About Chancel Insurance

Chancel repair liability requires landowners to pay for the repair of the chancel (the part of the church containing the altar and the choir) of an Anglican parish church. Chancel Repair Insurance provides cover in the event of a claim from neighbouring churches in relation to repairs to the chancel.

What’s Covered

Provides cover for the Insured and their successors in title, including lessees and mortgagees, against all legal expenses and cost of repairs up to the indemnity limit.

For full details of inclusions and exclusions please refer to policy.

Period of Insurance

In perpetuity

Premium (inc IPT)

  • Residential properties up to £1m indemnity – £15.95
  • Commercial property and land up to £500,000 indemnity – £56.00
  • Commercial property and land up to £1,000,000 indemnity – £99.00

Higher Indemnity Limit

Quotes for higher indemnity limits are available, please contact us for a quote.

Registered Liability on Title

If the property has a registered liability on the title cover can still be arranged, please contact us for a quote.

Insurer

The policy is underwritten by First Title Insurance plc.

How to Order

  • Include the policy with the rest of your conveyancing searches and benefit from the free chancel policy scheme (residential only).
  • Add the policy to an existing case
  • Order as a stand alone policy by clicking on the New Order button.
New Order

Historic Law

When local rectors owned land in the parish, they were responsible for repairing the chancel using money produced from the land. Monasteries often acquired this land together with the responsibility for paying for the repair of the chancel. When Henry Vlll sold the monasteries’ land, the liability to pay for the repair of the chancel remained with the land sold.

Parochial Church Councils had until October 2013 to register the liability with the Land Registry, but it can still be enforced where registration has not yet taken place. Properties could be registered as liable after this date if the property has not yet been sold to another owner. Properties where an interest has already been registered will remain liable even if they are later sold.

Chancel Repair Insurance covers the property owner for any valid claims from the church. It is a swift, cost-effective solution that increasing numbers of property owners are using.

Searchpoint is a trading name of The Vesey Partnership Limited, an appointed representative of First Title Insurance plc, which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority under registration number 202103.