The table (This table cannot be reproduced on the database.

It has therefore been omitted.

Please see the original) shows the main insurers and brokers in the conveyancing related insurance market together with brief details of particular insurances which they provide.

It is intended to provide a useful starting point.

The table does not purport to be exhaustive and the insurance policies on offer by a particular company may vary over time.

Other companies, such as Cornhill, do operate in this area but will only provide cover for certain clients or specific brokers.All the insurance companies and brokers stress that if the particular case with which a practitioner is faced does not match up with any of the policies currently on offer, or if a higher risk needs to be covered, then all are flexible in trying to accommodate those special needs.The types of insurance cover referred to in the table are as followsLOCAL AUTHORITY SEARCH-- Local search delay.

Designed to cover the situation where a search has been submitted but the parties wish to exchange contracts prior to the result being received.

The search does not necessarily have to be submitted prior to the policy being taken out.

Policies are available to protect the buyer and to protect the lender only.

Some companies limit their policies to domestic transactions and may have an upper ceiling on price.-- Local search indemnity.

Designed to cover the situation where a buyer or lender does not require a search to be undertaken at all, such as on a remortgage.

Policies are available to protect a buyer or a lender only.

There may well be an upper ceiling on price.

Companies limit their policies to domestic transactions.

A solicitor should always consider if the proceeds of an insurance policy would be adequate compensation to the buyer for the existence of an adverse entry in any given case.

The advantage of this policy is that the premium may well be less than the cost of undertaking the search itself.-- Search validation.

Designed to deal with a situation where a search has been undertaken in the past but is out of date.

Strictly speaking the local authority search is out of date as soon as it leaves the council's offices: theoretically an adverse entry could be entered at any time after the search is completed.

The policy is available if a search has been undertaken within the last six months.

The cover is available in respect of private dwellings only.

The Legal and Professional Indemnity (LPI) scheme is operated by solicitors using certificate packs available on request.

Due to the reversal of the seller search in the protocol, the Law Society no longer feels the need to endorse the LPI product.

Practitioners are able to choose the product available in the market which suits their individual needs.CONVEYANCING COSTSSeveral companies operate these schemes which are useful marketing tools.

During the subsistence of the cover, a firm is required to issue an insurance certificate to each seller or buyer of a private dwelling instructing the firm.There are various exclusions attached to the policy such as unreasonable delay or unreasonable conduct by the insured resulting in the transaction becoming abortive or, in the case of a sale, the buyer withdrawing because of a defect in the property.DEPOSIT GUARANTEEThese policies are available in residential transactions through LPI as an alternative to bridging finance.

The guarantee is a certificate which warrants, by insurance, the payment of the deposit either on completion of the purchase by the buyer or by LPI if the buyer defaults.

The cover also guarantees that should the buyer default on completion, and a notice to complete be served and expire, then the deposit would be paid by LPI.The deposit guarantee scheme was developed for use in the 'stakeholder' conveyancing procedure where deposits are held by the practitioner acting for the seller.

The 'chainlink scheme' provides a transferable guarantee which can be passed along a chain of property transactions.CONTINGENT RISKSThese are diverse in nature but the main areas for which cover can be provided are as follows.-- Restrictive covenant.

This policy indemnifies a buyer against any loss which may arise as a result of any person being in the position to enforce a restrictive covenant which has been breached.

Insurance cover is only appropriate where it is not possible to identify the person with the benefit and not where that person refuses to give consent.-- Defective title.

This arises where the seller cannot show evidence of unencumbered title.

Not all defects can be insured.

Defects which occurred within the last 15 years will be more difficult to insure against than those which occurred many years ago.Some companies include a variety of policies under this general heading such as missing deeds, lack of evidence of discharge of a mortgage, missing share certificates, flying freehold, mining/mineral reservations, loss of licence and trustee indemnity.-- Deed of gift/Insolvency Act.

Sections of the Insolvency Act 1986 deal with the rights of a trustee in bankruptcy to apply to the court for an order setting aside a deed of gift or other transaction at an undervalue on the subsequent bankruptcy of the donor.

There is some protection for the buyer under s.342 but that depends on the buyer not having knowledge of the relevant circumstances.

There is no problem if the periods stipulated in the Act have expired.

If the relevant period has not expired and the buyer knows of the transaction at an undervalue, then insurance cover is available to protect against the subsequent bankruptcy of the donor.A Bill is currently before Parliament to amend the provisions of the Insolvency Act governing undervalue transactions.

If this Bill becomes law, insurance will only be necessary in very limited circumstances.-- Adverse possession.

This policy indemnifies a buyer against loss should any other party come forward claiming superior title to the land or with a claim to rights over the land.-- Rights of way.

This policy indemnifies the insured against capital losses and expenses should either the use of a right of way be prevented or should others enforce a right of way across the insured's property.-- Missing title deed.

This policy covers the situation where deeds to a property have been lost and provides indemnity against parties claiming a better title.-- Sewer indemnity.

As a condition of granting planning permission, local authorities often require the owner of a building to undertake to pay for the increased cost, due to the presence of the building, of carrying out repairs to a sewer.

Some insurance companies offer a ten-year policy to indemnify against the extra liability if a call for payment is made.

The indemnity is provided to the owner of the land, his or her mortgagees and to successors in title.

Another type of policy available relates to the lack of a legal right to the passage of services under land owned by a third party.

This usually goes hand-in-hand with rights of way policies and is dealt with under the defective title heading.-- Missing life policies/stock and share certificates.

Insurance companies will act as a guarantor by countersigning the letter of indemnity normally required by life offices, issuing companies or registrars before the proceeds can be paid out or a duplicate issued.

If the owner does not comply with the terms of the indemnity th en the life office, issuing company or registrar is protected.-- Assignor's leasehold liability insurance.

Under the current law, should an original tenant assign a lease, he or she will remain liable for the covenants entered into in that lease until the end of the term.

These policies are available to protect the original tenant but not the landlord or the assignee and are available in respect of commercial leases only.

The policy protects the original tenant against liability incurred as a result of any future assignee breaching any covenants in the lease such as the failure to pay rent.-- Unoccupied properties.

Practitioners are reminded that the Society has arranged an insurance scheme with Lloyds through GP Turner & Co Ltd (071-488 4020) to cover unoccupied or unfurnished houses.