Helping Heritage OrganisationsProsper

Success Guides

Successful RiskManagement andInsurance forMuseums

Helping Heritage OrganisationsProsper

Success Guides

Successful RiskManagement andInsurance forMuseums

Adam PrideauxBlackwall Green

Front cover picture: Sometimes descriptive signs areneeded to warn visitors of risks. This guide aims to helpmuseums in the development and maintenance of riskmanagement systems with the aim of reducing andpreventing losses and to show how specialist insurancecan be used alongside these systems to eliminate thefinancial consequences of things going wrong.

What is Risk Management?

Risk management is the active processof identifying, assessing and controllingrisks and potential threats to staff andvisitors as well as to property, bothowned by the museum and on loan to it. All museums must have, as aminimum standard, a policy coveringrisk management and disasterplanning.

Risk assessment

In order to manage risk effectively, it isnecessary first to identify risks. Riskassessment is a systematic review ofpremises and activities with thepotential to cause harm and damage.

Step 1 Identify the hazards

A ‘hazard’ is anything with thepotential to cause harm e.g. electricity,chemicals. ‘Risk’ is the probability thatsomeone or something will be harmedby a hazard.

Step 2 Decide who or what might beharmed and how

Also think about people who may notbe in the workplace all the time e.g.cleaners, visitors, and contractors.

Step 3 Assess the risk and take action

Take account of how often it may occurand the severity of the outcome. Takesteps to remove the hazard or reducethe risk to an acceptable level. Actionshould be proportionate to the risk.

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Successful RiskManagement andInsurance for Museums

The intention of this Success Guide is to identify the keyareas of insurance that are relevant to museums and toexplain how insurance dovetails with risk management toprotect property owned by a museum including thecollection, as well as protecting staff, volunteers andvisitors. One of the guiding principles of museums is toprotect objects for future generations and staff andvolunteers need to continually assess and minimise risk inorder to achieve this. This information has been producedto help museums in the development and maintenance ofrisk management systems with the aim of reducing andpreventing losses and to show how specialist insurancecan be used alongside these systems to eliminate thefinancial consequences of things going wrong. Therelationship between insurance and risk management isintertwined and finding the balance between the correctamount of insurance and the appropriate level of riskmanagement, and its costs, is vital.

Risk assessment is asystematic review ofpremises and activitieswith the potential tocause harm anddamage.

Step 4 Record the findings

Employers who have five or moreemployees must record significantfindings of a risk assessment. (It is alsogood practice to do so if there arefewer than five employees.)

Step 5 Review the assessment

A review may be appropriate afterchanges to work practices orintroduction of new activities, or in any case, every five years. Update therisk assessment if necessary.

Main types of risk andrecommended preventative action

1. Fire

Fire represents the single most seriousrisk in that it can be catastrophic andcould result in destroying the museumas well as causing injury and, worse,fatalities.

• The majority of museums will requirea fully automatic fire detectionsystem which should be designed,installed and serviced according tothe appropriate British standard,BS5839. Two thirds of all fires occurafter 6.00pm so automatic fire

alarms are indispensable in alertingthe fire brigade and therebyspeeding the tackling of the fire,limiting its spread and aiding the saferemoval of the museum’s collection.

• Develop good relations with the localfire brigade and ensure they havefamiliarised themselves withpotential water supplies, hydrantsand the layout of the museum.

• Seek advice from the fire brigade asto the selection and location ofextinguishers. These should besubject to an annual maintenancecontract and all staff should betrained on their location and use. Inbroad terms, water and foam aremost effective when fightingcarbonaceous materials such aspaper and wood and carbon dioxideextinguishers are usuallyrecommended for liquid andelectrical fires. CO2 does not harmworks of art although it may leave afilm of fine ice on objects in closeproximity to the discharge point.

