Browne Jacobson launches dedicated endorsement drafting service

Insurance law firm Browne Jacobson is launching a dedicated endorsement drafting service to give underwriters more certainty over the wording of their policy endorsements.

Tim Johnson, partner and specialist in insurance policy drafting and distribution at Browne Jacobson, said:

“For a number of years, we have offered endorsement drafting services to our clients, with over 12,000 endorsements drafted to date by our team of specialists. With our unrivalled experience of delivering large numbers of endorsements across multiple classes of business for select clients, we are pleased to formally launch our outsourced endorsement drafting service to the wider insurance market.

“Our strong track record in this field means we are uniquely positioned to draft and sign off policy endorsements quickly, accurately and efficiently using our tried and tested processes. Our experience in this area also gives unparalleled insight into current market trends and an ability to provide our clients with detailed management information about the changes they are making to their policy wordings .”

In 2018 a study by the firm and the University of Nottingham found that the least readable insurance policy it reviewed could only be understood by 13.4% of UK adults and that by incorporating careful drafting methodologies it was possible to increase the percentage of the UK population that could understand the policy by some 75%. This lack of clarity and understanding can be further impacted by endorsements, which can add an extra layer or complexity for policyholders.

Tim Johnson added : “In our experience poorly drafted endorsements, just like the original policy document, are a major cause of policy disputes. This is because they are often drafted independently of the main policy and the terminology used is often inconsistent with the wording in the original policy document. With our endorsement drafting service, we ensure all endorsements are drafted in our clients’ specific house style and to work with their wordings, thereby minimising the risk of uncertainty.

“Since our pioneering study three years ago we have seen some improvement in the marketplace. Our aim in launching this dedicated service is to further reduce costly disputes between our insurer clients and policyholders by ensuring that endorsements are clear and meet the expectations of all parties. We also aim to free up underwriters’ time to concentrate on what they do best; underwriting and winning new business!”