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Press Release - InFireS rebranding to RISCAuthority - November 2008
In appreciation of a significant expansion in the scope of work now undertaken beyond fire the InFiReS scheme is to be rebranded as the RISCAuthority. The Insurers’ Fire Research Strategy Funding Scheme (InFiReS) was established five years ago to continue the technical work formerly undertaken by ABI to develop and promulgate best practice in risk control and loss prevention through investment in research. The scheme is funded by a group of UK insurers and brokers and administered by the FPA who also provide much of the technical expertise required. In recent years the remit has expanded to include Security and Business Continuity and as such the ‘InFiReS’ name is now inappropriate. The Risk Insight, Strategy and Control Authority (RISCAuthority) ‘Reducing insurable risk through research, advice and best practice’ will replace both the InFiReS and IPCRes (Insurers’ Property Crime Research Group) brands.

Welcoming the announcement Chris Hanks, General Manager Commercial of Allianz and RISCAuthority Chairman said “The rebranding is an essential step to preparing the scheme for future planned developments in its service to the UK insurance industry at a time when we are all looking hard at improving risk control in all areas of insurance”. Dr Jim Glockling, FPA Technical Director and RISCAuthority Manager said “The new brand will add clarity to the work of the scheme and its products and services and enable us to apply our knowledge further afield to related, but hitherto unaddressed areas”

The official launch of the new brand will take place at the scheme’s annual seminar which will be held at the Institution of Civil Engineers (One George Street, London) on 26^th February 2009. In the interim all new work will be produced to the new brand – significantly the ‘Building Regulations 2000 Approved Document B: Fire Safety (Volume 2) – Buildings other that dwellinghouses Incorporating Insurers’ Requirements for Property Protection’, ‘Insurer requirements for the implementation of fire safety engineering solutions’ and the soon-to-be-released Business Continuity software toolkit ‘ROBUST’.

About RISCAuthority

RISCAuthority replaces the Medium Term Research Strategy funding scheme previously administered by ABI. In 2003, ABI saw benefit in releasing the technical work to a third party organisation such as the FPA.

Objectives

The primary objects of RISCAuthority are as follows:

·         Wherever possible to anticipate future events that may detrimentally impact upon the business of the UK insurance industry and invest accordingly to mitigate the consequences.

·         To identify issues currently affecting the UK insurance industry and invest accordingly to provide insurers with a means of managing the situation.

·         To maintain and improve the standard texts that underpins current insurer fire protection practice.

·         To make fire protection financially and technically attractive to the insured property owner.

·         To act as a focal point for all stakeholders with interests in fire protection.

·         To encourage commonality with government policy where prudent.

Structure

The Main RISCAuthority Group manages the RISCAuthority scheme funding. Its role is to consider the elements of their business that have the potential to change radically over the next five years as a result of strategic, economic and political changes, and to develop research themes around which work is to be conducted, together with details of the required outcome and means of appraising the levels of success. These research themes are passed on to the working groups for individual consideration and used as a basis for the development of research projects aimed at addressing the key issues, using the tools available to each group. Where a cross-group solution is required,Ad-Hocworking parties using resources drawn from each group may be set up. Six full-time Working Groups have been created, named Active, Passive , Risk Control , Security (formerly IPCRes), Intervention & Monitoring ,and Business Continuity,in accordance with the nature of the work undertaken.

The Main RISCAuthority Group meets twice annually, each standing Working Group 3 to 4 times a year, and the ad-hoc Working Groups meet as required.

Through an annual Seminar, technical seminars and specific representation to government and commerce, we are successfully raising the profile of InFiReS to the level necessary to fulfill its potential.

Funding

During the course of 2004 RISCAuthority commissioned work to the value of £525,000 across a total of 67 projects and, in doing so, has firmly established itself as the insurers’ focal point for all stakeholders with interests in fire protection and prevention. The FPA apportion this amongst subscribing companies in accordance with the level of commercial business under-written by the respective companies.

Membership of the main board and working groups has been limited to subscribing insurers only. However the groups do reserve the right to invite individuals who may bring specialist expertise to the meetings on an ad-hoc basis.

Membership

Click here for more details about our membership scheme, and to view current members.

Seminar

Click here for more information on past and future seminars.