Every good quote starts with a good data sheet. When I ask for information about the building during the survey, I am not manufacturing paperwork: every line has a reason – accurate data produces an accurate quote, while missing data produces a cautious premium rounded upwards. This article goes through, item by item, what I ask for, why, and where it is easiest to find.
- The data list has six blocks: basic details, structure, dimensions, building systems and extras, claims history, and the existing policy.
- Most of the data comes from three sources: the deed of foundation, the technical documentation, and the existing insurance papers.
- No personal data about residents is needed for the tendering – the list is about the building, not about the people in it.
Blocks 1–2: basic details and structure
The basic details: the address, the number of flats and other units (shops, offices, garages), the year of construction, how the building is run, and the contact person. The structural block: the material of the walls, the floor slabs, the roof structure and the roof covering, plus any major structural renovations with their dates. That last one is one of the foundations of premium calculation – the article on structure shows why it makes a difference, and why a “mixed” structure has to be described precisely. Sources: the plans and the technical documentation, or a visual inspection where those are missing – if in doubt, ask rather than guess.
Blocks 3–4: dimensions, building systems, extras
Dimensions are the basis of the sum insured: the floor area to be insured, the number of storeys, the size of the common areas. The most frequent error here is inherited or estimated data – the article on sizing shows what is at stake. The building systems block: the heating method, the age and number of the lift(s), pumps, entry systems – and then the extras: solar panels (with their value!), a camera system, a green roof. Any extra left off the list is potentially uncovered: the solar panel article is the textbook example.
Block 5: the claims history
The list of claims from recent years: when, what, and with what settlement. It comes from the insurer's claims history certificate and from the building's own records – together the two give the full picture (why you need both). Honesty here is not an option but a rule: a breach of the duty of disclosure comes back at you during claims handling. And the good news: alongside the claims history you can set out the repairs that have been done – a riser replacement, a roof renovation – which improve the picture substantially (the claims history article).
Block 6: the existing policy
If there is a live policy: the policy document, the policy terms, the annual premium, the renewal date. This shows what we are competing against – what the building covers now, with what sum insured, and where the gaps are (the review article). And the renewal date is the key to timing: when switching, everything turns on it. A downloadable, tickable version of the full list is in the Resources section: the quote request data list – from well-kept records most buildings can put it together in half an afternoon.
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