Commercial Kitchen Insurance: Why Your Insurer Requires a TR19 Certificate

If you have recently renewed your commercial kitchen insurance, you may have been asked to provide a TR19 compliance certificate as a condition of cover. This requirement has become standard practice across the commercial kitchen insurance market — and for good reason.

This guide explains why insurers require TR19 certificates, what happens if you cannot provide one, and how to maintain compliance to protect your cover.

What Is a TR19 Certificate?

A TR19 compliance certificate is a document produced by a qualified extraction cleaning specialist after completing a TR19-standard deep clean of a commercial kitchen extraction system. The certificate confirms that the extraction system has been cleaned to the standard required by BESA TR19 — the industry standard for kitchen extraction cleaning.

A compliant TR19 certificate should include:

The date of the clean
The name and qualifications of the cleaning company and technician
The location and specification of the extraction system cleaned
Dated before-and-after photographs of the system
Grease deposit thickness measurements at multiple points throughout the system
A signed technician declaration confirming the clean was completed to TR19 standard
The recommended next cleaning date based on the kitchen's risk category

If a certificate does not include all of these elements, it may not be accepted by your insurer.

Why Do Insurers Require TR19 Certificates?

The answer lies in the fire statistics. UK Home Office fire data consistently shows that grease buildup in kitchen extraction systems is the leading cause of commercial kitchen fires. A dirty extraction system is not just a compliance issue — it is a genuine fire hazard that significantly increases the probability of a claim.

From an insurer's perspective, requiring TR19 compliance certificates is a straightforward risk management measure. Kitchens that maintain regular TR19 cleaning programmes have significantly lower fire claim frequencies than those that do not. By requiring certificates, insurers can:

Identify high-risk kitchens — those that cannot provide a current certificate are more likely to have dirty extraction systems
Reduce claim frequency — regular TR19 cleaning reduces the probability of a grease fire
Defend declined claims — if a kitchen fire occurs and the extraction system was non-compliant, the insurer has grounds to decline the claim

What Happens If You Cannot Provide a TR19 Certificate?

The consequences depend on whether you are at renewal or at the point of a claim.

At renewal:

If you cannot provide a current TR19 certificate at renewal, your insurer may:

Decline to renew your policy
Renew your policy but add a specific exclusion for fire damage arising from the extraction system
Increase your premium to reflect the additional risk
Issue a policy condition requiring you to obtain a TR19 certificate within a specified period

At the point of a claim:

If a kitchen fire occurs and you cannot demonstrate that the extraction system was TR19-compliant at the time of the fire, your insurer may:

Decline the claim on the grounds that the policy condition requiring TR19 compliance was not met
Reduce the claim settlement to reflect the proportion of the loss attributable to the non-compliance

The financial consequences of a declined claim can be catastrophic. A commercial kitchen fire can easily result in losses exceeding £500,000 — including building damage, contents, business interruption, and third-party liability. If the claim is declined, the business owner bears all of these costs personally.

The CII Advantage: Insurance-Grade Compliance Documentation

Most TR19 cleaning companies produce a standard compliance report. At BlueTick Extraction Hygiene, our CII-qualified founder reviews your specific insurance policy before every clean — ensuring the documentation we produce satisfies your insurer's exact conditions, not just the TR19 minimum.

This matters because different insurers have different requirements. Some require certificates to be produced by a company that is a member of a recognised trade body. Some require certificates to include specific measurements or photographs. Some require certificates to be renewed within a specific period before renewal.

Our CII-qualified founder has reviewed hundreds of commercial kitchen insurance policies and knows exactly what each major insurer requires. This means you can be confident that the certificate we produce will be accepted by your insurer — at renewal and in the event of a claim.

How Often Do You Need a New TR19 Certificate?

The required frequency depends on your kitchen's risk category under BESA TR19:

Kitchen Type — Required Cleaning Frequency — Certificate Validity
--- — --- — ---
Heavy use (fish and chip shops, dark kitchens) — Every 3 months — 3 months
Moderate use (restaurants, hotels, pubs) — Every 6 months — 6 months
Light use (cafés, office canteens) — Every 12 months — 12 months

Your insurer may require more frequent cleaning than the TR19 minimum. Our CII-qualified founder reviews your specific policy requirements and confirms the required cleaning frequency before every clean.

Practical Steps to Maintain TR19 Compliance

Book a free site survey — we assess your extraction system, confirm the required cleaning frequency, and review your insurance policy requirements
Schedule regular cleans — we set up a cleaning programme at the required frequency and send reminders before each clean is due
Keep your certificates — store your TR19 certificates securely and provide copies to your insurance broker at renewal
Notify your broker of any changes — if you change your cooking methods or operating hours, notify your broker, as this may change your TR19 risk category and required cleaning frequency

BlueTick Extraction Hygiene provides TR19 kitchen extraction cleaning across Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, and Northamptonshire. Our CII-qualified founder reviews your insurance policy as part of every clean. Call us on 07840 992 246 or request a free site survey.