Question 1

Does a TR19 endorsement make TR19 a legal requirement for the policyholder?

Accepted Answer

No. TR19 is guidance published by BESA, not legislation. What binds the policyholder is the policy wording. The clause may be a condition precedent to liability, a warranty, or a bare condition, and the consequences of breach differ sharply between them.

Question 2

Is a cleaning certificate enough to evidence compliance with the endorsement?

Accepted Answer

Often not. A certificate can be issued after a partial clean, and can cover a canopy while the ductwork was never opened. Without pre and post-clean grease measurements and a written scope stating what was and was not cleaned, it records that a contractor attended rather than that the system is clean.

Question 3

Why can a policyholder hold a valid annual certificate and still be under-cleaned?

Accepted Answer

Because BESA sets cleaning frequency by use, not by the calendar: roughly every 3 months for heavy use of 12 to 16 hours a day, every 6 months for moderate use, and every 12 months for light use. A busy takeaway cleaned once a year meets a blanket annual condition while still accumulating grease faster than it is removed.

Question 4

What does the complimentary post-inception survey cost the insurer or the policyholder?

Accepted Answer

Nothing. BlueTick carries out the survey at its own cost for eligible new hospitality policies, up to 20 per insurer per calendar month, and reports to both the insurer and the policyholder. Focus Insurance Services receives no commission, referral fee or other payment from the surveys or from any cleaning that follows.

Question 5

Is the policyholder obliged to use BlueTick for any remedial work identified?

Accepted Answer

No. Where work is needed BlueTick explains it, suggests a timescale and provides a separate quotation, but the policyholder may appoint any suitably qualified contractor and send the insurer the evidence. The survey report stands on its own regardless of who does the work.