Postscript - Five years ago: Restaurants left without any cover

Post 5 years ago

Looking through Post's back catalogue paints a unique picture of more than 150 years of insurance news, as this highlight from 5 years ago reveals.

Restaurants and takeaways may find their insurance invalidated from this week because they failed or did not realise they had to apply for a new licence under the government's new 24-hour drinking laws.

Even though they may not sell alcohol, any premises selling food after 11pm needs a new licence, leaving it to an insurer's discretion to pay if any claims arise. Additionally, every business selling alcohol needs a new licence, even if they do not want to extend their opening hours.

A Zurich spokeswoman said businesses that have not applied would see their insurance rendered useless: "We don't provide cover if policyholders don't take every step to keep their licence in force. If a policyholder makes a claim after the new licensing regime comes into place but hasn't applied for a new licence, their claims would not be covered."

Axa and Royal and Sun Alliance indicated that a more lenient approach would be taken as the new regime gets under way, claiming they would treat cases on an individual basis. Around 4000 businesses had failed to apply as Post went to press, according to the government.

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60 Seconds With... Foil’s Pete Allchorne

Pete Allchorne, partner at DAC Beachcroft and president of the Forum of Insurance Lawyers, would like to be “Doctorin’ the Tardis”, finds ironing therapeutic, and can be found dancing to “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars.

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