SME

Top Targeted Industries For Cyber Attacks
Top Targeted Industries For Cyber Attacks 1000 620 James Hallam

2024 UK Government statistics showed that 50% of all UK businesses experienced some form of cybersecurity breach or cyberattack over the previous 12 months. The figure was much higher for medium businesses (70%) and for large businesses (74%).

No matter how big your business, and no matter what sector you are in, you are at risk of cybercrime. However, criminals might be more likely to target some industries over others.

What Are The Top Targeted Industries For Cyber Attacks?

According to data from the World Economic Forum, the top targeted industries for cyberattacks are:

  • Healthcare (accounting for 14.2% of all attacks)
  • Financial organisations
  • Telecommunications
  • Transport companies
  • Energy companies

The WEF defines these sectors as “critical infrastructure”. Cybercriminals are most likely to target such sectors because it is here where they are most likely to access huge amounts of valuable confidential data. Also, some cybercriminals are simply looking to cause chaos, and targeting critical infrastructures is an obvious way to cause as much damage as possible.

Top Targeted Businesses For Cyberattack in the UK

In the UK, sectors which appear to be particularly vulnerable to cyber attacks are:

  • HR
  • Recruitment
  • Manufacturing
  • Hospitality

Businesses in these sectors will process lots of sensitive customer and client data. They’ll run on a network of laptops, smartphones, and tablets, offering multiple areas of attack for cybercriminals.

Plus, businesses in these sectors may be less likely to have invested in cybersecurity, meaning that they may be ill-prepared to effectively respond to a cyberattack.

For a case study in how cybercriminals may target a business in the hospitality sector, consider Marriott’s 2018 data breach. Criminals accessed nearly 400 million customer records, including 9.1 million credit card numbers and over 23 million passport numbers, resulting in huge regulatory fines and restoration costs for the chain.

The Most Common Types of Cyberattacks

According to the UK Government’s latest cybersecurity survey, these are the most common forms of cyberattacks in the UK:

  • Phishing – 84% of businesses have experienced a phishing attack. This usually involves cybercriminals sending an email that appears to come from a trusted, genuine source, such as a bank, or an online retailer. This message will prompt the recipient to take action, usually by clicking a link. But clicking this link could give cybercriminals access to your system.
  • Social Engineering – 35% of businesses have experienced social engineering attacks. This is similar to phishing, in that the cybercriminals will send messages that appear to come from a trusted source. But in this case, they may impersonate a trusted individual, such as a manager or a tech support worker, in order to trick recipients into sharing sensitive data such as passwords.
  • Malware – 17% of businesses have experienced a malware attack. Malware is malicious software that can give cybercriminals access to your system. Particularly damaging for businesses are ransomware attacks. With ransomware, cybercriminals can encrypt your systems or your data and demand a payment to remove the encryption. If the business does not pay this “ransom”, the cybercriminal may delete the data, or they may sell it to other cybercriminals.

Consider Your “Cyber Hygiene”

Because most cyber threats are comparatively unsophisticated, the UK Government advises businesses to protect themselves through adopting some “cyber hygiene” measures.

These include:

  • Installing effective antivirus and malware protection, and keeping this software up to date.
  • Restricting admin rights and enforcing robust password policies and authentication systems.
  • Imposing network firewalls, and secure cloud back-up for the most valuable business data.
  • Staff training on spotting phishing emails, with an agreed process in place for responding to them.

Specialist Cyber Insurance For Your Business

Finally, specialist cyber insurance can give your business the cover you need to effectively respond to cyberattacks and data breaches.

Though your insurance will not prevent attacks and breaches from taking place, your cover will prove invaluable if you ever fall victim to cybercrime. Your policy can cover the costs associated with managing and securing the breach, along with any compensation that may be due.

Read our full guide to how cyber insurance works, and what it covers.

James Hallam is an independent Lloyd’s broker with access to a hand-picked selection of A-rated insurance providers. We can help your business find the cyber insurance you need at the best possible price.

Get in touch for a free quote today.

 

What Happens If I Do Not Have Catering Insurance?
What Happens If I Do Not Have Catering Insurance? 1000 665 James Hallam

Catering insurance can cover your business for many of the unique risks associated with preparing and serving food and drink to the public. On top of this, your catering insurance policy can cover you for some of the risks faced by all businesses in all sectors, such as loss or theft of your equipment.

You do have a legal obligation to get some forms of cover. But beyond this, catering insurance is entirely optional. However, in this post we will outline what might happen if you do not have catering insurance, to highlight how dedicated cover is something no caterer should do without.