• Features such as panelling, floatingor raised floors and suspendedceilings can disguise voids which willassist the rapid development andhidden spread of fire. This should beaddressed by the insertion of fire

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The fire at the National Trust’sUppark, an 18th century house inWest Sussex, in 1989. Dustbinscontaining salvaged objects andparts of the building stand in rows inthe foreground.

stopping and cavity barriers whichshould have a minimum fireresistance of 30 minutes.

• Fire doors can also be a usefuladditional protection in lesshistorically sensitive areas.

• Many fires are a direct result of the careless actions of buildingcontractors. When hot work (cutting, welding or gas torches) isunavoidable, a hot work permitshould be agreed in writing.Additional firefighting equipmentshould also be provided. Mostimportantly, competent monitoringshould also continue for at least twohours after cessation of the works.All building contractors must carrycurrent public and employers’liability insurance cover with aminimum limit of indemnity of £2 million. Your insurer should alsobe informed of such works prior to their starting.

• Inspection of electrical system. Lookfor loose wires, worn or damagedcable, scorching and plug damage.Establish a defect reporting systemand ensure any necessary repairs arecarried out.

• Ensure the electrical installation inthe building meets the criteria in the

current edition of The Institution ofElectrical Engineers Regulations for Electrical Installations (IEERegulations). See http://electrical.theiet.org/wiring‐regulations/

• Portable electrical appliances must be tested for safety by acompetent person. As a guide tofrequency of checking, electrickettles and fires should be inspectedannually and computers every fouryears.

• Check to see if the heating boiler isunder an annual maintenance andservice agreement with a firm ofcompetent heating and ventilatingcontractors and ensure the boilerroom is clear of combustible storage.

• Cooking appliances and the filters in extraction ductwork must becleaned of grease and oil deposits ona regular basis. Cleaning intervalsdepend on the type of equipmentbut should not exceed seven days.

• Remove waste paper and cardboardand other combustible wastematerials from buildings and store in a safe place until collected fordisposal.

• From 1 July 2007 all public placesand workplaces in England have been

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Flooding outside the historicclubhouse at Brooklands, the world’sfirst purpose‐built motor racingcircuit at Weybridge, Surrey, in 2013.

smoke‐free. Visit www.smokefreeengland.co.uk/resources. Signagecan be ordered from the website or0800 169 1697.

• Flammable liquids and gases inworkshops or elsewhere must besafely stored. Spare gas bottles mustbe stored in a secure yard compoundand highly flammable liquids indedicated metal safety lockers orbins with appropriate ‘FlammableLiquids’ warning signs.

• The Fire Safety Order came into forceon 1 October 2006 and replaced theFire Precautions Act 1971 and theFire Precautions (Workplace)Regulations. It is now the primaryfire safety legislation. The Orderaffects all non‐domestic premisesand even applies to certain activitiestaking place outdoors. The Fire SafetyOrder places the emphasis towardsrisk reduction and fire prevention.See http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/1541/contents/made

2. Water damage

• Old pipes can be particularlyvulnerable to leaking and particularattention should be paid to display orstorage areas which either contain orare sited below pipe runs or watertanks. There are various ways in whichthe damaging effect of escaping watercan be controlled and reduced. Insome instances, a rising main watervalve or diaphragm can be installed tomonitor water flow and automaticallycut off the main supply. This can alsobe linked to the alarm system. Oldpipes and installations should in anycase be regularly monitored and anyfaults identified and repaired as soonas possible. The location of isolationvalves and taps should be recorded on emergency plans.

• If any of the museum’s collection isstored in a basement, then it isessential to store all objects at least9in off the basement floor.

• With climatic change, it is also vitalthat the local environmentalconditions are checked regularly. The installation of submersible pipes

should perhaps be considered in theevent of rising levels in local watercourses and ponds etc.

• Ensure there is a programme ofplanned preventative maintenance ofthe building: e.g. repair holes in theroof.

• Ensure, as part of a disaster plan,that you have the contact details of acompany which can assist in theevent of a flood or water damage.

