ICMIF member Ecclesiastical Insurance has launched a new proposition, Ecclesiastical Smart Properties, which uses cutting-edge technology to protect some of the UK’s most iconic properties.

In a first of its kind scheme, the specialist insurer is rolling out the risk management technology to select heritage, education and faith customers.

Properties will have unobtrusive, battery operated sensors installed, which will discreetly monitor for escape of water and electrical fire risks in real-time. One in four of all Ecclesiastical Insurance property claims in 2020 were caused by escape of water (according to Ecclesiastical’s property claims data 2020).

The technology, provided by property performance management firm Shepherd, learns what normal looks like for a building over a short period. The sensors then send live real-time data back to a Hub which analyses it and can send alerts as an early warning to potential losses if something is out of the ordinary.

Ecclesiastical Smart Properties will be provided at no additional cost to selected customers who will receive several water leak sensors and a thermal surge sensor. Customers will also have the option to expand the system to monitor other types of risks including humidity and legionella as well as solve a range of problems including improving energy consumption and carbon footprint reduction at an additional cost.

Faith Kitchen, Customer Segment Director at Ecclesiastical Insurance, said: “As the UK’s leading insurer of Grade I listed buildings, we’re passionate about protecting Britain’s heritage. As part of our innovation programme we’re delighted to be partnering with Shepherd to deliver our cutting edge technology proposition at heritage, education and faith properties. We know that incidents such as electrical fire or escape of water can be disastrous and incredibly disruptive for customers, which is why we’re launching Ecclesiastical Smart Properties to detect issues as early as possible.”

Similar technology has been successfully trialled by Ecclesiastical and Shepherd at Kenwood House on Hampstead Heath and has been rolled out to other properties in the English Heritage estate.

Stephen Chadwick, CEO at Shepherd, said: “Shepherd are proud to be Ecclesiastical’s technology partner helping protect some of the UK’s most prestigious properties and sites. We have worked alongside Ecclesiastical since January 2019 and this is a significant step forward for the insurance world and its customers. Ecclesiastical Smart Properties embraces the power of technology – real-time monitoring and data rich analytics indicate if something is out of the ordinary allowing a move from incident and claim to predicting and preventing significant loss.”

To learn more about the Ecclesiastical Smart Properties proposition, click here.

To read a case study of the successful trial of the innovative solution at Kenwood House, click here.