What Insurance Do Caterers Need By Law?

Employer’s liability insurance is a legal obligation for any businesses that employ staff. This will cover any compensation payments that may arise should any of your employees sustain any illnesses or injuries while working for you.

Even if you just employ your friends or family, you still need to get employer’s liability insurance. Failure to do so could result in hefty fines from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) – this can be up to £2,500 per day for each day that your business goes without adequate cover.

Buildings insurance may also be required for your business premises as part of your mortgage or leasing agreement. This can cover the costs of repairs if your premises are ever damaged by fire, flood, theft, vandalism, or other events.

Mobile catering businesses, such as a catering van, you will also need to get at least third party insurance for every vehicle you use as part of your business.

What Happens If I Do Not Have Catering Insurance?

Apart from the forms of cover we listed above, you have no legal obligation to get any kind of catering insurance. However, without adequate cover, even the smallest setback could quickly spiral into a huge issue with the potential to sink your business entirely.

Think about the following situations:

  • Loss of stock – A power cut in the night could cause your fridges and freezers to fail. When you arrive at your premises in the morning, you find that all of your stock is ruined. You will not be able to trade that day, and you will have to order new stock before you can open again.
  • Premises damage – A fire or a flood could cause significant damage to your business premises. If you have buildings insurance, you may be covered for repairs. But will not be able to trade again until the repairs are complete. How will you manage with the loss of income in the meantime?
  • Equipment loss – A major piece of equipment is lost, damaged, or stolen. Could you get by without it? Would you be able to afford a replacement?
  • Customer compensation – A customer gets food poisoning having eaten food prepared on your premises. If they take legal action against you, would you be able to afford the legal fees, and the possible compensation payments?

Catering Insurance Would Cover You For All of These Scenarios, and More

The above situations might seem unlikely, but they are the sort of things that could happen to any catering business. And unless you have adequate cover in place, any one of these scenarios would have the potential to ruin your business.

The following insurance products could give you total peace of mind that you would be covered for all of these situations, and more:

  • Public and Product Liability Insurance – This can cover most accidents, injuries, and illnesses members of the public may sustain as a result of interacting with your business. This can include claims arising from cases of food poisoning or allergic reactions.
  • Contents Insurance – This can cover for your cooking equipment and furnishings, along with your stock and your ingredients. In cases of loss, damage, or theft, your insurance can cover the costs of repairs or replacements.
  • Business Interruption Insurance – If a fire, a flood, or a similar event means you are temporarily unable to trade, business interruption insurance can cover all of your overheads for as long as it takes things to get back to normal.

Get Specialist Catering Insurance From James Hallam

James Hallam is an independent Lloyd’s broker with access to a hand-picked selection of A-rated insurance providers.

We know that no two catering businesses are quite the same. This is why we take the time to get to know our clients, so that we can design a catering insurance package that truly meets your needs at a competitive price.

Get in touch for a free quote today.

Issues and Challenges Facing the Restaurant Industry
Issues and Challenges Facing the Restaurant Industry 1000 667 James Hallam

The restaurant industry is going through some trying times. Recent industry figures suggest that 10 restaurants closed every day over the course of 12 months. This means that in one year, the total number of licensed premises in the UK fell by 3.6%, from 103,682 to 99,916.

In this post we will discuss some of the major issues and challenges currently facing the restaurant industry.

Hospitality Staff Shortages

For some years now, there has been talk of a staffing crisis in the UK hospitality industry. In early 2024, the industry has a staff shortfall of 107,000. This was an improvement over the peak of 176,000 the industry experienced post lockdown in 2022. But this figure was still high enough to make hospitality the third worst sector for staff shortfalls, after healthcare and retail.

Staff shortages impact service quality, which may compound issues for restaurants: If customers are not satisfied with their service, then they may be less likely to return to the restaurant. They may also leave a bad review, which could mean the restaurant will struggle to attract any new customers. Dissatisfied customers may even choose to dine and dash in protest.

What are restaurants doing to tackle staff shortages?

Some restaurants and bars have turned to tech to try and address the staffing crisis. Self-service terminals and QR menus, for example, can automate certain processes, meaning that the staff may feel less strained and better able to focus on delivering a good customer service. Other restaurants are addressing their recruitment and onboarding processes in order to better attract and retain staff.

Rising Restaurant Costs

The UK’s “cost of living crisis” has hit every sector. For restaurants, rising energy bills and the growing cost of food and drink has led to increased overheads, which many restaurants will struggle to afford.