3. Theft

• All external doors should be lockedby a BS3621 mortise deadlock or twokey operated door security bolts orpadlocks meeting the draft EuropeanCEN Standard classification numbers3 or 4.• The first closing leaf of double leaf

doors should be secured top andbottom by key operated doorsecurity bolts.

• Outward opening doors should befitted with two hinge bolts.

• Lightweight external doors mayneed reinforcement by sheet metalor timber.

• Doors designated as fire exits mayonly be secured by methodsacceptable to the Fire Authority.

• All ground floor, basement andaccessible upper floor windows must be fitted with appropriate key‐operated window locks as must vulnerable windows.

• Intruder alarm systems must beinstalled and maintained to BS4737by a National Approval Council forSecurity Systems (NACOSS)recognised firm. See www.nsi.org.uk

• Check that the alarm covers theareas you want it to. This mustinclude the most important andvaluable items in the collection.

• Some objects may need to bealarmed individually, either withproximity or contact alarms. Thesealarms will work during the day whenthe main alarm is deactivated. This isparticularly useful as the trend forthefts from museums during the dayincreases. There now exist someextremely discreet systems that

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If any of the museum’scollection is stored in abasement, then it isessential to store allobjects at least 9in off the basement floor.

provide object protection. Indeed itis now possible to implement acomplete object protection systemand combine it with CCTV so if anobject is touched the cameras in thecontrol room automatically moveonto the object and also the exits toeach gallery as well as linking to thedoor alarm system. Combined withstaff invigilation this is a very strongdeterrent to thefts.

• Ensure key holding arrangementsand intruder alarm signalling(connections to alarm receivingcentres) are sufficient to ensure aquick key holder response.

• Access control systems must besufficient to prevent personsconcealing themselves on thepremises during the day andbreaking out after the museum has closed with stolen items.

• Close circuit television cameras(CCTV) are an extremely gooddeterrent against theft but ensurethe tapes are recording and that theyare retained for at least seven days.

• Security lighting is very effective butmust be properly designed andmaintained. In most circumstancesmovement‐activated (i.e. operated

by a sensor) lighting is likely to be themost effective.

• Small, fragile objects in the collectionshould be exhibited in showcaseswhich must be properly locked andalarmed, if necessary.

• A policy of photographing objects inthe collection, particularly the mostimportant and valuable, is essentialand absolutely vital in the event of atheft as organisations such as the Art Loss Register and Trace can assistin the recovery of stolen itemswhether insured or not. Someinsurers will offer a discount ifcollections are photographed so doinform them.

• All keys must be removed from themuseum at night or kept in anapproved safe, the key to which istaken home by a responsible person.

• Check that cash safes offer adequatesecurity for the amounts depositedin them overnight and that any free‐standing safes weighing less than20cwt are anchored to the floor.

• Transit of cash to and from the bankmust be carried out in a safe andsecure manner. Cash must be carriedon the person in pockets or speciallydesigned belts.

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Slips, trips and falls – but hopefullynot on this pile of discarded timberwith nails pointing upwards.

4. Accidental damage/vandalism

• Ensure fragile, easily breakableobjects are exhibited in lockedshowcases and/or out of reach fromthe public.

• Consider installing proximity alarms.• Particularly vulnerable paintings

should be glazed.• CCTV is an extremely good deterrent

to vandalism but, as before, ensurethe tapes are recording and are keptfor a minimum of seven days.

5. Buildings awaiting restoration orunder construction

• These buildings are attractive tochildren. They should be kept secureat all times. Look for and identify any‘allurements’ attractive to childrenetc and take appropriate steps toeliminate risk.

• Signs outside the buildings shouldwarn of particular risks inside such asweak floors.

• Trespassers are entitled to astatutory duty of care and the personhaving ‘control’ of a building mustprovide warnings of any specificdeterrents in force and must not settraps for trespassers.

• Employ a competent contractor e.g. NICEIC registered, when carryingout building work.

• Always inform insurers beforecommencing building work.

