Pest and Inspection Claims Data

We’ve put together some claims data and general information on Pest Managers and Inspectors collected over the past 3 years.

General conclusion, Professional Indemnity Claims most prone to litigation.

• In recent years the Building and Pest Inspection Profession has become very litigious
• Change in social attitude to litigation – increase the propensity to claim
• General view from claimants – always someone else to blame and at fault
• Claims not settled expediently are more expensive for the following reasons:-
  • Aggrieved parties less inclined to accept moderate settlement if they consult a lawyer
  • Court cases tend to go against Insurers where delays exist
  • Significant burden of legal costs associated with trials

Where are the claims coming from? (statistics sourced from settled claims)

*Termite and Timber Pest Inspections include claims arising from building inspectors.

*The cracking and movement % should increase significantly as there are some claims yet to be settled.

Service Agreement

It must be noted that a higher % of claims were successfully defended if a service agreement was sent.