Poor crops, supply chain issues and, most recently, import tariffs, have all resulted in food inflation. This will hit restaurants twice: Buying stock will become more expensive but, as their customers will also feel the pinch, they may experience fewer sales too. A combination of rising costs and falling sales can spell doom for any business in any industry.

What are restaurants doing to tackle rising costs?

To address these rising costs, some restaurants have chosen to tweak their menus. In some cases, this is simply a case of raising prices. But seasonal menus and a focus on local ingredients can help lower costs for both you and your customers, as it means your stock will be less vulnerable to crop issues and supply chain problems.

Technology and Cyber Threats

In recent years, technological advances have driven a rise in home delivery orders. In 2024, the UK food delivery market was valued at £3.8 billion, and was forecasted to rise by 15.2% over the following five years.

When ordering online, customers expect high quality food, delivered quickly. Many restaurants have restructured their business to meet these changing customer preferences and expectations. For some restaurants, this has meant shifting from traditional table service to a dedicated food delivery service, where processes that once conducted face-to-face are now conducted almost entirely online.

Embracing tech may have enabled restaurants to meet changing customer expectations, but at the same time, it may have made them more vulnerable to cybercrime. The more processes that are conducted online, the more possible vulnerabilities there are for cybercriminals to target.

What are restaurants doing to tackle cyber threats?

In response to this, restaurants should consider bespoke cybersecurity technologies to help keep their systems, and their customers, safe. Tailored cyber insurance can also help restaurants recover from the many costs they may incur as a result of a cyberattack.

We Can Help You Safeguard Your Restaurant Through These Trying Times

We know that times are tough for restaurants. This is why we are committed to protecting your business.

James Hallam is an independent Lloyd’s broker with access to a hand-picked selection of A-rated insurance providers. We can help you get a specialist restaurant insurance package that truly meets your needs at a competitive price. Our restaurant insurance can include cyber cover, which will help you withstand the growing threat of cybercrime.

Get in touch for a free quote today.

 

Hotel Maintenance Checklist – A Guide to Preventing Future Issues
Hotel Maintenance Checklist – A Guide to Preventing Future Issues 1000 667 James Hallam

As a hotel manager, you probably already feel like you have thousands of things to do every day. But taking the time to create and follow a hotel maintenance checklist can help you fix many potential issues long before they become serious problems. In this way, your hotel maintenance checklist will save you a lot of future headaches. And potentially, a lot of money too.

In this post we will outline how to design and implement an effective hotel maintenance checklist that will help you prevent costly breakdowns and potential guest dissatisfaction in the long-term.

Preventative Hotel Maintenance Checklist

Step 1 – Itemise All of Your Hotel’s Assets and Systems

To begin with, make a list of every asset and system in your hotel that you know will require ongoing maintenance.

This will include:

  • Plumbing, electrical, and heating systems
  • Elevators and escalators
  • Fire safety systems, including alarms and sprinklers
  • Catering facilities, including ovens, fridges, and freezers
  • Guest amenities, including gyms, pools, saunas, etc.

Then you should make a separate list for every system you identify:

  • Relevant regulations and standards – for example, the fire safety regulations concerning extinguishers, sprinklers, and other systems.
  • Recommended maintenance schedules as specified in the manual.
  • Warranty details.
  • Servicing contacts – i.e. Who specifically would you contact if each system were to break down? Gathering this information in advance would save you from having to source support in an emergency.
  • Special considerations. For example, the older each system is, the more often it may require servicing. An asset’s location may also affect its maintenance schedule. If you are near the sea, for instance, then any assets located outdoors may be vulnerable to corrosion from sea salt.

Step 2 – Assign Maintenance Roles & Responsibilities

The good news is that you do not have to oversee every aspect of hotel maintenance by yourself.

Assign roles for every key aspect of maintenance throughout your hotel, and you will create accountability. Everyone will know what is required of them, and when.

Sometimes, the maintenance could become a simple ongoing responsibility for an employee. Housekeeping staff could check furniture for signs of wear and tear, and ensure that all appliances in all rooms are in good working order. And your kitchen staff are probably already perfectly aware of the condition of each key item of equipment they use.

For some systems in your hotel, such as your plumbing, electrical, and fire safety systems, you will probably have to enlist expert help for most service checks and maintenance tasks. In which case, your maintenance checklist should specify who is responsible for ensuring you stick to the servicing intervals, and who is responsible for arranging the specialist maintenance.

Step 3 – Organise Maintenance Tasks By Frequency

Create a list of maintenance tasks, and organise them by how frequently they will need completing.