6. Slips, trips and falls

• Keep pathways and traffic routes ingood repair and inspect for defectsregularly.

• Floors and floor coverings should bekept in good repair.

• All passages, particularly fireescapes, must be kept completelyclear.

• Ensure stairways are wellmaintained, well lit and fitted withhand rails.

• Clean up spillages promptly anddisplay warning of wet surfaces.

• Avoid trailing cables.

• Place a sticker on all glass doors toprevent anyone from accidentallywalking into them.

7. Grounds maintenance

• Car parking areas and spaces shouldbe clearly indicated and located awayfrom main entrance and emergencyexits. Consider the use of pedestrianroutes, crossings, traffic calmingdevices. Display site speed limit.

• Electrical equipment for outdoorwork should be used at 110V orprotected by 30mA residual currentdevice.

• Training for safe operation ofgrounds maintenance equipment e.g. tractors, mowers, chain saws etc.

• Training on storage and use ofpesticides.

8. Manual handling

This includes lifting, pushing, pulling,carrying, holding a load.

• Where possible use mechanical aidse.g. mechanical handling equipment,trolleys or castors.

• Train staff in proper liftingtechniques.

9. Substances hazardous to health

For example, chemicals used inconservation and restoration, cleaningchemicals.

• Obtain hazard data sheets fromsupplier, follow safety instructions asrecommended. For basic householdtype chemicals, e.g. bleach, followinginstructions on the label should beadequate.

• Ensure all chemicals are in labelledcontainers.

10. Moving machinery

• Ensure it is safe to demonstrate –guarding may require upgrading. Thismay be achieved using modificationsin keeping with the original fabric ofthe machinery.

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Car parking areas andspaces should be clearlyindicated and locatedaway from main entranceand emergency exits.

• Ensure certain equipment isinspected – engineering inspectionand insurance

• Consider public safety – for exampleby position, physical separation bybarriers etc.

11. Food safety

• Safety in catering premises:• Use of machinery – guarding,

operator training, maintenance. • Slips/trips/falls – as before.• Manual handling. • Cleaning.• Fire risks.

• Product safety:• Control of practices and

procedures in the preparation offood to ensure safety of finalproduct. Staff should have foodhygiene training commensurate totheir job role. Identify all steps inactivities which are critical to foodsafety and ensure adequate safetycontrols are in place, maintainedand reviewed.

12. Noise

If people speaking normally havedifficulty in making themselves heardat a distance of 2m then it may indicatethe potential to cause damage tohearing if exposed to such levels for aprolonged period. It may then benecessary for a competent person tocarry out further noise assessments todetermine if further control measuresare required.

13. Defensible documentation

Should a claim arise in the future, orshould there be an investigation into anincident by the Health and SafetyExecutive or Environmental HealthDepartment, it is vital that you are ableto demonstrate that you are doing allthat is reasonably practical by keepingappropriate and detailed records. Suchrecords may include training records,inspection records of pathways, trafficroutes etc., and maintenance records.

What Is Insurance?

Insurance represents a promise to payafter a problem has arisen. Financialcompensation is made where theconsequences of the problem arecovered within the terms of an insurancepolicy. It is a safety net for instanceswhen the various risk managementprocedures in place fail and it protectsthe museum against unfortuitous events.Insurance is, therefore, a vitalconsideration of risk management formuseums, as it is for all businesses.

To ensure good practice werecommend all museum staff askthemselves the following questions:

1. Do you know what insurance coveryou have in place?

2. Do you know who your insurer is;are they specialist museuminsurers/brokers?

3. Do you and your staff understandthe cover and is there access to acopy of the policy?

4. Do you know how much each area ofcover costs?

5. Are the sums insured/valuations up‐to‐date?

6. Have you carried out an exercise tosee if your insurance premium iscompetitive?

7. Has a specialist insurer carried out asurvey?

8. Are you aware of statutoryrequirements such as health andsafety, engineering inspection andmotor insurance?

9. Do you have cover for property(buildings, contents, collection),business interruption, employers,public and products liability, charitytrustees liability, travel and personalaccident?

