Your insurer has asked for a fire risk assessment

What the underwriter is really checking

Insurers are testing whether the risk is managed, not just whether a document exists. That means the assessment identifies the actual hazards in your building, sets out proportionate control measures, and is backed by maintenance evidence for the equipment it relies on.

Why templates get rejected

• No named, dated assessor — nobody has taken responsibility for the findings.
• Generic hazards with no reference to the building's layout, use or occupancy.
• No photographs of the findings.
• An action plan with no completion dates.
• A review date long past.

Getting it done in time for renewal

Where a renewal date is close, tell us the date. The site visit is the fixed part of the timeline; the report follows and any remedial work can be scheduled and evidenced afterwards, with the plan itself often being enough to satisfy the condition while work proceeds.

The wider benefit

The same document that satisfies your insurer is what an inspecting officer will ask for and what a buyer's solicitor will request during a sale. Commissioning it properly once covers all three.