This will include:

  • Daily Tasks – Including routine inspections, cleaning rotas etc.
  • Weekly Tasks – Including fire alarm, emergency lighting, and security system tests.
  • Monthly Tasks – Including more detailed and comprehensive inspections of key systems, and deeper cleaning procedures.
  • Quarterly Tasks – This may include certain professional servicing procedures of heating systems, elevators, fire safety equipment, and other systems.
  • Annual Tasks – This may include assessing your hotel’s structure for signs of wear and tear, along with annual service checks for all of your key systems.

Step 4 – Ongoing Recording and Monitoring

Your preventative hotel maintenance checklist should be just that – a checklist. This means you should be able to check off once each daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annual task has been completed.

As well as a tick, the checklist should indicate which specific member of staff conducted the test. There should also be space to add notes, so you can record any emerging issues with a date that they were first identified.

You may wish to invest in hotel maintenance software, which can help you keep on top of preventative maintenance with automated reminders, real-time monitoring of progress, and other features.

Specialist Hotel Insurance From James Hallam

A good hotel maintenance checklist can help you prevent many future issues, from a case of food poisoning due to a faulty fridge, to customer slips and trips due to worn carpets. And if you can avoid these issues, you can also avoid any resulting costly claims that may arise.

Nonetheless, accidents do happen. Which is why comprehensive hotel insurance can give you total peace of mind that you will be covered for all costs should anything ever go wrong.

Read our full guide to hotel insurance.

James Hallam is an independent Lloyd’s broker with a dedicated team of experienced insurance specialists. We are committed to protecting your hotel, your staff, and your guests from every risk you might possibly face.

Find out how we can help you get a bespoke and cost-effective hotel insurance policy today.

Construction Skills Shortage: The Impact of Worker Shortages
Construction Skills Shortage: The Impact of Worker Shortages 1000 667 James Hallam

The UK has been dealing with a construction skills shortage for some years now. The latest CITB Construction Workforce Outlook report suggests that the UK needs 47,860 extra construction workers per year for the 2025-2029 period. This is a total of 293,300 extra workers over the next five years.

In this post we will outline the underlying causes for the UK’s construction skills shortage. We will also explore the impact this shortage is having on the sector.

Why Is There a Construction Skills Shortage in the UK?

There are a number of underlying causes for the UK’s construction skills shortage:

Aging Workforce: Too Many Retirees, Too Few New Recruits

A recent CITB Workforce Skills and Mobility in the Construction Sector report revealed that:

  • 50% of the UK’s construction workforce is aged 25 to 44.
  • 25% are aged 45 to 59.
  • Just 19% of the workforce are aged 25 or under.

Each year, more and more of these workers will reach retirement age, meaning that more people leave the sector than join it.

Changing Expectations of Work

During lockdown, many people got used to a more flexible way of working. As large parts of the workforce were working from home, many workers were relatively free to choose how and when they wanted to work.

Traditionally, the construction sector has not offered such flexibility, which may be putting off a lot of people from entering the sector.

Bad Reputation and Negative Perceptions

Construction has a reputation for being physically demanding, dirty, and unsafe. None of this is necessarily true, but this persisting perception may be turning away many potential candidates.

Many may also believe that construction work is poorly paid. Again, this is not necessarily the case. A recent CIOB report suggested that many construction workers earn around £33,000 a year, which is higher than the average annual earnings in many other sectors.

Global Events

Brexit brought an end to free movement from Europe to the UK, which may have impacted the construction sector, as recruiters struggle to access the international workforce. Similarly, the sector may still be feeling the effects of lockdown. Many who left the sector may not have returned once restrictions were lifted.

The Impact of Worker Shortages on the Construction Industry

The worker shortage means that the construction sector as a whole will face:

  • Project delays caused by a struggle to meet demand
  • Burnout for anyone who works in the sector due to overworking.
  • Rise in mistakes and accidents because tired and stressed construction workers may be more likely to make mistakes, which could lead to more on-the-job accidents.
  • Rising costs from errors that may need reworking, which may also drive up the cost of insurance for construction firms.
  • Difficulties in staff retention caused by an overstretched workforce, which of course would exacerbate the problem for many businesses.

Government Plans to Address The Construction Skills Shortage

In March 2025, the government revealed its plan to “unleash the next generation of construction workers”, with an aim to build 1.5 million new homes.

The aim is to recruit and train up to 60,000 more specialist construction workers by 2029. This is less than 25% of the 293,300 new workers the latest CITB Construction Workforce Outlook report suggests that the UK needs.

