Australian Elite Insurance Solutions "Be sure, not just Insured"

08/09/2026

(Construction Insurance - ACP exclusion)
A builder completed a commercial fitout last year.
Cladding was specified by the architect.
The builder installed what was on the plans.

Six months later the building owner raised a concern about the cladding type. A fire safety audit flagged it as Aluminum Composite Paneling a type not approved by relevant authorities for new construction work.

The builder lodged a claim under their Contract Works Insurance policy for the remediation costs. Claim declined. ACP exclusion.

Most Contract Works Insurance policies within Australia contain an absolute exclusion for any loss, damage, or liability connected with non approved Aluminium Composite Panelling.

It doesn't matter who specified it.
It doesn't matter that the builder installed what was on the plans.
If ACP is involved the exclusion applies.
This is one of the most expensive insurance coverage gaps in commercial and multi storey residential construction properties right now!

And most builders don't know it exists until they're standing in front of a remediation bill with no cover.

One question worth asking before your next commercial project:
👉 Has anyone reviewed the cladding specification against your policy's ACP exclusion before work starts?

If not that's a 15 minute conversation that could save you a six figure insurance claim headache.

DM us and we'll show you what to check before your next project breaks ground.

08/09/2026

Starting a business comes with enough moving parts. Insurance should not add to the stress.

Thank you, Gary for trusting AEIS with your business insurance again this year. Having everything under one roof allows our team to understand your overall insurance program while making things simpler for you.

We genuinely appreciate your support.

07/09/2026

Transport and Logistics: Some of the most difficult transport incidents do not begin on the highway.

They begin during a handover.

A pallet is loaded without its condition being recorded...
A subcontractor accepts a job with different instructions...
A refrigerated load changes depots, but nobody confirms the temperature...
Damaged packaging is noticed, although not documented...
As the freight keeps moving, so does the risk.




https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/some-most-difficult-transport-incidents-do-begin-highway-d-arcy-f6oxc

06/09/2026

Subcontracting the design does not always subcontract the responsibility.

A builder or contractor may not employ an architect or engineer directly. However, if the construction contract makes the business responsible for the design, specifications, consultant coordination or fitness for purpose, the client may still look to the contractor when something goes wrong.

Design & Construct Professional Indemnity insurance is designed for businesses that perform physical construction while also carrying professional responsibilities.

These exposures can include:
▪ Design and drafting
▪ Specifications and technical advice
▪ Project or construction management
▪ Selecting or recommending products and systems
▪ Coordinating external architects, engineers and consultants
▪ Approving design changes during construction

Imagine a contractor engages an engineer for a commercial project. A design issue is later alleged and the client claims for redesign, rectification, delays and financial loss.

Even if the work was performed by the engineer, the contractor may be named in the claim because it accepted the design responsibility under its contract.

D&C PI may help respond to allegations of professional negligence and related financial loss, subject to the policy terms.

However, it is not a replacement for Public and Products Liability or Contract Works insurance. It is also not intended to act as a blanket warranty for poor workmanship or the cost of correcting defective work.

D&C PI is generally written on a claims-made and notified basis, so continuous cover, the retroactive date and prompt notification of claims or circumstances are particularly important.

If you sign D&C contracts, subcontract design work or provide technical advice as part of a construction project, make sure the responsibility you accept matches the insurance you hold.

Not sure if you need D&C PI?

Give our team a call on: 07 3709 8888 or click the link below and book in for a consultation call.

https://calendly.com/kellie-darcy/insurance-review-and-quote-request





General information only. Cover and terms vary by insurer and policy wording.

04/09/2026

Starting a business is exciting but working out what insurance you need can feel overwhelming.

Dan contacted AEIS on Monday. By Tuesday morning, he had detailed recommendations in his email inbox, and by Wednesday afternoon, his cover was arranged and in place.

Thank you, Dan from Dasho EWP Service Solutions, for this incredible review. Making insurance clear, simple and easy is exactly what we aim to do.

03/09/2026

(Construction - Hidden Indemnity Clauses)
A builder signed a contract with a tier one developer last year. Big project. Good margin. Exactly the kind of work they'd been chasing.

6 months in, a third party made a claim for property damage during construction.
The builder's public liability insurer investigated.
The insurer sent a letter declining the claim!
Why?
Buried in clause 14.3 of the developer contract was an indemnity provision. The builder had unknowingly accepted liability for any loss arising from the works including losses that would normally sit with the developer or head contractor.

The insurer's position: the builder had contractually assumed liability that went beyond what the policy was designed to cover.
$180,000 claim. Uninsured.

This is happening more often as contracts get longer and more complex. Developers and tier one contractors have legal teams reviewing every clause. Most SME builders sign without anyone checking what they've actually agreed to.

The three clauses we advise our construction clients to flag before signing:
👉 Indemnity and hold harmless provisions: Who's carrying liability for what under the contract?
👉 Additional insured requirements: Are you being asked to cover someone else under your construction insurance policy?
👉 Waiver of subrogation clauses: Is your insurer's right to recover being signed away without their knowledge?
One contract. One clause. $180k gone.

If you're signing contracts for new works with a developer or head contractor and nobody is reviewing the insurance obligations before you sign, that's the gap worth closing!

DM us before your next contract lands. 15 minutes could save you a six figure insurance claim headache.

02/09/2026

Construction: One fake email... One wrong click... That’s all it takes to bring a building project to a standstill. Builders are the new target for cyber criminals here’s how to protect your business before it’s too late.

From project management platforms and supplier communications to digital blueprints and payment systems, construction businesses are now more connected than ever.

And where there’s digital connection, there's Cyber risk...

You’re managing multiple projects, coordinating crews, handling large payments and all of it increasingly depends on digital tools. But while you're focused on building structures, cyber criminals are busy looking for cracks in your digital foundation.

01/09/2026

(Transport - Expired Driver License/Insurance Claim Declined)
A transport operator called me after a claim was declined. At fault accident. Significant damage to both vehicles.

The driver had been with the business for 3 years.
Reliable. Experienced. Never had an incident before.

When the insurer investigated the claim they requested his licence details. It had expired 6 weeks earlier. The driver didn't realise. The business owner didn't check. His licence had been valid for years, renewal just slipped through the cracks during a busy period.

Under the policy, driving with an expired licence meant the vehicle was being operated unlawfully at the time of the loss.
The claim was declined.

Own truck damage of $18,000 - Not covered.
Third party vehicle write off: $38,000

Total cost: $56,000 which the business owner had to pay for out of pocket, all for a drivers license renewal fee of: $79

This is not a rare scenario in transport operations.
Licence renewals get missed. Medicals lapse. Heavy vehicle authorities expire.
And in a busy fleet operation, nobody's checking until something goes wrong.

One question worth asking right now:
👉 Do you have a system that tracks licence expiry dates, lapsed medicals for every driver on your fleet and flags them before they expire, not after?

If the answer is "we rely on drivers to tell us" That's the insurance gap worth fixing. A simple licence register with 90 day renewal alerts costs nothing to set up. A declined claim costs everything.

DM us if you want to know what a basic driver compliance checklist looks like for a transport fleet.

01/09/2026

It’s official. Kellie is now a Qualified Practising Insurance Broker, or QPIB! 🎉

If you are looking for a new insurance broker, look out for one that has the badge.

QPIB is the benchmark professional designation for practising insurance brokers in Australia. Only insurance brokers who meet the highest professional standards qualify.

For Kellie and our team, it is more than a badge. It represents experience, professional knowledge and our ongoing commitment to giving our clients informed and considered insurance advice.

Always learning. Always advocating. Always putting people first. 💙