Public Liability Insurance News

We are progressing apace with the Public Liability Insurance scheme, and it goes "live" on 2nd April - all Institute Members will be covered from this date and you can expect to receive a certificate of insurance which will be issued directly by the insurance broker in due course.

If you haven't yet supplied your address and date of birth details to me (barbara@iocf.org.uk), please do so as soon as possible, as certificates cannot be issued without this information.

One very important thing to mention - the insurance cover is a group plan, and so it is, in effect, a "one size fits all" policy. Personal, individual amendments cannot be made to the policy. We don't envisage this should cause any problems - we have gone through lengthy negotiations to ensure that the policy gives Institute Members everything they need in the way of Public Liability cover.

The press release copied below is being sent today to the national press - you might like to send a version of it to your local press as part of your marketing to capitalise on our national marketing strategy.
 

PRESS RELEASE

Following successful negotiations with Pellatt Insurance Brokers, all members of the Institute of Civil Funerals are now automatically covered by a group Public Liability Insurance scheme. Celebrants will be insured for up to £1m.

Chairman Peter McNulty said: "It has taken us a long while to broker a suitable deal. Increasing numbers of funeral directors are asking for assurance that celebrants have adequate cover, especially important when visiting families. In the past there has been an assumption that the funeral director's policy would cover a celebrant at work but as we are all self-employed and in effect sub-contracted that cannot be the case."

Peter went on to say that all IoCF members would have proof of paid up membership and the policy would be held at the IoCF HQ. Acknowledging that other celebrant organisations had insurance cover, Peter urged funeral directors to check that any celebrants used had appropriate cover. "There are an increasing number of celebrants coming into the field who lack any proper training or are one-man-bands with no back-up. Ensuring adequate insurance is but one means for funeral directors to ensure that they are obtaining the best possible service", he said.

The IoCF will be represented at the National Funeral Exhibition in June and welcome callers to their stand and will willingly answer any questions from visiting funeral directors.
 

Thank you for reading
Barbara