What Can You Do To Deal With A Staff or Skills Shortage in Your Construction Business?

This is not the sort of problem you will be able to solve overnight. But there are a number of strategies you can adopt to help your construction business deal with staff shortages and high turnover.

  • Offer flexibility where you can. The tight schedules of many construction projects mean you cannot offer the same flexibility that employees enjoy in certain other sectors. But you could still help your staff enjoy a better work/life balance through being as flexible as possible – with part-time or job-sharing opportunities, staggered start and end times, and through giving workers more say in when they take their breaks.
  • A focus on wellbeing. Support your employees in any way you can. Look to introduce the sort of benefits and initiatives that encourage wellbeing, and aim to reward loyalty and high performance. The aim is not just to support your staff, but also to dispel the myth that construction work is inherently difficult and unrewarding.
  • Build a better construction culture. Treat your staff well, offer competitive pay and other rewards, and be as flexible as possible, and over time the word might spread that you are an employer that respects your staff. This could help with recruitment and retention in the long-term.

Specialist Insurance Cover For Construction Firms

At James Hallam, we can help you protect your construction business with specialist risk management and insurance support.

We are an independent Lloyd’s broker with a dedicated team of experienced insurance professionals who are committed to getting you the cover you need at a competitive price.

Find out how we can help you today.

 

What Should Be In Your Restaurant Health and Safety Policy?
What Should Be In Your Restaurant Health and Safety Policy? 1000 667 James Hallam

Under UK law, every business must have a health and safety policy. In a restaurant or café, a health and safety policy can help prevent many common accidents and injuries. It can also help you ensure that your staff will know what to do should anything ever go wrong.

In this post we will outline the key components of a restaurant health and safety policy.

Key Health and Safety Risks in a Restaurant

  • Food and Drink Risks – Unless you follow stringent hygiene practices, your customers could get ill from eating your food.
  • Fire – Restaurants have more fire hazards than many other businesses, including open flames, electricals, and numerous flammable substances. These can cause burns and scalds for your staff, along with more serious fire outbreaks that could affect your entire premises.
  • Knives and Sharp Objects – Some members of staff will need to handle sharp objects as part of the work, whether this is in food preparation or in washing and storing utensils. Broken glassware is another major hazard, which can affect both your staff and your customers.
  • Slips and Trips – Restaurants and their kitchens can be cluttered and chaotic places. A spillage, or a misplaced item in a walkway, could result in a slip or a trip. And if a waiter falls while carrying a trayful of food or drinks, the damage could be considerable.

What Should You Include In Your Restaurant Health and Safety Policy?

When compiling your restaurant health and safety policy, you should start with a thorough risk assessment.

How to do a Restaurant Risk Assessment

Identify all of the possible risks to both staff and to members of the public, and consider the steps you could take to mitigate those risks. The steps you outline will form the basis of your health and safety policy.

Restaurant Capacity

The more people there are in your restaurant at any one time, the greater the chances are that something will go wrong. It is important to:

  • Set a maximum cap for the number of people who can be in your restaurant at any one time.
  • Set a cap for your venue space, if you ever host events such as weddings in your restaurant.

Setting a maximum capacity can help prevent slips, trips, and falls, as it can ensure that your restaurant will never get so crammed that staff and customers will struggle to move.

Fire Safety

  • Make sure at least one member of staff gets dedicated fire safety training, and appoint them as your restaurant’s fire marshal.
  • Identify your restaurant’s fire escapes, and ensure that all fire escape routes remain clear of obstructions at all times.
  • Ensure that there are appropriate fire safety signs and equipment throughout your restaurant.

Staff Training

Your health and safety policy should detail all of the training you require your staff to undertake. As we mentioned above, this should include:

  • Fire marshal training for at least one member of staff
  • Essentials of fire safety briefing for all employees
  • Appropriate First Aid training for a dedicated first aid responder, which you should appoint.
  • Where necessary, staff should receive training on safely handling potentially hazardous objects such as knives and cooking appliances.

Ventilation

Good ventilation is essential in the restaurant environment, as it can stop fires from spreading while clearing areas of smoke and other hazardous substances should a fire break out. Proper ventilation can also prevent germs and other infections from spreading among both staff and customers.

For more information on ventilation regulations in catering establishments, read the HSE guidance.

Health and Safety Checklist

Finally, your restaurant health and safety policy should include a checklist to help you ensure that you have measures in place to address all of the common risks you face in your catering business. Complying with this checklist will also help you pass your routine health and safety inspections whenever a Food Safety or Environmental Health Officer visits.

