Professional indemnity insurance
The greatest risk faced by architects worldwide is liability risk. If something goes wrong with the bridge you designed and people are killed when it collapses, you could potentially face a lawsuit running into the millions of dollars. Therefore, substantial professional indemnity insurance is essential for architects.
This policy covers you against claims that the design service you provided was negligent or fell short of expected professional standards. It’s the most important type of insurance to have for architects and is compulsory for membership in most professional associations. Cover is available starting from $2 million but can extend up to $10 million or more.
What it covers
- Cover for your legal defence costs
- Payment of compensation if there’s a successful claim against you
- Payment of court-awarded damages to the litigant
- Cover for the cost of disciplinary proceedings or disaster investigations
Cyber liability insurance
Cyber liability insurance will protect your designs from various forms of cybercrime. It is another form of insurance which is vital for architects as well as other contractors who may be working on larger design projects, in an age when there are so many cyber criminals actively trying to get hold of your client’s data.
What it covers
- Data breaches including theft of client information
- Forensic investigation into the cause of the breach
- Data recovery costs
- Cyber extortion and denial of service threats
- Crisis management costs
- Advertising and communicating with clients
- Legal costs, including any fines and penalties imposed
Public liability insurance
Public liability insurance is also essential for architects and most types of engineers too. It will cover you against claims that your business activity caused injury to a member of the public (or an incident which occurred whilst on your business premises) or damaged their property. This insurance can offer between $5 million and $20 million worth of coverage and is compulsory for market stallholders in most cases.
What it covers:
- Third-party personal injury claims
- Damage to a third party’s property
- Legal fees to defend yourself
General business insurance
General business insurance may also be worthwhile if you have tools and portable equipment to protect as part of your business. Commercial vehicles aren’t included, so you may need separate commercial vehicle protection if you have a work vehicle.
What it covers:
- Fire, storms, theft, vandalism and collision which cause damage to your business assets
- Specialist cover for electronic equipment and other portable equipment
- Limited business interruption insurance