IT Infrastructure & Server Room Risks

Specialist insurance guidance for office blocks with server rooms, comms rooms and critical IT infrastructure.

CALL TO DISCUSS SERVER ROOM RISKS GET A QUOTE

Protecting buildings that house servers, network equipment, UPS systems and business-critical IT.

CALL TO DISCUSS SERVER ROOM RISKS GET A QUOTE

We work with leading UK commercial property & technology insurers

  • Allianz insurance logo
  • Aviva insurance logo
  • QBE insurance logo
  • RSA insurance logo
  • Zurich insurance logo
  • NIG insurance logo

MANAGING IT INFRASTRUCTURE & SERVER ROOM RISKS IN OFFICE BLOCKS

Why Insurers Focus on Server Rooms & IT Infrastructure

Many office blocks now house data rooms, server racks, comms equipment and cloud connectivity centres. These spaces combine high-value hardware with concentrated fire, overheating and power failure risk.

Understanding and managing these exposures is important both for buildings insurance and for business interruption or technology-related cover for the occupants.

Key Risks Associated With Server Rooms & IT Infrastructure

Insurers will look closely at how your server rooms and IT spaces are designed, protected and managed.

  • Fire & Overheating Risk – dense equipment, cabling and power supply in confined rooms increase fire risk without adequate cooling and detection.
  • Power Failure & Surge – reliance on UPS systems, generators and distribution boards can introduce surge and outage exposures.
  • Water & Leak Damage – pipework above server rooms, sprinkler discharges or air-con condensate leaks can cause major hardware loss.
  • Security & Access Control – poor access controls or shared rooms increase tampering, theft and accidental damage risk.
  • Location in the Building – basements, plant areas or poorly ventilated rooms can amplify heat and flood exposure.
  • Inadequate Fire Suppression – traditional sprinkler heads may not be ideal for sensitive electronics. Insurers may prefer gas or clean agent systems in critical rooms.
  • Cabling & Housekeeping – unmanaged cables, raised floors and ceiling voids can hide fire or trip hazards.
  • Dependence on On-Prem Hardware – where business-critical functions are hosted on-site, outages can trigger substantial business interruption claims.
  • Insufficient Monitoring – lack of temperature, humidity and leak detection systems can delay response to developing issues.
DISCUSS YOUR SERVER ROOM SETUP CALL TO REVIEW IT RISKS

How Office Block Insurance Can Protect IT Infrastructure

Cover can be structured so that both the building owner and the tenants are better protected against IT-related losses.

Building & Contents Protection

  • Buildings insurance for fabric, fixtures and any landlord-owned risers and cabling.
  • Contents/computer cover for servers, switches, racks and associated IT hardware.
  • Optional cover for accidental damage, power surge and short-circuit (where available).
  • Consideration for specialist access, clean-up and decontamination after a fire or water event.

Business Interruption & Wider Technology Insurance

  • Business Interruption cover to protect rental income or tenant operations following insured damage.
  • Cyber insurance for data breaches, ransomware and network security incidents.
  • Technology-specific extensions for software, data re-creation and increased cost of working.
  • Clear alignment between landlord cover and tenant IT insurance responsibilities.
CHECK YOUR COVER FOR IT & SERVER ROOMS SPEAK TO A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY SPECIALIST

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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Are server rooms automatically covered under office block insurance?

Server and comms rooms are generally covered, but insurers may apply conditions, questionnaires or limits depending on the concentration of values and risk controls in place. We can review your schedule and wording to confirm.

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Do we need special fire suppression for our server room?

Not all server rooms require gas or clean agent systems, but insurers will expect suitable fire detection, extinguishers and electrical controls. Higher-value or business-critical rooms may justify enhanced suppression. We can discuss what is appropriate for your site.

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Is damage from overheating or power surge covered?

Some policies include cover for damage caused by overheating, electrical faults or power surges, while others limit this or require specific extensions. We’ll check the detail of your current insurer’s wording and suggest options if there are gaps.

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Who insures the servers – the landlord or the tenant?

Typically, the landlord insures the building and landlord-owned infrastructure, while tenants insure their own IT equipment and data. However, this can vary by lease. We can help clarify responsibilities and ensure cover aligns with your documentation.

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Can you review our office block policy for IT infrastructure risks?

Yes. We can review your existing office block and contents policies, highlight how server rooms and IT infrastructure are treated, and recommend improvements to protect both landlords and tenants.

Related Office Block Guides

Compare the office-block pages most relevant to server rooms, cooling, building systems, high-risk occupiers and business-critical continuity planning.

IT & Controls

Critical Occupancy

Recovery & Property

Office block insurance review points

Office block cover should reflect the building's reinstatement value, tenant mix, occupation pattern, services, contractors and the way shared areas are managed.

For server rooms it infrastructure enquiries, the strongest quote presentation usually combines the immediate cover request with wider risk information, contract obligations and evidence of controls.

Building and tenant profile

  • Multi-tenant, serviced, medical, call-centre, technology or public-sector occupation
  • Lift, HVAC, glazing, server-room, solar, roof and building-management-system exposures
  • Unoccupied areas, high-risk tenants, maintenance contracts and facilities management

Cover areas to compare

  • Buildings, landlord contents, property owners' liability and loss of rent
  • Escape of water, fire, glass, engineering inspection and machinery-related cover
  • Service-charge disputes, contractors on site, compliance and reinstatement-cost adequacy

Renewal evidence

  • Rebuild valuation, occupancy schedule, lease obligations and service contracts
  • Fire, asbestos, electrical, lift, water and health-and-safety documentation
  • Claims history, planned works, tenant changes and unoccupied-period controls