Greater use of timber calls for pragmatism to keep insurers happy

By Andrew Carpenter 2022-02-09T07:01:00

The construction and insurance industries must work together if we are to increase the use of structural timber that is safe and cost effective, says Andrew Carpenter

Increasing the use of structural timber is vital in the quest to meet construction’s net zero obligations, but the industry should adopt a pragmatic approach towards hybrid construction in order to overcome insurance hurdles.

This is broadly the line taken by the recent RISCAuthority report entitled Insurance Challenges of Mass Timber Construction and a Possible Way Forward.

Investigating the risk of mass timber structures on behalf of 24 insurers, including Axa, Aviva and Zurich, the report concludes that adopting a hybrid approach is the best solution if we are to allay insurers’ concerns around fire and water damage.

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