Previously, we mentioned an on-line alternative called ChancelCheck, which does an electronic search of medieval parish boundaries to see whether a property is within an at-risk boundary. The cost is £10 + VAT. If it is within such a parish, then insurance is offered (eg £60 for £250,000 residential cover; £155 for £250,000 commercial cover). However, we should add that a correspondent argued that the terms of insurance offered by ChancelCheck included an exclusion of liability if damage occured from a risk which was insurable but not actually insured: ‘it could be argued that an obligation to insure on the part of the Parochial Church Council is inconsistent with an owners’ liability for chancel repair and such an exclusion seriously undermines the benefit of the cover offered, as an enquiry of the PCC as to the adequacy of cover would alert them to a third-party liability of which they might be unaware and in any case render void the cover that the owner had taken out’.

In response ChancelCheck have clarified the position and tell us: ‘the intention of the exclusion referred to was not to prevent payment of a claim, but to entitle the Insurers to seek recovery from the PCC if in fact the cost of the repair to the chancel were recoverable under the PCC’s own material damage policy. In order to remedy any confusion, the policy wording is being amended to remove the Exclusion but provide a Condition to allow the insurers to recover any amounts paid from the PCC where appropriate. The net effect is that the client will suffer no loss (as the ChancelSure policy Insurers will pay and have the right to revert to the PCC), and have no need to contact the PCC themselves, as the ChancelSure Insurers will resolve the issue with the PCC and their insurers direct.’ © Practical Lawyer