Michael Clifford: Construction sector faces major fire safety insurance problems 

Fire engineers are being refused professional indemnity cover

The tragedy at Grenfell Tower in London, in which 72 people lost their lives, opened up the appalling vista of a lack of fire safety control. Picture: David Mirzoeff/PA Wire

The rising cost of insurance and the fallout from shoddy and dangerous building works have loomed large in public life in recent years. 

Now the two issues are merging into one to produce a scenario where engineers are finding it extremely difficult to get insurance.