If the answer to any of the above is nothen it is time to conduct a review ofthe policy to ensure it is appropriate.The policy must be an All Risksinsurance and you must know what isnot covered (the exclusions). Check for

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Insurance is a vitalconsideration of riskmanagement formuseums, as it is forall businesses.

exclusions like ‘claims for theft whenmuseum is open are excluded’. Is thereany transit cover?

Seek professional advice, ideally from aspecialist museum broker. The advicemay mean keeping your insurancearrangements exactly as they are. Theadvice will be given free of charge.Brokers earn commission only whenthey arrange a policy.

Many museums find that they canswitch from a standard commercialpolicy (one that is used for a variety ofbusinesses) to a specialist museumpolicy and actually save money whilstwidening the breadth of cover.

Prioritising Insurance Cover

With pressure on budgets a veryvaluable approach to insurance can be to see how much cover can beobtained for a given price. For thepurpose of this paper we will look ateach area of cover as it appears in thelist of importance.

1. Statutory insurance: insurancerequired by law

• Employers liability: covers themuseum’s legal liability to injuryand/or illness of the employees inthe event that it is caused by thenegligence of the employer. It forcesthe employer to provide a safeenvironment for working andestablishes that the employer has aduty of care to staff, which mustinclude appropriate training. Thelimit of cover is £10 million.

• Motor insurance: museums that ownor operate vehicles on the publichighway must have the basic coverrequired by the Road Traffic Actwhich is Third Party injury cover.However the usual basic cover isThird Party only which also includescover for damage to third partyproperty. Remember that staff usingtheir vehicles for work must informtheir insurers to ensure appropriatecover for ‘business use’ is noted.

• Engineering and inspection: the kindof risks that this area of insurance willcover include lifts, air‐condition plantand boilers. Regular inspection andmaintenance are important elementsof managing such risk and these areoften obligatory. Indeed, most plantequipment will need to be inspectedannually. In the case of people‐carrying lifts this will be twice a year.It is important that the inspectionand insurance is carried out by thesame company so that the insurercannot sue the inspector in the eventthat the inspector fails to identify apotential problem. Insurance willcover breakdown of equipment,sudden and unforeseen damage and,in the case of boilers and pressureplants, explosion and collapse. Somemuseums may be further exposed toengineering issues if their exhibits fall within the parameters of anengineering risk, such as industrial ormining museums or some transportcollections. In such cases, theinspection and insurance of thoserisks would need additional attention.

Failure to arrange the appropriatecover for any of the above and indeed,where museums employ more thanfive people, and failure to implement aHealth and Safety Procedure, couldlead to prosecution.

2. Essential cover

Public and Products (Third Party)Liability: in increasingly litigious times,this area of cover must be regarded asabsolutely essential. Failure to insurepublic liability could result, in the eventof a successful claim against themuseum, in financial ruin and itsclosing down. There is a common lawduty for everyone to take reasonablecare and not cause injury or damage toother people and property and, whilstit is possible to minimise risks byensuring appropriate risk management,there can be no better protection thanhaving Public Liability cover in place.We recommend the minimum limitnow should be £2 million. Those

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Seek professionaladvice, ideally from aspecialist museumbroker.

museums with engineering/movingparts may well consider a limit of £10million. Also ensure Food and DrinkLiability cover is in place if the museumhas a café or restaurant.

Buildings: if a museum owns thebuilding in which it is housed then it isessential to cover the buildings underan ‘All Risks’ policy which shouldinclude cover for:

• Fire, lightning, explosion, aircraft,earthquake, riot and civilcommotion, vandalism, storm,tempest, flood, burst pipes andimpact.

• Subsidence, landslip and groundheave.

• Terrorism.

