Pay When Paid: What Happens to You When the Main Contractor Does Not Get Paid
Subcontractor Performance Guarantees – Who Actually Pays
A waiver of subrogation is the clause that stops an insurer recovering from you after it has paid someone else's claim. Without one, being included on the main contractor's policy answers only half the question. You may be insured under that policy and still receive a...
Plant Theft on South African Construction Sites: How to Protect Your Equipment and Avoid Gaps in Cover
TL;DR (Too long, didn't read) Plant and equipment theft remains a serious risk on South African construction sites. In June 2026, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport reported that 43 heavy construction machines and transport vehicles worth more than R250 million...
The Key That Opens the Claim: Understanding Your CAR Insurance Operative Clause
TL;DR: (Too long, didn't read) Every Contractors All Risk (CAR) policy has an operative clause, the wording that decides whether a claim actually opens.Some clauses only ask if the damage was unforeseen. Others ask if it was accidental, sudden, and unforeseen...
Defective Workmanship – The Silent Claim Killer Hidden Inside a Collapsed Column
Most contractors don’t lose money on site. They lose it in the moment a structure fails and the policy wording is finally tested. When a defective concrete column triggers a bigger failure, the difference between a paid claim and a financial disaster isn’t...
The operative clause in CAR insurance: why it decides whether your claim even gets considered
The operative clause in CAR insurance decides what has to happen before a claim is even considered, not the premium, the excess, or the sum insured. Some policies need only unexpected damage that isn't excluded; others also require proof that the damage was sudden and...
Sasria Construction Cover: What You Actually Need to Know
TL;DR: (Too long, didn't read) A standard Contractors All Risk (CAR) policy does not cover riots, strikes, or political violence. Sasria covers that gap, but only if it has been set up properly and the full project value declared. Some add-ons (debris removal,...
Strict Liabilities – Who is Responsible?
Sharing a useful article written by Kobus Van Niekerk of Consort. We do not take ownership of the contents below.Author: Kobus Van Niekerk | Consort Public Liability insurance is designed primarily to provide indemnity to the Insured in respect of legal liability for...
Whose side is your guarantee actually on?
You know what a guarantee is. The problem is the wording and who it protects when things go wrong on site. Under certain guarantee structures, an employer can make a call without first proving you defaulted. If the demand meets the wording, the guarantor pays. Your...
What Contractors Get Wrong About Construction Mafia Insurance
Not every "construction mafia" incident is a SASRIA claim and that distinction can determine whether you get paid or not. SASRIA covers riots, public disorder, and looting linked to unrest. Armed extortion, theft, site intimidation, and insider sabotage often fall...
What Does Contractors All Risk Insurance Actually Cost?
If you're planning a building project in South Africa, Contractors All Risk (CAR) insurance is necessary either by contract or as a financial safety net that protects your work in progress, your materials, and your liability if something goes wrong on site. But unlike...
Floods and Droughts Through the Lens of the Contractors All Risk Policy
Extreme weather is not treated as a headline event in Contractors All Risk policies. It is treated as a mechanism of loss. Whether a claim succeeds depends less on what happened and more on how it happened, how long it happened, and whether it was sudden, unforeseen...
CIDB Grading Table: Tender Value Limits for Grades 1 to 9
The CIDB rating is a vital system in the South African construction industry. It is a grading assigned to construction contractors by the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), a government body. Essentially, a CIDB rating is a contractor's "license to trade...
Why On-Demand Guarantees Wording Can Destroy Contractors
In South African construction, guarantees are more than just paperwork - they determine how risk is shared between contractors and employers. A guarantee is a financial promise that protects an employer if a contractor fails to perform. But not all guarantees are...
Uncovering the devils in the detail, Spot the risks
In the construction sector, many smaller and mid-sized contractors are so focused on securing the next contract that they overlook crucial details in their contracts and construction insurance, which could put them at a serious disadvantage. This is the warning from...
The Hidden Dangers Of Plant Hire in South Africa
Hiring plant and equipment is a normal part of construction, civil works, and ready-mix operations. But in the rush of site work, contracts and documentation are often overlooked — and that can lead to serious problems if something goes wrong. We’re not here to alarm...
Are Your Vehicle Keys or Plant Remotes Insured?
When thinking about insurance, most of us focus on the big-ticket items—cars, equipment, and machinery. But what about the smaller, yet equally critical items like car keys or plant remotes? Losing these can bring unexpected costs and disruptions that you may not have...
Are you ready for the summer shut down?
As a responsible construction company owner, you know the importance of insuring your plant and making sure that your other necessary policies are in place with CivilSure. But did you know that the number of instances of – and the size of – liability claims litigation is higher than ever, and climbing?
Scam Alert for Plant Hire Businesses
April 2022 We have recently been made aware of a criminal syndicate preying on construction plant hire companies. They have successfully generated both fraudulent Identity Documents (as per example below) and Company Registration documents. These criminals have...
Don’t drop the wrecking ball now
As a responsible construction company owner, you know the importance of insuring your plant and making sure that your other necessary policies are in place with CivilSure. But did you know that the number of instances of – and the size of – liability claims litigation is higher than ever, and climbing?
Build a foundation against liability claims litigation with construction liability cover
As a responsible construction company owner, you know the importance of insuring your plant and making sure that your other necessary policies are in place with CivilSure. But did you know that the number of instances of – and the size of – liability claims litigation is higher than ever, and climbing?