UK government-backed terrorism reinsurer Pool Re is introducing a series of changes aimed at improving the accessibility of terrorism insurance for businesses in the UK.
The reinsurer has expanded its definition of an SME to include firms with assets of up to £5 million, more than double the previous figure of £2 million.
This expansion means cedant insurers can more easily integrate cover within their automated SME offerings.
Concurrently, the standard business interruption rating is reduced from 0.019% to 0.017%, in addition to a reduction in the Zone B, MD rate, capabilities made possible by continued advancements in Pool Re’s risk modelling capabilities.
Lastly, clients using Pool Re’s Vulnerability Self-Assessment Tool (VSAT) will receive a premium discount of 7.5%, up from 5%.
“Pool Re recognises that different buyers have different profiles, and we need to continuously adapt to their needs,” said Steve Coates, Pool Re Chief Underwriting Officer.
“Widening the definition of SME – who receive business interruption cover at no cost when they buy a physical damage policy – means that we can offer more affordable terrorism cover and as a result, better accessibility to a wider range of companies.”
Julian Enoizi, Pool Re Chief Executive Officer, added, “These changes overall are about reducing the cost of reinsurance for our cedants, so that those savings can in turn be passed onto the ultimate customer.
“Pool Re exists to facilitate the effective provision of terrorism insurance and to ensure that it is widely available. These enhancements are all important developments in that process.
“We know that our cedants welcome these changes and we hope that they will enable more businesses across the UK to take up the vital offer of terrorism protection and to increase the overall resilience of the economy as a result.”
