Architects Professional Indemnity Insurance

Professional indemnity insurance is an important policy for architects, as you are giving advice or offering professional services to other people and businesses.

It gives you protective cover should you be accused of providing bad advice which causes financial loss for your client. It is possible to purchase professional indemnity cover as a stand-alone policy, or as part of a combination of insurance policies. While cases of professional negligence are thankfully rare, these cases can be highly complex and detailed, with litigation proving very expensive and traumatic for those involved. Therefore, having the correct insurance policies in place is vital for architects and other professional service providers.

Professional Indemnity Insurance for Architects

As architects, you have the creativity and skill to transform your clients’ visions into real life. It takes a very long time to develop a great reputation for yourself and your business, but all this can be dashed in moments should something go wrong. Whilst most people do their best to carry out exceptional work, accidents can and do happen, leaving many businesses exposed to claims of negligence, injury or property damage.

Architects professional indemnity insurance protects you and your business against the cost of defending a claim where you are accused of providing poor advice. There are a wide range of situations which may require indemnity cover:

• Negligence – delay to a project though negligence, giving incorrect advice and breaching your duty of care
• Misstatement – certifications or warranties have allegedly been given without prior inspection
• Infringement of Intellectual Property Rights – such as using a copyrighted design without the owner’s permission
• Breach of confidence – this can include sharing confidential information without consent
• Defamation – making false and damaging claims about a person or company

There may be other circumstances for which you will also require professional indemnity insurance. If you are providing an expert service to a client such as a surveyor, you will need surveyor PI insurance.

Who Needs Professional Indemnity Cover?

Anyone who carries out professional work could face potential liability claims. Society these days is increasingly looking for compensation for a wider range of issues and problems than previously, and most professionals have noticed that the risk of being sued for professional negligence is rising.

Whether you work individually, run your own practice, work part time or simply offer free or low-cost advice, you could still end up being blamed when things go wrong. You may find yourself with a compensation claim against you. Any member of the public who chooses to use the services of a professional architect has the right to expect the work to be covered by professional indemnity insurance. Speak to us here at Erskine Murray for all your business insurance requirements and to obtain quotes to suit your business needs.