Our Underwriting Charter
UMAL is owned by its Members, and will always act in their interests. UMAL provides a specialised service that is focused on its Members’ unique requirements, and this means UMAL can make the following promise:
UMAL will:
- Put its Members at the centre of the underwriting process.
- Provide a professional, prompt and high-quality underwriting service, tailored to a Members’ specific needs.
- Handle all underwriting issues and queries from start to finish in a friendly, supportive and efficient way.
- Respond with urgency, courtesy and care.
How UMAL will deal with Underwriting issues:
- We will endeavour to acknowledge underwriting queries within one business day of receipt. We will respond substantively to any underwriting queries within two business days.
- If queries cannot be answered within that period – maybe external advice needs to be sought, the issues involved need more detailed investigation or more information is required – UMAL will agree a timescale with the Member for a detailed response.
- We will keep Members informed of the progress of any enquiry or query at regular intervals.
- We will guide Members through the process for placement of any external covers facilitated through HMSL.
- We will provide all documentation on a timely basis.
- We will always provide direct access to decision making Underwriters.
- We will provide Members with a dedicated Member Relationship Manager.
- We will ensure that all Underwriters maintain a high level of technical expertise to enable us to answer any questions Members have.
- We will provide Members with secure internet access to our online document portal. This means Members can view and download key documents and certificates.
- We will provide benchmark data on limits and sub limits for coverage comparison purposes.
Our Claims Charter
UMAL is owned by its Members, and will always act in their interests. UMAL provides a specialised service that is focused on its Members’ unique requirements, and this means UMAL can make the following promise to our Members:
UMAL will:
- Put its Members at the centre of the claim process
- Provide a professional, prompt and high-quality claims management service, tailored to a Members’ specific needs
- Handle all claims from start to finish in a friendly, supportive and efficient way
- Respond with urgency, courtesy and care
How UMAL will deal with Claims issues:
- We will endeavour to acknowledge new claims within one business day of receipt and respond to any other claim queries within two business days.
- If queries cannot be answered within that period – maybe external advice needs to be sought, the issues involved need more detailed investigation or more information is required – we will agree a timescale for a detailed response.
- UMAL or its service providers will keep Members informed of significant developments during the progress of your claim.
- We will handle all aspects of a claim for property damage, including negotiations with suppliers, appointing loss adjusters when required.
- We will guide Members through the protocols for liability claims, including the appointment of defence solicitors to handle any necessary investigations or litigation.
- We will provide an initial liability assessment as soon as possible with regular updates on Professional Indemnity claims. If required, UMAL will appoint specialist defence solicitors.
- If the claim is for Travel or Group Personal Accident and a Member needs specialist emergency assistance, UMAL will provide it.
- Wherever appropriate, UMAL will pursue recoveries – including Members’ deductibles – from negligent third parties.
- We will inform Members of the settlement on every claim, with a full breakdown of all payments made.
- We will ensure that all claims handlers maintain a high level of technical expertise, and will be ready to answer any questions Members have.
- We will provide Members with secure internet access to our online claims portal. This means Members can view their recent claims history and reports on trends in frequency and severity. UMAL also provide this information to Members on a benchmarking basis.
Our Risk Management Charter
UMAL is owned by its Members and will always act in their interests. UMAL provides a specialised service that is focused on its Members’ unique requirements, and this means UMAL can make the following commitment.
UMAL will:
- Put its Members at the centre of the risk management process.
- Provide a professional, prompt and high-quality risk management service, tailored to a Members’ specific needs
- Handle all risk management issues and queries from start to finish in a friendly, supportive and efficient way.
- Respond with urgency, courtesy and care.
How UMAL will deal with Risk Management issues:
- We will endeavour to undertake an on-site risk management survey at least every three years.
- In addition to the scheduled on-site surveys, we are also available for special one-off Member visits to provide technical advice or training.
- We will endeavour to acknowledge risk management queries within one business day of receipt. We will respond substantively to any queries within two business days.
- If queries cannot be answered within that period – if the issues involved need more detailed investigation or more information is required – UMAL will agree a timescale with the Member for a detailed response.
- We will keep Members informed of the progress of any enquiry or query at regular intervals.
- We will provide all documentation and risk management reports on a timely basis.
- We will always provide direct access to risk managers.
- We will ensure that all risk managers maintain a high level of technical expertise to enable us to answer Members questions.
- We will provide Members with secure internet access to our online Members Document Library. This provides Members access to an extensive risk management library of technical documents and risk mitigation advice.
- Respectfully share best practice / knowledge from our privileged view across the sector through the likes of on-Campus presentations, Webinars, Risk Alerts, the UMAL Conference and other sector events.
Read more about the way we do business:
Visit Our Values page
We are specialists and always put our Members first
We respect and support the role our Members play in society
We offer a better way to do business
We are accessible, approachable and proactive
