Irwell Insurance receives positive stamp of financial strength

Leading legal expenses and liability insurer Irwell Insurance is delighted to announce that AM Best upgraded its outlook to positive from stable for the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (ICR) in December 2024.

The Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of B++ (Good) and the Long-Term ICR of “bbb” (Good) of Irwell Insurance were also affirmed.

“We are delighted that Irwell’s balance sheet strength and robust operating performance has been recognised by AM Best,” said Giles Reading, CEO of Irwell.

“Our impressive results stem from developing market-leading products, high client retention rates and an unwavering commitment to providing an opportunity-rich workplace culture for staff.”

“With a robust platform set by our accomplishments in 2024 and a series of senior appointments, we are well-placed to satisfy evolving market risks and the complex needs of our coverholders,” Reading added.

Manchester based Irwell has a track record of positive operating performance, reporting a five-year (FY20-24) weighted average return on equity ratio of 13%. Underwriting profits are the main driver of earnings, with the company reporting a five-year weighted average combined ratio of 85%.

The positive outlook on the Long-Term ICR reflects improvement in Irwell’s balance sheet strength and operating performance over recent years. AM Best expects that the company’s earnings will continue to grow over the medium term, translating in solid capital generation.

With a positive long term ICR, risk-adjusted capitalisation assessed at the strongest level, balance sheet strength assessed as strong and a high-quality asset base, AM Best affirms that Irwell is well-poised to achieve its high growth strategic plan.

For the Best’s Credit Rating, access www.ambest.com

Building safer environments for construction businesses

Liability insurance with a health and safety assessment included.

Many of these health and safety incidents could be avoided by simply carrying out correct control measures and implementing safe working practices to ensure equipment and processes are fit for purpose. 

David Rimmington appointed as new CFO

Leading liability insurer Irwell has announced the appointment of David Rimmington as new Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Rimmington brings a wealth of financial expertise and strategic leadership to the role, following his position of Group Finance Director at Chesnara plc.

Having trained as a chartered accountant with KPMG, Rimmington has more than 30 years’ experience in financial management within the life assurance and banking sectors. He has held several senior positions within the Royal London Group, including six years as Head of Group Management Reporting.

“I’m delighted to join Irwell at such an exciting time of business growth,” he said.

“I look forward to the challenge of providing critical strategic direction and continued positive operating performance to support Irwell’s high-growth ambitions.

“By working closely with the talented team here at Irwell, I plan to build on its strong financial foundation and create value that benefits our coverholders, staff and shareholders.”

Manchester based Irwell Insurance, has a track record of positive operating performance with underwriting profits as the main driver of earnings. Irwell’s balance sheet strength and operating performance were recognised by AM Best which revised its outlook to positive from stable for the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (ICR) in December 24.

“We are delighted to have David on board to help steer us towards another successful year,” added Giles Reading, CEO of Irwell.

“He will be a great asset to the business and has the skills to build on the robust financial platform set by our accomplishments in 2024.

“The appointment of David as CFO marks a progressive step into the future for Irwell. I am confident that we have the best team in place help ensure sustained growth, with the company well-poised for continued success.”

The appointment is subject to regulatory approval.

‘Tis the season to be jolly…and safe

Hospitality is the third largest employer in the UK, with 3.5 million people working in the sector[1]. It plays a crucial role in providing jobs and supporting livelihoods across many supporting sectors. And showing the public a great time by serving up delicious food and wine, pouring perfect pints and creating cocktails that make Insta-worthy memories.

The season of goodwill can be a rewarding and lucrative time for the hospitality sector. Christmas, Mad Friday and the Christmas rush of work parties, friends celebrating and family get-togethers can be a lifeline for many hotels, leisure venues, restaurants and bars. In fact, takings in December can be equal to three months of trading.

But faced with rising running costs and staff shortages, making Christmas merry and bright is a challenge.

Festive cheers and fears

The hospitality sector has a moral and legal obligation to prioritise customer and employee safety and wellbeing. While there are health and safety risks all year round, some become more prominent during the busy festive season.

