Renovation Underwriting’s James Guthrie on helping brokers stay ahead of insurance gaps

James Guthrie, head of broker engagement at Renovation Underwriting explains why it is important for brokers to have conversations around renovation projects early to identify insurance gaps before they become an issue.

When clients plan building work, their insurance needs can change before any work even begins.

That’s why for brokers, it’s particularly important to have early conversations around renovation projects. Understanding what work is planned, the scale of the project and how it will be managed can help identify any insurance gaps before they become costly problems.

Spotting the renovation projects earlier

One of the biggest challenges is knowing when a client is planning building work.

PlanTrak, Renovation Underwriting’s free tool for brokers, alerts them to planning applications submitted by existing clients, creating an opportunity to start the insurance conversation much earlier and providing an additional level of service. 

PlanTrak helps brokers understand what is changing and make sure insurance arrangements keep pace with those changes.

Knowing that work is planned is only the first part of the picture.

Every renovation project is different depending on the property, the type and scale of work, the contract arrangements and the potential impact on neighbouring buildings. Understanding what to ask, when a risk can be placed more straightforwardly and when specialist input may be needed can therefore make an important difference.

Helping brokers understand and place the risk

Renovation Underwriting works with brokers to build confidence around contract works and renovation insurance through specialist underwriting expertise, structured CPD programmes and practical guidance.

For more straightforward private client risks, there is now a quicker route to submit eligible cases with a premium under £3,000. Where a risk meets the automatic approval criteria, brokers can receive a quote and have the opportunity to bind immediately through the existing Underwriting Portal.

Where a project is larger or more complex, the specialist underwriting team can work through the detail with brokers and help identify the most appropriate arrangement.

Some projects can also bring additional exposures.

Renovation Non-Neg Pro provides standalone non-negligent liability insurance for higher-risk projects where an additional level of liability protection may be required. It is supported by Renovation Underwriting’s in-house structural engineering expertise, helping the underwriting team understand all aspects of the technical detail behind the risk.

Support before, during and after the project

For qualifying projects, Renovation Underwriting’s Concierge Services provide specialist guidance from the pre-sale stage through the entire project. This service is available for contract works cases with premiums of £50,000 or more.

Effective for policies written on or after 1 April 2026, Renovation Underwriting contract works policies now also include the Lorega Claims Concierge service, giving policyholders access to expert claims support and a dedicated claims team working on their behalf.

Together with our parent company, Geo Underwriting, brokers have access to a wider range of specialist insurance solutions supported by AAA-rated capacity.

Meet us at Broker Expo 2026

Broker Expo is an opportunity for brokers to discuss challenges, share ideas and learn more about Renovation Underwriting’s services.

I will be there alongside colleagues from Geo Underwriting at stand 78 to share my 40 years of insurance industry knowledge, including extensive high net worth and mid-market commercial experience. 

Bringing a depth of knowledge that can help brokers work through difficult cases, client questions, placement challenges and growth opportunities within their portfolios

These conversations are valuable to the Renovation Underwriting team too, helping shape future developments and improve the support for brokers.

And if you want a glimpse of what is coming next, ask the team or I about Nora.

Whether you want to discuss PlanTrak, Non-Neg Pro, Underwriting Concierge Services, the quicker route for straightforward private client risks, professional development or simply to get our perspective on a renovation risk, visit the Geo Underwriting on stand 78.

Sign up to attend the Broker Expo on 8 October at the Birmingham NEC

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