Here are some of the items you should include on this checklist:

  • The entire restaurant is clean, with no pests.
  • You regularly clean all equipment to professional standards, with separate sinks for washing equipment and hands.
  • You comply with all food storage requirements, ensuring that your fridges and freezers are at the right temperature. There is also a stock control system in place, to ensure that you never store, prepare, or sell food once it has expired.
  • You have a cleaning procedure in place which includes guidance on the use of cleaning products, along with the use such as protective equipment such as hair nets where necessary.
  • There is a first aid kit available, along with at least one member of staff who knows how to apply essential first aid. You also have all necessary fire safety signage and equipment, with a trained fire marshal onsite at all times.

Get Specialist Insurance Cover For Your Restaurant

Your health and safety policy can help you manage many of the common risks associated with running a restaurant. But if anything does go wrong, then dedicated restaurant insurance can give you all the cover you need.

Read our full guide to restaurant insurance.

James Hallam is an independent Lloyd’s broker with access to a hand-picked selection of A-rated insurance providers. We can help you get a specialist restaurant insurance package that truly meets your needs at a competitive price.

Get in touch for a free quote today.

Do I Need Motor Trade Insurance?
Do I Need Motor Trade Insurance? 1000 665 James Hallam

Anyone who is involved in the motor trade in any capacity should consider getting specialist motor trade insurance. This will cover you for many of the risks that all businesses face, along with the unique motor trade risks that many other businesses never have to think about.

What is Motor Trade Insurance?

Motor trade insurance is dedicated cover for professionals involved in the motor trade.

A motor trade insurance package can cover many standard business risks, such as:

  • Public and employer’s liability cover
  • Premises and contents cover
  • Industry-specific risks. For example, road risk insurance can cover you and your staff to drive customers’ vehicles to and from your premises.

Read our full guide to what motor trade insurance is, and what it covers, here.

Who Needs Motor Trade Insurance?

Any business involved in the motor trade sector should consider getting specialist motor trade insurance, including:

  • MOT testing centres.
  • Car dealerships – whether you are selling new cars or used cars, and whether you run a small independent dealerships or a nationwide franchise.
  • Car detailers and valets.
  • Auto-electricians.
  • Vehicle diagnostic specialists.
  • Tyre and exhaust fitters.

Do I Need Motor Trade Insurance?

Yes, you need dedicated cover to protect your business against the unique risks associated with the motor trade.

You have a legal obligation to get some forms of cover:

  • Employer’s Liability Insurance: If you employ any staff, you need employer’s liability cover. This will cover your staff for any accidents or injuries they sustain on the job.
  • Road Risk Insurance: It is illegal to drive any vehicle on UK roads without at least third party vehicle insurance in place. If you need to move customers’ vehicles as part of your work – whether this is to move them around your premises, or to transport them to and from your premises – then you will need at least third party road risk cover.
  • Buildings insurance: You may be required to get some form of premises or buildings cover as part of your leasing agreement.

Beyond this, there is no legal requirement to get any insurance. However, if you do not have appropriate cover in place, then even a small mistake could potentially bring your entire business down.

What Happens If I Do Not Have Motor Trade Insurance?

Think about the following situations:

  • Pay out of pocket for legal fees and compensation: A customer is dissatisfied with your work, or a system or component you have worked on subsequently fails. This customer may make a claim against you with allegations of negligence or poor workmanship. Without professional liability cover in place, you would be personally liable to cover all subsequent legal fees and compensation payments.
  • Cover loss or damage to tools: Thieves break into your garage in the night and steal or damage your tools and equipment. Contents insurance could cover you for this loss or damage. But without this cover, would you be able to afford repairs or replacements?
  • Pay for damage caused by fire or flood: A fire or a flood breaks out at your garage. Would you be able to afford the necessary repairs? And would you be able to survive the loss of income while your garage is closed for the duration of the repairs?

Motor trade insurance could cover you for all of these scenarios, and more. With comprehensive insurance in place, you could rest assured that you will be covered for almost anything, leaving you free to focus on your business.

Specialist Motor Trade Insurance Services From James Hallam

James Hallam is an independent Lloyd’s broker with access to a hand-picked selection of A-rated insurance providers. We can help you understand the unique risks you face as a motor trade business, before helping you get the specialist cover you need at a competitive price.

Get in touch for a free quote today.

 

Can You Share CCTV Footage on Social Media?
Can You Share CCTV Footage on Social Media? 1000 667 James Hallam

Generally speaking, it is not a good idea to share CCTV footage on social media. In this post we will assess the legal and ethical factors you should take into consideration before you think about sharing CCTV footage on either your personal or your business social media accounts.

