Working as a self-employed contractor in the UK can offer ...
Professional Indemnity Insurance
Whether you're a management consultant, architect, IT contractor, designer, or accountant, professional indemnity insurance can offer essential support in defending against claims of professional negligence or errors.
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Call us or complete our online quote form. We’ll collect a few key details about your business.
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We’ll contact you to confirm everything, talk through your needs, and match you with the right level of cover.
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We compare quotes from our panel of 20+ insurers, present your options, and explain the details before you buy.
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What Is Professional Indemnity Insurance?
Professional indemnity insurance (PI insurance) is a business insurance product that can help cover the cost of legal action and compensation claims if a client believes your work has caused them a financial or reputational loss. This could arise from:
- Professional negligence
- Incorrect advice or recommendations
- Errors in service delivery or design
- Breach of confidentiality
- Defamation or libel
This cover may be required by regulators, industry bodies, or clients before work can commence.
Who Might Need Professional Indemnity Insurance?
PI cover is relevant to a broad range of professionals, particularly those offering advice or specialist services. It could be beneficial for:
- Consultants (e.g. HR, management, health & safety)
- Accountants and bookkeepers
- Architects and engineers
- Marketing and media professionals
- IT contractors and software developers
- Solicitors and legal service providers
- Designers, surveyors, and project managers
Even if not contractually required, this cover can offer valuable peace of mind.
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What Does Professional Indemnity Insurance Cover?
A policy arranged through a broker could offer cover for:
1. Professional Negligence
Claims resulting from a mistake, poor advice, or oversight that leads to a client losing money.
2. Breach of Duty of Care
Where it is alleged that you failed to deliver services to a reasonable professional standard.
3. Misrepresentation or Inaccurate Information
Coverage could extend to claims arising from unintentionally misleading advice.
4. Breach of Confidentiality
If client information is inadvertently disclosed or lost.
5. Defamation
If you or your business are accused of making false statements that harm a third party.
6. Loss of Documents or Data
Could provide cover for the cost of restoring important records that were lost or damaged.
What Is Not Typically Covered?
While policies may vary, exclusions could include:
- Deliberate acts of fraud or dishonesty
- Bodily injury or property damage (usually covered under public liability)
- Contractual liabilities not related to negligence
- Claims already known prior to policy inception
FAQs
The cost of PI insurance can depend on several factors, including:
- Industry and profession
- Annual turnover
- Level of risk involved
- Desired cover limit (e.g. £50,000 to £5 million+)
- Previous claims history
Obtaining a bespoke quote through a broker could ensure better value than off-the-shelf cover.
Professional Indemnity insurance is essential for professionals who offer advice, consultancy, or design services. Common examples include accountants, architects, consultants, IT contractors, and marketing agencies.
Professional Indemnity insurance can cover:
- Mistakes or omissions in your work
- Breach of confidentiality
- Professional negligence
- Defamation or libel
- Loss of documents
- It also covers associated legal defence costs.
Depending on the insurer, retroactive cover could be available to protect work already carried out.
As a broker, we work with a wide network of trusted insurers across the UK to source suitable professional indemnity policies for various sectors. We understand the nuances of different industries and can help:
- Identify appropriate levels of cover
- Compare policies from multiple insurers
- Assist with claims and policy adjustments
We do not underwrite the policies ourselves but act on your behalf to find suitable options based on your needs.