All businesses want to see increased footfall at Christmas, but this cannot compromise customer and staff safety. Here is some useful information about how the hospitality sector can manage and mitigate their liabilities through Christmas – into a prosperous and Happy New Year 2025.

Sparkle and shine

Of course, Christmas is a time to sparkle and dazzle with lights, candles and decorations but businesses should ensure that cables and connections are fit for purpose and comply with British Standard regulations. Make sure Christmas trees are secure and aren’t blocking fire escapes or access to fire extinguishers. Read more detailed HSE guidance about festive fire safety when decking the halls of hotels, bars and restaurants.

Keep customers in good spirits

Dealing with the general public goes hand-in-hand with a career in the hospitality sector. But too much Christmas spirit can often dampen the ‘cheer’ of some members of the public. Staff should be given training about how to handle physical and verbal abuse that often accompanies drunk, disorderly behaviour. If a venue becomes over busy, people could find it difficult to evacuate in the event of a fire so ensure that measures are in place to avoid overcrowding and never go over capacity limits.

Keep staff safe

Statistics by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reveal that workplace injuries in the hospitality sector have risen more than 13% in the last two years. The survey estimates that there were 44,000 non-fatal incidents, leaving accommodation and food service workers the most at-risk across all industries.[2]

From slips, trips, knife injuries, burns, dermatitis and musculoskeletal problems to dealing with the general public, working in hospitality can be a risky business. Christmas can be more chaotic than ever with extra footfall, deliveries and temporary staff so it’s imperative that they are fully trained in health and safety procedures and policies – just like full time, permanent staff. More Christmas deliveries mean more manoeuvring and lifting heavy boxes of food and drink so make sure manual handling legislation is followed.

A less obvious risk is when someone is struggling with their mental health. Additional workload, zero hours contracts and longer hours are synonymous with the hospitality sector at Christmas, but it can take its toll. Be mindful that Christmas can be a lonely or difficult time for some resulting in work-related stress, depression or anxiety. Employees have a duty of care to take care of employee mental wellbeing as well as protecting their physical safety.

Staff aren’t just for Christmas so take care of them and they will be loyal and keep your diners and drinkers happy.

Spread comfort and joy (and safety) this Christmas!

Public or employee liability claims are always a concern for the hospitality sector. From an employee claiming unfair dismissal or harassment to a kitchen injury or customers slipping on spilt drinks, claims are a fact of life for hoteliers, restauranteurs, and pub landlords.

But having H&S procedures in place and employee and public liability insurance, hospitality owners have one less thing to worry about.  This allows them to focus to what they do best – giving everyone Christmas cheers to remember for all the right reasons.

Hospitality HSE compliance

Some things are meant to be together – like mulled wine and mince pies, turkey and cranberry, liability insurance and H&S reviews.

That’s why Irwell’s liability insurance includes SafeCheck, a health and safety assessment tailored to the unique risks of each business. We believe you shouldn’t have one without the other.

Read our guide to keeping food and drink businesses better protected.

Read HSE guidelines to ensure your hospitality business is HSE compliant.

December 2025


[1] https://www.ukhospitality.org.uk/media-centre/facts-and-stats/

[2] https://www.cateringinsight.com/hse-data-reveals-concerning-rise-in-hospitality-injuries/

Insurance by humans, for humans.

We get it. Liability Insurance is never going to be the top of anyone’s dinner party chat, school gate gossip or pub banter.

Until you realise your business isn’t covered in the event of a claim. When you realise you didn’t read the policy T&Cs or check the small print before you signed on the dotted line or e-signed your business away.

Then it would make headlines and gossip, for all the wrong reasons.

Insurance may be a grudge purchase but in the event of a claim it will come into its own. Think of it this way. You’re not buying insurance. You’re buying relief and peace of mind. You’re paying for stress-free days and no nail-biting nights.  

We also get that electronically traded platforms or cheaper premiums may seem appealing. Quick, convenient and budget-friendly. But when it comes to complex risks, we believe you get what you pay for. Online platforms do have a valuable place in the insurance market but be mindful that a human underwriter may not have even looked at the risk and the quote is computer generated based on standardised data entry.