Why Would You Want To Share CCTV Footage on Social Media?

If you are a shopkeeper or business owner, you might capture footage of thieves, vandals, or antisocial behaviour on your CCTV. And you might think about sharing this footage on social media.

Sharing CCTV footage on social media might help to identify the criminals, and it could even act as a strong deterrent against future crime. After all, if people know that you are filming them, and that you are willing to name and shame perpetrators, maybe they will think twice about causing trouble on your premises in the future.

But not so fast. There are numerous reasons why you should think twice before you share CCTV footage on social media.

Is Sharing CCTV Footage Illegal?

There are laws in place surrounding how you capture, store, and use CCTV footage. If you are a shopkeeper or a business owner, you need to consider:

Essentially, these are laws that were introduced to protect privacy. The footage you gather on your CCTV could be classed as personal data, in that it could be used to identify people. As a result, it may be illegal for you to share such data in any way – such as through posting CCTV footage on social media.

Share CCTV footage without consent and you could end up in court on a breach of privacy charge.

The Risk of Defamation

If you share CCTV footage on social media, and ask your followers to help you identify the people in it, then there is no guarantee that the right people will be identified.

If an innocent person gets labelled as a criminal as a result of your actions, then they could make a claim against you on the grounds of defamation. This would inevitably lead to expensive legal fees, and you may eventually have to pay significant damages.

It Could Damage Your Reputation

If you get involved in legal trouble as a result of your actions, as well as incurring considerable costs, you may also damage your reputation. If you share footage of theft or other crimes that occurred at your business, what if you send the wrong message?

You might think that sharing CCTV footage on social media will help you find justice, but it could also backfire, as:

  • People may be unwilling to patronise a business that does not appear to value privacy
  • People may look at this footage and conclude that it is not safe to spend any time on your premises
  • It could alienate your existing customers and lead to publish backlash

How To Manage Your CCTV Footage

If you capture a crime on CCTV, do not be tempted to post it on social media. Instead, send it directly to the police.

The police will then be able to use this footage in their investigations. In some cases, sharing CCTV footage might be viewed as being in the public’s best interest, in which case the police might advise you to share it in any way you can, including on social media.

However, you should only share this footage if you have been specifically advised by the police to do so. Prematurely sharing the footage could compromise the police investigation. It could alert suspects that they have been spotted, which could encourage them to destroy evidence, or even ramp up their criminal activity.

Preventing Theft and Other Crimes on Your Business Premises

We have numerous guides on our website designed to help a variety of business owners reduce the risk of theft on their premises:

Get Dedicated SME Insurance From James Hallam

James Hallam is an independent Lloyd’s broker with a dedicated team of experienced insurance professionals who care about protecting your business.

We can help you get the cover you need at a truly competitive price, which will help you recover from any profit losses you experience as a result of theft.

Learn more about our specialist insurance services here.

How to Stop Shoplifters and Prevent Theft From Shops
How to Stop Shoplifters and Prevent Theft From Shops 1000 667 James Hallam

We recently published a guide to creating and implanting shoplifting policies and procedures for your retail business.

In this post we will share some additional practical tips to help you reduce shoplifting from your store.

How to Reduce Shoplifting In Store

Perform Regular Stock Checks

Regular stock checks will help you understand the scale of shoplifting in your store. They may also help you to identify which products in your store thieves are most likely to target. If you understand this, then you will know where to prioritise your anti-theft measures.

Consider Your Store Layout

  • Place the till as close to the door as possible. This way, no potential thieves will be able to enter or leave the store unobserved.
  • Keep your layout as simple and straightforward as possible. This will eliminate any blindspots where thieves could operate.
  • Make sure any high value items, or any items that you think thieves are most likely to target, are within sight of the main till.
  • You could also install security mirrors to let your staff see as much of the store as possible without leaving the till area.

Security Features

  • Get CCTV coverage for your store’s front entrance, for the till area, for your stock rooms, and for any areas where you store or display high value items.
  • Place signs notifying visitors that you have CCTV in place. This can help deter opportunistic thieves.
  • Consider installing facial recognition software, which could help you identify repeat offenders, and take appropriate action.
  • Consider placing your most valuable stock in locked cabinets, or behind the till. This way, customers will have to ask staff directly to view them.
  • Use electronic article surveillance (EAS) tags, and other anti-theft devices, which can deter potential thieves while also alerting you immediately to any attempted theft.

Staff Interactions and Customer Service

Your staff are your first line of defence against shoplifters. They can help identify and report instances of shoplifting, and they may even be able to prevent certain thefts from taking place. Staff safety should remain a priority, though. You should never expect your staff to expose themselves to any unnecessary risk.

Members of staff could use customer service techniques to deter thieves. If they notice a customer acting suspiciously, they could approach them and ask if they can be of any assistance. This will let the potential thief know that their actions have been noted, which might make them reconsider the theft.

Think about your staffing levels, too. Thieves often take advantage of busy periods, as they know that when the majority of staff are busy, their crimes will go unobserved. It is also common for thieves to work in pairs, with one distracting your staff while the other lifts items, out of sight. So, take note of your busy times and schedule shifts accordingly. And if possible, try to ensure that nobody ever has to work a shift alone.

Get The Right Insurance For Your Retail Store

Specialist retail shop insurance can help protect your store from many of the risks you face. A comprehensive policy may not prevent shoplifting, but it can give you the cover you need to bounce back from any major disruptions or disasters.

James Hallam is an independent Lloyd’s broker with a dedicated team of experienced insurance professionals who care about protecting your store. We can help you get specialist retail shop insurance, which can help your business bounce back from any significant losses.

Find out how we can help your shop today.

What Insurance Do 24 Hour Gyms Need?
What Insurance Do 24 Hour Gyms Need? 1000 666 James Hallam

Gyms face a number of risks that many other businesses will never have to think about. For 24 hour gyms, these risks can be particularly pronounced.

In this post we will outline the insurance products you should consider if you are running a 24 hour gym.

What Insurance Do 24 Hour Gyms Need, By Law?

If you have any employees, then you have a legal obligation to get employer’s liability insurance. This covers your staff for any accidents and injuries they may sustain in their line of work.

However, some 24 hour gyms run unsupervised round the clock. In this case, you may not have the legal requirement to get employer’s liability insurance.

Yet even if you have no legal responsibilities to get cover, you should still consider getting comprehensive insurance for your 24 hour gym. If anything goes wrong, you could incur significant costs. And without adequate cover, you will be responsible for meeting these costs yourself.

Common Risks For 24 Hour Gyms

Some 24 hour gyms are unsupervised and unattended throughout the night. Others are unsupervised 24/7. This can expose the gym to a number of risks:

  • Thieves or vandals could target the gym when they know there are no staff on the premises. They could cause thousands of pounds worth of damages, or steal a large amount of valuable equipment.
  • A customer could injure themselves on the premises. If this injury was caused by faulty equipment, they may make a claim of negligence against you.
  • Fire, flood, theft, or a similar occurrence could temporarily prevent access to your gym, forcing you to close. If you are open round the clock, every hour your gym is closed will eat into your profits. Some members may request refunds, too, if they cannot access your gym when they need to.

Reducing Risks for 24 Hour Gyms

You will need to find ways to keep your business and your customers safe for any period during which your gym is unsupervised. Security systems, remote support systems, ongoing cleaning, maintenance, and repairs, along with thorough onboarding processes for both staff and members can help reduce some of the above risks from occurring.

But if something does go wrong, the right insurance can cover you for any losses you may experience, or costs you may incur.

What Insurance Do 24 Hour Gyms Need?

Public Liability Insurance

This will cover your members, as well as any other members of the public, for any accidents and injuries they may sustain while using your gym, as well as any damage to their property. If they make a claim of negligence against you, your liability insurance can cover your legal fees, as well as any compensation that may be due.

Buildings and Contents Insurance

You may be required to get buildings insurance as part of your leasing agreement. But even if not, this is essential cover to consider. It can cover you for the risk of damage from fire, flooding, break-ins, and vandalism.

Contents insurance, on the other hand, can cover your gym equipment for loss, theft, or damage. Contents insurance can also cover any additional fixtures, fittings, or furniture, whether they are located inside or outside your gym.

Business Interruption Insurance

As we mentioned above, if you are temporarily unable to open your gym, you may incur significant costs through lost income, and as a result of refund requests from your members. Business interruption insurance can cover any loss of profit you might experience if you need to close your premises due to an unexpected event.

Get Specialist 24 Hour Gym Insurance From James Hallam

James Hallam is an independent Lloyd’s broker with access to a hand-picked selection of A-rated insurance providers. We can help you understand the unique risks you face as a 24 hour gym, and we can also tailor a comprehensive insurance package to cover you for these risks at the best price.

Find out how we can help you today.

 

Start Typing