Following the report in last month\'s NSS about the enormous hike in public and employers\' insurance premiums being faced by masons and quarries, more companies in the stone industry have been reporting the swingeing increases they are facing.

More companies, especially quarry operators, have also found that their established insurers will no longer offer any cover at all and are withdrawing it at short notice when policies need renewing.

The Cotswold Stone Tile Company, for example, were called by their brokers four days before the insurance was due to be renewed and told that employers\' liability insurance would not be renewed by the existing insurers.

"Four frantic days of telephoning ensued before the company were able to find a new insurer - at six times the cost!" says Mike Lawrence of The Ham Hill Stone Co, who set up The Cotswold Tile Company with Chris Harris to sell British stone roofing."The Cotswold Stone Tile Company only dig down 2m, use no explosives, have one or two lorry movements per week, cause no environmental pollution and are not dusty. Yet only one insurance company would listen to reason!"

Ray Symons, director of British Stone, the organisation representing major British dimensional stone producers, told NSS he had spoken to half a dozen of the group\'s members and those in the position of having to renew their insurance had all faced premiums of at least twice as much and often a lot more.

"I\'m hearing figures like £20-25,000 last year becoming £60,000 on renewal this year."

The increases seem to have come as a shock to most people and the trade associations have so far not made much of a response. British Stone there is little they can do in the short term, although they are part of the Construction Products Association (CPA), but the response from that organisation has been muted.

CPA industry affairs director John Tebbit told NSS: "I think the main thing is to make sure there is not a cartel in operation and that insurers do reward companies for good management of risk."

The Quarry Products Association say they are keeping an eye on matters and the Stone Federation have invited a representative of their insurance company to talk at their annual conference on 27 September.

And, spotting the sudden appearance of a gap in the market, a new insurance company, Liability Insurance Solutions, has been launched specifically to provide liability insurance cover for small business in the building and allied trades and crafts.

They will provide up to £5million worth of public and products liability cover and £10million employers\' liability cover. They offer flexible payment options, including interest-free instalments, as well as including cover for legal representation and defence costs.

For more information about Liability Insurance Solutions call: