166 THIRD PARTY INSURANCE

be commenced against him, or should he be joined with another
as a defendant.

Although the possibility of liability resting upon the principal
may be remote, it is by no means certain that on every occasion
liability will be nominal. Much must depend upon the extent
to which the principal will retain control of the work while it is
in progress and the extent to which, if at all, the principal's
employees may be concerned in the work as, for example, in
assisting in the loading of a vehicle before it leaves the princi-
pal's premises.

The information generally necessary to enable such risks pro-
perly to be assessed is as follows:

(a) How many contractor's drivers will be engaged on the
work?

(b) What will be the estimated annual contract price?

(c) Does the principal employ his own drivers?

(d) Does the principal or the contractor supply respectively
the vehicles, horses, and drivers?

(e) Does the name of the principal appear on any vehicle
used for the purposes of the contract?

(f) Do any employees of the principal accompany the
vehicles? If so, what are their duties?

(g) What control does the principal retain over the carrying
out of the work?

(h) Does the contractor or his driver receive any instructions
from the principal as to the time or way in which the
work is to be done?

(i) Who loads the vehicles? Is there any custom of trade
which requires the principal to load the contractor's
vehicle for him?

A separate policy may be issued for contingent liability and
premiums for such insurances depend on the individual
circumstances. For convenience, they are usually charged at a
percentage rate on the total sums paid to the contractor per
annum, the rate depending on the limit of indemnity required
and the size of the contract.

PROPERTY OWNERS' INDEMNITIES
A property owners' indemnity is concerned only with liability
for accidents arising out of structural defects, and it is suitable
for a non-occupying owner, so long as he has no maintenance
staff. Even then, he might be involved in a daim, whether or
not legaEy liable, during the carrying out of repairs or decora-
tions to the premises, and the wider cover afforded by a third