Construction Liability - BIBA calls for change

Third, the burden of the regulatory environment of business needs to be

reduced. From introducing some element of ‘proportionality’ into the new statutory

‘Protect’ Duty – now known as Martyn’s Law, to cutting the cost of doing business,

there are many areas where Government can intervene to reduce the cost of doing

business in the UK.

Paul: I think you’d find consensus with that opinion around a table of any of

our clients Alastair! What of the future, what does your scan of the horizon tell

us is coming?

I think for us some interesting areas are around the developing class of business

which is cyber cover – just how that is going to develop in responding to new threats

which today don’t exist? There is a huge protection gap at the moment between

exposure and insurance take-up and that is only going to grow. ESG continues to fall

under scrutiny both from investors and employees, particularly the younger

generation, and we all need to be cognisant of the changing landscape in this

regard. Developments in the motor market around automation – while perhaps not at

the forefront of your clients' agendas – will continue to require innovation.

Paul : Craig, any final thoughts on what’s coming down the tracks?

Samuel Johnson said that change, even for the better, comes with inconvenience. I

think the years ahead might see that sentiment become a familiar one as we work

through the unknown thicket of change that the BSA provides, whilst technological

changes continue apace, and industry continues to grapple with necessary

innovations to address climate change.

These challenges aside, I think we have to look at the potential for positives from

each; all of these challenges will present our clients with many opportunities to grow

and innovate, whilst (hopefully) refocusing attention on delivering better quality

outcomes.

Let’s not forget our recent troubles and our clients’ collective responses either. Our

construction clients have, by and large, successfully traded through some of the