The most expensive problems are often the ones you can’t see. In this episode of Fortune Favours the Brave, we uncover the unseen world beneath construction projects with guests Giles Tagg and Alessandro Morgan-Gianni from DAC Beachcroft, and Thomas Jones from Howden.

We explore:

• How hidden ground conditions lead to seven‑figure claims
• Why sinkholes signal deeper geotechnical risks
• Practical ways engineers and developers can protect projects through better scope, evidence, and documentation

You’ll also hear about a real case involving chalk ground—where negligence was proven but caused no recoverable loss due to causation.

Key topics include:

• What geotechnical engineers do and why uncertainty persists
• How sinkholes form and why images can mislead
• Sampling limits, borehole density, and value engineering trade‑offs
• Common claims: settlement, heave, contamination, drainage failures
• Defence strategies using early expert evidence and causation analysis
• Direct and indirect losses - from remediation to finance costs
• The Tilehurst case and its causation outcome
• Practical risk controls: scope, reliance, records, liability limits
• How climate change and planning reform increase claims exposure
• Predictions for more sinkholes, landslips, and multi‑party disputes

What happens when those who care for others need help themselves? Understand how care providers can ensure they prioritise staff wellbeing and what the risk and insurance impacts are when these initiatives are not put in place.

Hosted by Richard Lawson, Senior Account Executive at Howden Health & Care, our latest care sector podcast dives into the critical yet often overlooked world of care workers. With the expertise of Karolina Gerlich, CEO of the Care Workers’ Charity and Sabrina Meetaroo, Associate Director, Head of Risk & Claims Advocacy, Howden Health & Care.

We discuss the essential work that The Care Workers’ Charity does to support the social care workforce and the key findings from their Wellbeing Report published earlier this year. The conversation then moves to workforce wellbeing and the connection this has on business and operational risk.

Finally, we provide a summary of the future developments within the care sector and what providers need to continue to do to help their workers meet the complex challenges that they face.

The Supreme Court’s ruling in URS Corporation Ltd (Appellant) v BDW Trading Ltd (Respondent) [2025] UKSC 21 has been highly anticipated and is now regarded as one of the most significant construction law rulings in recent years. It marks the Court's first major interpretation of both the Defective Premises Act 1972 and Building Safety Act 2022.

Morgan Taylor, Claims and Technical Executive at Howden, and Jonathan Carrington, Senior Associate at RPC, examine the background to the case, the Court’s findings, and the potential implications for construction and property professionals moving forward.

The Defective Premises Act 1972 has been around for nearly half a century, and yet has become a central focus recently following the Supreme Court’s decision in URS Corporation Ltd v BDW Trading Ltd. The May 2025 judgment has brought renewed attention to previously untested aspects of the legislation, with significant implications for the construction and property sector.

Morgan Taylor, Claims and Technical Executive at Howden, is joined by Jonathan Carrington, Senior Associate at RPC, to explain the Defective Premises Act 1972 (DPA) and its importance, looking at the duty introduced by the Building Safety Act (2022), who is owed this DPA duty, and whether is it a DPA duty of strict or reasonable care.

Care providers in the UK are facing more and more challenges to remain a commercially viable business. Understand the steps they should take to address these challenges while avoiding the risk of underinsurance. Hosted by Richard Lawson, Senior Account Executive at Howden Health & Care.

With the expertise of Nadra Ahmed, Executive Co-Chairman of the National Care Association, and David Taylor, Executive Director, Head of Howden UK Health & Care. We provide an overview of the impacts of the workforce and funding issues that care businesses face and the effect it has on a wide-ranging sector facing various risks.

We discuss the work that the National Care Association does to support an industry battling with the erosion of appeal for its workforce and how the different services and levels of support that they offer helps to ensure no provider feels alone. We then discuss the proactive steps providers can take to ensure they have adequate insurance.

Finally, the discussion moves onto what the future holds for the care sector and how care providers need to continue to evolve to meet the changing needs of our population.

In the second of a two-part series Neil Williams of Howden is joined by guests Richard Highley and Julian Bubb-Humfreys from DAC Beachcroft as well as Thomas Plewman from Brick Court Chambers to discuss audit reform and emerging trends in regulation. In this episode, we explore the current state of civil claims and discuss risk-mitigation strategies.

If you missed the first in the series, find it here.

Neil Williams of Howden is joined by guests Richard Highley and Julian Bubb-Humfreys from DAC Beachcroft as well as Thomas Plewman from Brick Court Chambers to discuss audit reform and emerging trends in regulation. Here we look at changing regulatory risks and explore how AI might impact the regulatory environment and look at emerging trends.

Understand the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and the impact that their ratings system has on the insurance premiums of Care Home providers. Hosted by Richard Lawson, Senior Account Executive at Howden Health & Care.

With the expertise of Becky Garnett Buchma, Managing Director at Fulcrum Care Consultancy, and Sabrina Meetaroo, Head of Risk and Claims at Howden Health & Care, we provide guidance to help care home providers navigate the challenges of a CQC inspection process.

We discuss who the CQC are and examine the different ratings that a care home provider could receive from an inspection. We then delve into the impact that these ratings could have on care businesses; both from an insurance perspective and how the challenges that the CQC currently faces could lead to delays in reinspection.

Finally, we provide insights to help care home providers to prepare for a CQC inspection to ensure they can attain a higher rating and the insurance policies that providers should consider for their business.