indemnity insurance?

It’s a one-off payment. There’s no annual premium to keep paying. Sellers usually pay for the policy to salvage the sale. But if the seller refuses to pay, you’ll have to negotiate over who covers the cost.

What is an indemnity policy when buying a house?

Legal indemnity insurance covers the buyer and the mortgage lender in the event of any loss of value on the property as a result of the defect. The indemnity policy doesn’t actually remedy the defect – it just provides financial compensation in the event of the defect causing a loss.

Is indemnity insurance a one off payment?

Indemnity insurance, you may have guessed, is a type of insurance. It offers protection to sellers during conveyancing transactions. It covers the seller should there be a defect with the property that later could give rise to legal action. Indemnity insurance has a one-off fee and never expires.

Are indemnity policies expensive?

An indemnity insurance policy covers a legal defect with the property that either can’t be resolved or would be very costly and/or time consuming to do so. Most things covered by indemnity insurance are very low risk but would be costly if they did occur.

Is indemnity insurance a legal requirement?

Professional indemnity insurance is not a legal requirement – but professionals who work in certain sectors should still consider it one of their core business needs. Some clients may choose to make this insurance a contractual requirement or your industry regulator might say it’s essential.

When to use indemnity insurance in conveyancing?

Sometimes there are missing pieces of information or defects which the buyer and/or their lender will require to be rectified before being able to proceed to completion. Indemnity insurance is generally used to plug the gaps where it would be disproportionately time consuming or expensive to solve the core issue.

When do you need indemnity insurance on a property?

The insurance policy usually continues in perpetuity and can be passed on to future buyers when the property is sold. Indemnity insurance policies are very common in today’s conveyancing process but it is up to the conveyancer to use their expertise to determine whether or not insurance is actually required.

How much does one off indemnity insurance cost?

A one-off policy to cover a risk of chancel repairs could cost you a few pounds. But, an indemnity to cover building work that doesn’t have the right certificates could cost several hundred pounds. Typically, indemnity insurance costs between £20 to £300.

When to take out planning permission indemnity insurance?

Planning permission indemnity insurance When a previous owner has made alterations to the property without planning permission you could take out an indemnity policy. This would cover the risk of local authority enforcement. This kind of indemnity could also help if there are missing building regulation certificates.