Press Release: Irwell Insurance appointed preferred legal expenses partner

Quality Care Group (QCG) the UK’s largest independent insurance broker to the care sector has appointed Irwell Insurance as its preferred legal expenses insurance partner, strengthening its proposition for care providers operating in an increasingly complex regulatory and employment landscape.

The decision reflects QCG’s ongoing commitment to working with specialist insurer partners that understand the specific risks facing the care sector, particularly around employment disputes, regulatory investigations and tribunal exposure.

Care businesses are experiencing growing pressure from workforce shortages, rising employment claims and increased regulatory scrutiny. Access to robust legal expenses cover, supported by specialist expertise, has become an essential part of protecting both service continuity and financial stability.

Darren Pollard, Group Managing Director at Quality Care Group, said: “Selecting the right legal expenses partner is critical for our clients. Irwell demonstrated a deep understanding of the care sector alongside strong underwriting discipline and a clear commitment to long term partnership. This appointment gives our clients added confidence that their legal risks are supported by a specialist insurer with proven financial strength.”

Irwell is a leading legal expenses and liability insurer with a strong track record of underwriting performance. AM Best has upgraded its Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) to “bbb+” (Good) from “bbb” (Good) reflecting Irwell’s balance sheet strength and good earnings retention, providing additional reassurance for brokers and policyholders alike.

Giles Reading, Chief Executive Officer at Irwell Insurance, said: “We are pleased to be working with Quality Care Group as its preferred legal expenses partner. QCG has a strong reputation within the care sector and a clear focus on supporting clients through complex risk challenges. We look forward to working closely together to deliver meaningful protection for care providers.”

The partnership forms part of QCG’s wider strategy to offer care businesses access to specialist insurance solutions that reflect the realities of modern care delivery.

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

Fee for intervention (FFI) explained.

Counting the cost of a HSE Inspection

There is a misconception that businesses do not have to pay for a HSE inspection.

But if the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) visit your workplace and find that you are in material breach of health and safety law, you will have to pay for the time it takes to identify what is wrong and to help you put things right.

This is called a fee for intervention (FFI).

However, if the findings reveal that you haven’t broken the law, you won’t be charged for the inspection.

What is a material breach?

A material breach is an issue which an inspector considers serious enough that they need to formally write to the business requiring action to be taken.

If the inspector gives you a notification of contravention (NoC) after their visit, you’ll have to pay a fee.

Where an inspector simply gives you advice, either verbal or written, you won’t have to pay for this advice

Who FFI applies to

FFI applies to dutyholders where HSE is the enforcing authority including employers, self-employed who put others at risk, public and limited companies, general, limited and limited liability partnerships and public bodies.

How much does an FFI cost?

The HSE Fee for Intervention (FFI) hourly rate is currently £183. The total cost to a business varies significantly based on the nature, duration and complexity of the investigation and the size of the company.

Your fee may include time:

  • at your business or workplace
  • preparing reports
  • getting specialist advice
  • talking to you after the visit
  • talking to your workers

The fee can vary depending on:

  • the duration of the original visit
  • the time spent helping you put things right
  • the time it took to investigate your case
  • any time the HSE spends taking action against you

The average cost is around £700 but can be up to £1,500 for cases involving enforcement notices. 

Prevention is better than cure

Our liability policies include a health and safety review tailored to the unique risks of each business we insure.

SafeCheck which only takes around an hour, reviews what you are doing well and what needs improving – so that your business can achieve HSE compliance.

Minimise business risk in 4 simple steps

  1. Documentation review to check that health & safety policies and procedures are up to date
  2. Sector-specific H&S compliance questions answered
  3. On-site or online tour of the workplace and activities to identify H&S concerns – and what is being done well
  4. A useful report including practical guidance on how to minimise business risk and achieve H&S compliance