It is important that insurers areprovided with an up‐to‐date rebuildcost for the buildings and this isparticularly important where themuseum is a listed building, making it alegal requirement to reinstate thebuilding in the event of damage. Therebuild value must include the cost ofdemolition and debris removal as wellas architects and surveyors fees for therebuilding. If the building is leased, sayfrom a local authority, then it is vital

the lease is checked to see who isresponsible for the insurance andindeed what cover is being provided.Remember to ask the brokers/insurersfor assistance and also remember thatlease agreements may need to beamended if the museum, as tenant,wishes to arrange its own insurance.

It is also vital that museums contacttheir insurers before they begin or enterinto a contract to carry out works to thebuildings. In the event that a contractfor building works is of greater valuethan £25,000 most contractors will askthe museum to sign a JCT contract andthis must be agreed by the insurers.

Contents: if the museum is a tenantand is not responsible for insuring the buildings then possibly it will beresponsible for covering the internaldecorations, tenant improvements andpermanent fixtures and fittings, so it isimportant to ensure a figure for thetotal cost of redecoration is given toinsurers. Movable contents (including,but not limited to, exhibition displaycases, storage racks, general officefurniture, carpets, curtains, computers,fax machines, scanners, telephonesystems, etc) should be insured for ‘AllRisks’. It is very important if lap‐tops,

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That’s the way to do it. Machineryguards and a walkway keepingvisitors at a safe distance atScotland’s Jute Museum at VerdantWorks, Dundee Heritage Trust.

digital cameras and staff personaleffects are to be covered away from thepremises, that the museum informs theinsurers so it can be specifically notedon the policy. Consideration should alsobe given to loss of data.

Loans to the museum: an area of coverregularly overlooked relates to inwardloans (both short and long‐term). It isvital that it is agreed, prior to any loan,who will be responsible for insuring thework(s): whether it is the owner who islending them or the museum who isborrowing them. The loan agreementsmust specify:

• The work(s) being lent.• The Agreed Value for insurance

purposes. • Who is responsible for insurance.

Failure to insure loans correctly couldlead to a financial liability if the objectis not correctly insured and the lenderdecides to sue in order to recover theirloss following a claim. Cover must beobtained on an ‘All Risks’ basis andwhere transits are required the cover ison a ‘Nail to Nail ’ basis.

This situation may well also apply tobequests where it was a condition ofthe bequest that the donated objectsremain fully insured. Similarly, museumsmust ensure that all temporaryexhibitions are correctly insured.

Business interruption: a museum maysuffer disruption to its business whichmay affect its income as a result of anyof the following:

• Any physical damage or destructionto the museum or museum property.

• The lawful closure of the premises bya local authority including denial ofaccess and loss of income from theoutbreak of a communicable diseasesuch as Foot and Mouth.

• The accidental failure of the publicsupply of electricity, gas, water ortelecommunications services to themuseum.

• The physical damage to property inthe vicinity of the premises whichdirectly results in the inability to gain access.

The purpose of this area of cover is tocompensate for any loss of income,including grants and subsidies and, if possible to enable the museum to continue operating during thisdisruption. The usual indemnity period is 12 months.

3. Miscellaneous

The collection: in many respects, this isthe area where museums can chooseto be most flexible with the insurancethey take. The cover available willdepend on whether or not thecollection has been valued, and, if so, how recently the valuation wascarried out.

The maximum cover that can bepurchased is full ‘All Risks’ cover whichincludes the perils of fire, waterdamage, theft, accidental damage,malicious damage, vandalism,explosion, storm, hurricane, lightning,aircraft damage and terrorism. Thiscover will also include depreciation inthe event that an object loses value asa result of damage caused by an insuredevent. Furthermore, when an objectforming part of a pair or set is damagedthe loss in value to the whole pair orset would be accounted for in thesettlement, rather than simply the objectitself. ‘All risks’ cover is the most costly.

