New defects insurance will drive best practice

A new defects insurance scheme coming to the UK construction market promises to be the 'best practice' driver the industry has been waiting for, and could also solve the employers liability insurance problem.

Launched this week by the Construction Manufacturers Partnering Association (COMPASS), COMPASSure has been specifically designed to cover proprietary systems from product manufacturers. It provides reputable manufacturers with blanket cover against both product and workmanship defects allowing them to supply clients with meaningful system guarantees of 10 years or more.

Available only to chartered COMPASS members, the benefits of COMPASSSure do not stop at the client, as Ron Edmondon, COMPASS director and chairman of Waterloo Air Management, explained: "Obviously the ultimate client will derive immense benefit from having systems that are underwritten with long-term insurance-backed guarantees. But the scheme also allows main contractors to legitimately transfer risk and it protects specifications generated by architects and others."

"In particular, the mandatory control procedures promote the development of true collaborative relationships between suppliers and subcontractors providing them with a powerful incentive to perform and a real competitive advantage. It's a true win-win solution for everyone concerned," he added.

COMPASS is holding a workshop at the end of June to introduce the scheme to interested parties, and will begin rolling it out nationally from then.