Case Study: Urgent buildings insurance secured for high-value exchange

Supporting Property Lawyers in time-critical transactions

With high-value property transactions, timing is critical, and for legal professionals managing complex exchanges, having the right partners in place can make all the difference. This case study highlights how our Private Client team responded swiftly and decisively to secure urgent buildings insurance for an international client purchasing a multi-million pound property in the UK. With strong insurer relationships and a commitment to going above and beyond, we ensured the client’s needs were met and the exchange proceeded without delay.

Client profile

A high-net-worth individual referred by a leading international law firm, requiring immediate buildings insurance to facilitate a property exchange on a prime property.

The Challenge

At 8:30am on a Friday, we received a new instruction: the client needed to exchange contracts on a high-value property by 11.30am. The transaction was part of a competitive bidding scenario, and any delay risked losing the property. With a high sum insured, standard insurer turnaround times typically exceed 48 hours - yet in this case, time was critical.

Our response

We immediately contacted the instruction solicitor to obtain the necessary risk information, then reached out to our panel of specialist insurers. Leveraging our strong market relationships, we secured a quote by 11:30am - less than three hours after the initial instruction.

Our team worked quickly to present the quote to the client, who agreed to proceed immediately. The policy was incepted in time for the exchange to go ahead, ensuring the transaction was not derailed by insurance delays.

The Outcome

• The client successfully exchanged contracts on time.
• The law firm was impressed by our responsiveness and market access.
• The client has since moved their wider insurance portfolio to Howden

Key Takeaway

This case highlights our Private Client team's agility and the strength of our insurer relationships. By responding rapidly and securing cover within hours, we enabled the property lawyer to meet an exceptionally tight deadline and protect their client’s interests. Our ability to deliver under pressure reinforces our role as a trusted partner to legal professionals navigating complex, high-value transactions.