# Will Martyn’s Law change your insurance? > Will Martyn’s Law change village hall or church hall insurance? Understand the legal position, terrorism cover and questions to ask your insurer or broker. Martyn’s Law does not create a new insurance requirement, but any change to your cover or premium depends on your insurer and policy. Village hall and church hall committees should discuss their actual activities, existing cover and preparation with their insurer or broker, rather than assume a general rule. ## At a glance - **New insurance duty in the Act**: None - **Premium changes**: Depend on the insurer and policy - **Terrorism cover**: Check the wording and exclusions - **Best next conversation**: Your insurer or broker ## What the Act does and does not settle The Act’s public protection requirements concern procedures, measures, documentation, co-ordination, notification and senior oversight where applicable. It does not introduce a requirement to buy terrorism insurance or a particular hall insurance policy. That does not settle an individual insurance contract. Ask your insurer or broker to explain the terms relevant to your hall. The venue and event duties are not yet in force; the SIA expects commencement in spring 2027, with no exact date confirmed. [What Martyn’s Law requires](https://wardcote.co.uk/martyns-law) · [Martyn’s Law for village halls](https://wardcote.co.uk/martyns-law/village-halls) · [Martyn’s Law for churches](https://wardcote.co.uk/martyns-law/churches) ## Check the ordinary hall cover first The Charity Commission’s village hall guidance for England and Wales says committees should protect charity assets through appropriate buildings and contents insurance. If the hall is leased, check who is responsible under the lease. Public liability, cover for volunteers and any employers’ liability obligations also need attention. For a church hall, establish whether it is included in a wider policy and whether the activities and hiring arrangements are accurately described. - Are the buildings, contents and relevant organisations correctly identified? - Are values and rebuilding assumptions current? - Are volunteers and the activities they undertake covered? - What does the policy say about commercial and non-commercial hirers? - Do special events need to be discussed before they are advertised or held? ## Understand what Pool Re does Pool Re provides terrorism reinsurance to insurers offering commercial property cover in Great Britain. It does not sell cover directly to policyholders. Its scheme supports participating insurers’ terrorism cover, including property damage and relevant business interruption. The underlying policy matters. Ask about damage, loss of access and interruption without damage, rather than assume every terrorism-related loss is included. Pool Re also maintains a Martyn’s Law hub with information for premises and event operators. ## Take specific questions to your insurer or broker Be ready to explain the hall’s use, hiring arrangements, expected attendance and the procedures being prepared. These are useful discussion points, rather than a claim that every insurer will request the same evidence. ACRE advises hall committees to notify their insurer or broker at the planning stage for special events. Ask for written clarification of anything you intend to rely on, including exclusions and notification conditions. - Does our current cover include terrorism, and how is it defined? - Which property, liability and interruption sections could respond? - What exclusions, excesses, limits and conditions apply? - Do changes to use, attendance, activities or security arrangements need notification? - Would you ask for procedure notes, briefing records or other evidence? - Do any recommendations affect the policy, or are they optional advice? [Insurance and planning for hall events](https://wardcote.co.uk/martyns-law/events) · [Temporary event notices and premises duties](https://wardcote.co.uk/martyns-law/temporary-event-notice) ## Prepare without assuming a premium outcome Do not budget for an automatic increase or discount solely because Martyn’s Law exists. Ask about your policy and retain the response with the hall’s records. Insurance arrangements and public protection preparation each need attention. Start by checking whether the premises qualify. At standard tier, a written plan is recommended but not legally required under the Act; an insurer may separately ask for information under its own terms. This guide is general information, not legal advice. [Check your hall’s Martyn’s Law tier](https://wardcote.co.uk/check-your-tier) · [Standard tier preparation checklist](https://wardcote.co.uk/martyns-law/standard-tier-checklist) ## Questions ### Does Martyn’s Law require terrorism insurance? No. The Act does not create an insurance purchase requirement. Existing legal, lease or contractual obligations and the terms of your policy need separate consideration. ### Will village hall insurance become more expensive? The Act does not set premiums or establish an automatic increase. Ask your insurer or broker about your hall’s circumstances and renewal terms. ### Does church hall insurance automatically include terrorism? Do not assume so. Check the policy wording, covered premises and organisations, exclusions and relevant property or liability sections with the insurer or broker. ### Can our hall buy insurance directly from Pool Re? Pool Re is a reinsurer supporting participating insurers’ commercial property terrorism cover in Great Britain. Policyholders arrange their cover through an insurer or broker. ### Can an insurer ask for a written plan at standard tier? An insurer may ask for information or set contractual conditions separately from the Act. Martyn’s Law itself does not require a standard-tier written plan. Ask what your policy requires and obtain clarification. ### Does a smaller hall still need to consider insurance? Yes. Being below Martyn’s Law’s premises threshold does not remove other responsibilities or settle insurance needs. Check the hall’s assets, activities, contracts and applicable insurance obligations. ## Sources - [Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/10/pdfs/ukpga_20250010_en.pdf) - [Home Office statutory guidance](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025/terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025-statutory-guidance) - [Home Office standard duty requirements factsheet](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025-factsheets/terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025-standard-duty-requirements-factsheet) - [SIA role and implementation timetable](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/understanding-martyns-law-and-the-sias-role-as-regulator) - [Pool Re: how terrorism reinsurance works](https://www.poolre.co.uk/terrorism-reinsurance/) - [Pool Re: Martyn’s Law hub](https://www.poolre.co.uk/martyns-law-hub/) - [Charity Commission: village halls and insurance](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/village-halls-answers-to-some-common-questions) - [Charity Commission: charities and insurance](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/charities-and-insurance-cc49/charities-and-insurance) - [ACRE: checking insurance before special events](https://acre.org.uk/holding-special-events-is-your-village-hall-covered/) ## Related - [Martyn’s Law for village halls](https://wardcote.co.uk/martyns-law/village-halls) - [Martyn’s Law for churches](https://wardcote.co.uk/martyns-law/churches) - [Martyn’s Law crowd management and event security](https://wardcote.co.uk/martyns-law/events) - [Temporary event notices and Martyn’s Law](https://wardcote.co.uk/martyns-law/temporary-event-notice) --- Source: https://wardcote.co.uk/martyns-law/insurance · Last reviewed 2026-10-16 · Wardcote, venue and event security. General guidance, not legal advice.