Whether you are designing structures or inspecting them, your work carries significant responsibility. As an architect or surveyor, your role influences critical decisions about safety, compliance, and design integrity. The insurance you may need depends not only on your job title but also on the services you provide, the clients you support, and the risks involved in your day-to-day work.

We help professionals in the built environment navigate complex insurance needs by supporting them in finding cover aligned to their actual work.

Why One Policy Might Not Suit Every Practice

Although architects and surveyors are often grouped together, their risk exposures differ. An architect working on large-scale commercial projects could face design liability. A residential surveyor could be held accountable for a missed structural defect.

This is why architect and surveyor insurance should be shaped around specific responsibilities rather than job labels alone. Two professionals with the same title could need very different protections.

Typical Risks Faced by Architects and Surveyors

Errors in plans or reports

If a mistake is discovered in a drawing, feasibility study or inspection report, clients may seek compensation. Even when the error is unintentional, legal costs and reputational damage could follow.

Project delays

Delays resulting from miscommunication or oversight could leave professionals exposed to claims, especially if the client incurs financial losses as a result.

Property damage or injury

Visiting a site? If a tool, laptop or measurement device causes damage, public liability insurance may be relevant.

Data breaches

Plans, blueprints and client records are sensitive. If systems are compromised or emails misdirected, cyber insurance may support your response.

Key Covers to Consider

Professional Indemnity Insurance

Often central to an architect or surveyor’s protection, this type of cover could help respond to allegations of negligence or professional mistakes. Many clients, especially local authorities or commercial developers, expect evidence of this insurance before awarding contracts.

Public Liability Insurance

If your role involves meeting clients on-site or operating in public areas, public liability insurance could help cover claims involving third-party injury or property damage.

Employers’ Liability Insurance

If your business employs staff, this cover is generally required by law. It could help manage claims from employees for work-related illness or injury.

Cyber and Data Insurance

With remote working and digital submissions now common, a lost device or data leak could cause major disruption. Cyber insurance might assist with incident management and communication costs.

What Influences Your Insurance Requirements

• Nature of work – Are you producing technical drawings, managing projects, or inspecting properties?
• Project type – Domestic extensions and government tenders present very different risk levels.
• Client profile – Some clients require proof of specific cover limits before working with you.
• Business structure – Operating as a sole trader, limited company or consultancy may affect the type and level of insurance expected.

We support architectural and surveying professionals by helping them assess their current and future risk profile, then arranging insurance that reflects the full scope of their work.