Frequently Asked Questions

If you're unsure about the cover you need for your business, an expert like an insurance broker who understands the market, and the products inside out is invaluable.

Most brokers will also be able to provide you with impartial advice as they are not tied to any one insurer. This means they can shop around for you to find the best cover for your needs at a competitive price.

Most insurers will recognise a risk that has a good claims experience and will discount accordingly.

No, some policies may have a specific extension to include this cover, but not all policies do. We may be able to provide a separate policy for this cover. When you contact us, please let us know if you would like it included in your quotation.

No, in most instances no one will come out to your premises. The quotation is based on what you tell us about your premises and business. It is up to you to inform us of anything you think may affect your insurance quote, information provided should be accurate and honest. However, on rare occasions the insurer may choose to visit your premises.

We have flexible payment options like monthly direct debits, however if you wish to pay up front you can use credit/debit cards, BACS, and American Express payments over the phone or directly on our Client Service Portal or via Premium Finance. We have also launched an enhanced credit / debit card payment solution called PayByLink, to further protect your data against fraud, theft and misuse. When you make a credit / debit card payment, the system will send a simple payment link by email, enabling you to make your payment directly, without the requirement to share your credit / debit card details with anyone.

Once you have purchased your policy, you will be sent an email with a link to your policy documents. They are also accessible by logging into the smei website and logging into your profile where all your policy documents are stored. If for any reason you cannot print your documents off or have technical issues then please call us on 0330 134 4600.

Yes, if you print your documents off, they are valid policy documents.

We're a broker which means we aren't tied to any particular insurer. We search the market and compare products from a number of UK insurers, so you can choose the right product for you and your business, at the right price. To offer you these insurance options, we use the strength of our market position and our close relationships with the insurers to negotiate the best possible cover and prices we can for our customers.

You can get a quote by telephone. On average a quote will take around 10 minutes over the phone, depending on the complexity of your business requirements.

Your quotation is valid for 30 days.

If you are arranging insurance on the phone, you can be covered straight away, subject to a 10% deposit. The remaining payment can be set up within 7 days. Be sure to let us know if you want cover to start immediately. However, if you don't want immediate cover, you can specify a start date that suits you.

As quotes are only valid for a certain period of time, it is best to apply for a quote up to 30 days before your policy anniversary date.

You will need to contact us quoting your policy number and we can then amend your details. Please note that the change of premises may affect the cost of your insurance.

Having a previous claim doesn't necessarily mean you can't be covered. New policies are done on a case-by-case basis, therefore please call us on 0330 134 4564 to discuss your circumstances.

Generally, we would welcome you to add links to our website from yours, however if you wanted to talk to us in more detail about such affiliations please call 0330 134 4600 to speak to the marketing team before doing so.

We will always do our utmost to beat your current price or other genuine like-for-like quotes you have been offered. We will offer you a quotation and policy best suited for your needs.

Yes SME Insurance Services (smei) is a trading name of Marsh Ltd. Marsh Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for General Insurance Distribution and Credit Broking (Firm Reference No. 307511). Registered in England and Wales Number: 1507274, Registered office: 1 Tower Place West, Tower Place, London EC3R 5BU. 

Yes, please leave your details with us and we will call you to talk about your insurance closer to the time of your renewal.

We are open Monday to Friday, 8:00 am - 7:00pm.

It is helpful to have any previous insurance policies handy, and any renewal documentation or information you have got so far. It doesn't matter if you don't have them though, we will guide you through the relevant questions. Basic details about your business and property will be needed, if you have any tools or stock to insure for example, their value would be required also.

Details on how to make a claim can be found in your policy documentation, however, please feel free to contact us on 0330 134 4600 if you have any queries or would like some assistance.

Please call us on 0330 134 4600 or contact your adviser to discuss the amendments. 

IPT is charged by HM Revenue and Customs. IPT is currently 12% for business insurance policies.

As we work with a panel of specialist insurers, we can arrange the insurance you want and need. All you need to do is tell us what you would like including in your policy and we will arrange that for you.

The cover we arrange will vary depending on your requirements so we don't have one extensive list of insurance covers. However, if you tell our team what you need, we'll search for the cover features you require from our panel of insurers.

We use a number of UK insurers, who are all regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA).

When you contact us, the first question you will be asked is regarding your trade/business so we can let you know straight away if we might be able to help you.