So, if you run a niche, high risk, non-standard business you need the human touch. You need the reassurance that someone with years of experience in mitigating business risk has your back. You need common sense and pragmatic judgement that no computer programme can offer. Well, not yet anyway.

You need to know your underwriter knows his onions and his loss adjustments. You need a human who gets that no two businesses are alike, and neither are the risks they face day in, day out. Some higher risk or hazardous businesses need years of human underwriting expertise to ensure they are properly protected.

Get what you pay for

Whilst some online trading platforms might be cheap, if the standard policy wording contains exclusions on point 32.5, clause C-E that your specialism is not covered then it’ won’t be cheerful. Unless you have an endorsement confirming that this exclusion is not in force.

 In these circumstances, it is likely that in the event of a claim, your policy will be null and void. Not worth the paper it’s printed on. Nada. Leaving you up that creek without a paddle.

Then what you have is not cheap ‘n’ cheerful cover, but a very expensive piece of paper that will be worthless in the event of a claim.  The consequences could be devastating for your business.

Grandma was right. “Buy cheap, buy twice”.

That’s why we don’t do off-the-shelf, one-size-fits-all policies. Our underwriters get to know your business risks inside-out and upside down so they can provide the cover you need, not the cover you don’t.

So, what you get is an insurance policy that is as unique as your business. Plus, our liability insurance includes SafeCheck, a health and safety review that is tailored to the specific risks faced by your business and sector. We will highlight what you are doing well – and where there is room for improvement – to help keep employees safe and your business legal. Our clients also have access to a free legal helpline for the duration of their policy which can be a lifeline in the event of a claim.

As an added bonus, our human underwriting team are a nice bunch to do business with. Plus, online trading platforms will never offer you a round of golf followed by a few beers will they?

Cheers to doing business with humans!

“Mummy, what is insurance?”

Liability Insurance through the eyes of a 9-year-old.

A good question from my 9-year-old daughter trying to understand what I do for a living. And to avoid going to bed. Even a lesson in commercial liability insurance is better than dealing with the monotony of the bedtime routine apparently.

How do you answer that question in a succinct and stimulating way? It’s hard enough to excite and explain to a bunch of brokers at BIBA or Cii accredited clients and coverholders at an MGAA conference. But how do you make the complexities of compliance and the nuances of underwriting risk sound fascinating to a curious 9-year-old that you are desperate to impress!

How about using the Wikipedia definition?

Liability insurance is a part of the general insurance system of risk financing to protect the purchaser (the “insured”) from the risks of liabilities imposed by lawsuits and similar claims and protects the insured if the purchaser is sued for claims that come within the coverage of the insurance policy.

Bit heavy going maybe.

So how about Tara Foley’s explanation,Insurance is the democratisation of risk – there’s nothing more purposeful than that.”

Bit showy-offy perhaps.

Plus, I didn’t think bedtime was the appropriate moment to quote the CEO of AXA UK & Ireland. So, this is how my lesson went…

Me: Liability Insurance helps protect people and businesses when things go wrong.

Daughter: So, a bit like a policeman or a superhero?

Me: (desperate to ‘yes’ to get some mum kudos!) Not quite. Insurance companies pay out money if something bad happens so that the company doesn’t go out of business. And it helps people if they get ill or injured at work.

Daughter: like a nurse?

This career advice was going badly.

Daughter: Can I get some insurance, so I don’t have to go to school?

Me: No, you can’t. Night night.

Daughter: Why not?  Lots of bad things happened at school today. Alice fell over and cut her knee playing tig. Well Joe pushed her, but nobody believed her. And I lost my favourite rubber. I need money to buy a new rubber.

Me: I’ll buy you one. You don’t need insurance.

Daughter: So, what’s the point if the insurance won’t get me a new rubber or Alice a plaster for her knee?

It’s a fair point. Maybe one to explain during tomorrow’s bedtime ritual.