The minimum amount of cover thatmust be obtained is ‘Restoration Costs’only and the cost is a fraction of the ‘AllRisks’ premium. In this instance, theinsurance would only pay to repairobjects damaged as a result of aninsured loss. In other words, claims fortheft, total loss, and depreciationwould be excluded. Many museumschoose a combination of types ofcover. They take the view that themarket price for objects is irrelevantgiven that they cannot sell them.Therefore, they want to ensureprimarily that damaged objects can berestored.

It is important to ensure there is anappropriate transit limit if objects fromthe collection are taken to the

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Failure to insure loanscorrectly could lead toa financial liability ifthe object is notcorrectly insured andthe lender decides tosue in order to recovertheir loss following aclaim.

premises of restorers, conservators,framers, and photographers.

A good insurance provider will not justrecommend the maximum (and mostexpensive cover) but will discuss thevarious options.

Shop stock: a figure should be includedfor those items sold in the museumshop, including catalogues, postcards,books, souvenirs and catering stock.

Personal accident: museum staff wouldbe covered by this section for claims asa result of any physical injury, includingillness, which is caused by an accidentduring working time. Full capitalpayment can be made under this coverfor death and permanent totaldisablement. Cover for temporarydisablement can be included which willindemnify the injured person(s) on aweekly basis for the period that theyare unable to carry out their usualoccupation and this can usually beprovided for a maximum of two yearsfrom the date of the accident.

Trustee indemnity: covers the museum trustees if any party, includingemployees, brings or threatens a claim against them for financialcompensation arising from theirperformance as a trustee. The range of claims includes:

• Breach of trust.• Breach of fiduciary duty.• Negligence or maladministration.• Negligent misrepresentation or

negligent mis‐statement.• Breach of confidence or misuse of

confidential information.

It is vital that trustees are giventraining and guidelines. See https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the‐essential‐trustee‐what‐you‐need‐to‐know‐cc3, and

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/detailed‐guidance/protecting‐your‐charity/charities‐and‐insurance‐cc49

Legal costs and expenses: will coverlegal expenses as a result of actions

brought against the museum.

Key person: identify if the museum’sprofits would suffer if the director or‘key person’ were unable to work, as aresult of illness or death.

Risk management in museums israrely anything but of the higheststandard and insurance is a vitalcomponent of a risk managementstrategy. Contrary to popular beliefpremiums remain stable and continue to be very competitivemaking insurance a very valuable tool to protect museums. Thecompetitiveness of the premiums islargely a result of the excellent claimsrecord.

Disaster Recovery Plan in the eventof fire and water damage

All museums should have one and theymust include the following information:

• List the names, addresses andtelephone numbers of the keymuseum staff, including sitemanagers and keyholders, as well as utility and security companies. It is also essential to include a list of services such as plumbers,glaziers, locksmiths, transportersand, importantly, insurance brokers/insurers.

• The disaster recovery plan mustestablish a priority for removingobjects in the event of a disaster andthis can be done in a number ofways: produce an inventory and listin order of priority which itemswould need to be removed first.Draw up a site plan to show locationof objects and their salvage priority.

• The plan should also show thelocation of utilities, power supply,hazardous materials, emergencyexits, fire extinguishers etc.

• Remember to inform all staff of theplans and to hold regular emergencyexercises.

• It is essential that these plans remainconfidential and to discuss with thelocal emergency services the correctprocedure in the event of acatastrophe.

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Blackwall Green acts asinsurance brokers and providesadvice on insurance issuesrelating to art, museums andexhibitions. We are happy toshare the information we havebuilt up from our experienceworking with museums, artists,conservators, private collectorsand art dealers, as well asinsurance providers worldwide.Please do not hesitate tocontact us if we may be ofassistance. Robert Hepburne‐Scott, Blackwall Green, The Walbrook Building, 25 Walbrook, London EC4N 8AW. Tel 020 7234 4307.Email robert_hscott@ajg.comWebsitewww.gallagherheath.com/pages/Blackwall‐Green.aspx

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Copyright © 2014 Adam PrideauxAIM Editor – Diana Zeuner

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