Daughter: Do I have to do insurance when I’m older like you?

Me: No sweetheart. You can do whatever you want to do.

Daughter: Good. I’m still going to be an actress or a singer then. Insurance sounds boring. And pointless if you can’t even get a new rubber.

And just like that my 25-year career in insurance is diminished to being boring and pointless.


*Stops there, knowing this isn’t the time or the place for a masterclass in liability insurance*

Leaving her bedroom downhearted to reflect on my career choice, as I kiss her goodnight, I’m thrown a lifeline.

Daughter: Mummy, does Taylor Swift get insurance?

Me: Yes, she does. Everybody needs insurance. It’s very important because it contributes to…

Daughter interrupting and suddenly interested: Does Irwell give it to her free because she’s famous?

This is my one chance to rescue my career choice credibility…

The future is looking brown

‘We’ll get shovels in the ground, cranes in the sky and build the next generation of Labour new towns’

Under their manifesto mantra to ‘get Britain building again’ the Labour government has big plans for the construction industry. But will Labour’s plan to build 1.5 million new homes and boost brownfield funding cause construction claims to come crashing down on the insurance market?

Recent Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Labour Force Survey (LFS) research reveals that UK construction worker fatalities are 70% higher than 5 years ago with 51 deaths and 53,000 non-fatal injuries. A further 69,000 construction workers suffered with work-related ill health. This trajectory must be addressed by the sector which is poised to be pushed to its limits to fulfil Labour’s ambitious new home building targets.

H&S issues contribute to 2.6 million working days lost annually which underpins the need for enhanced safety standards as more brown and green sites are set to be bought, bulldozed and built on.

John Cowell, our Senior Class Underwriter examines the risks associated with brownfield development and satisfying the relentless housing market demand.

A £68 million funding boost has been issued to 54 councils to transform disused and neglected brownfield sites including derelict buildings, former car parks and industrial sites into new homes. The government is also considering redesignating greenbelt if needed to fill the deep housing shortfall.

The concern for the insurance industry stems from the regulation of construction site H&S procedures, policies and conditions, post-build construction defects and new-build warranties. The pressure on liability insurers is further compounded by the skills deficit, labour shortage and omnipresent regulatory and environmental concerns.

More risk exposure, more insurance claims.

Environmental factors pose a significant risk to brownfield developments, particularly if the sites harbor unknown contamination or ground conditions. From metal corrosion and material degradation to crumbling and cracking concrete, structural and foundation failures are a major risk factor.

Brownfield land is often located on former industrial sites where drainage systems have been removed which means they can become prone to flood risks. Similarly, developments on or near a flood plain in rural and urban areas could also result in a surge in flood related claims.

The UK’s labour skills shortage is another major issue. A 2024 report published by the Construction Industry Training Board found that the UK construction industry needs to attract 50,300 extra workers per year to meet expected demand over the next five years.

The concern is that less skilled tradesmen plug this gap resulting in inefficient and unsafe working conditions and substandard buildings which can lead to more claims and invalidated builder warranties. But who pays the price of this below-par workmanship?

Insurers may bear the brunt of having to pay for repairs if defects and damage fall under new home warranty policies.

Changes in legislation are having a significant impact on the construction industry. The Defective Premises Act (DPA) 1972 aims to ensure that new builds or refurbishments meet specified standards, and it allows homeowners or tenants to claim compensation if a building is deemed unfit for habitation.

The Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA) significantly increased the period in which a claim can be brought against a builder from 7 to 15 years. This new limitation period has extended the volume and scope of liability claims across the entire construction sector.

Will the risks be worth the reward of creating communities, building better homes and helping people get on the property ladder? The proof will be in the 1.5 million homes.

Stat sources: https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/health-and-safety/construction-fatalities-70-worse-than-five-years-ago-04-07-2024/ https://protecting.co.uk/construction-health-and-safety-statistics/

Underwriting excellence

Our team of underwriters are committed to finding the right solution for your business. From employers’ and product liability to commercial legal expenses, we specialise in mitigating business risk.