From day one of project planning to consultancy and aftercare, your clients and stakeholders respect your precision and expertise. You are providing them with a truly tailored service, and this is the reason your clients look up to you for solutions.
Whether it’s just you operating your business or maintaining an office of 10 employees, arranging the right insurance cover is necessary. With insurance for architects, an architect and engineering firm can protect your premises and your clients. It is quick and quality insurance coverage, which secures your firm.
Errors and omissions are part and parcel of professional services. Professional indemnity insurance gets you covered against negligent acts.
What are the aspects covered with professional liability insurance for architects?
A professional liability policy will usually cover the cost of defending you or your organization, along with the monetary damages. These are also known as claims-made policies because a series of events accompany a lawsuit against you. It also implies that the coverage is triggered when a claim is filed, and you report it to the insurance authorities.
In the case of an architect firm, the below-mentioned aspects are excluded from a professional liability policy.
- Dishonest or willful acts
- Failure to pay in time
- Unfair trade practices
Business risks for the architects
While all businesses have their share of risks, the world of architecture and engineering is more complicated. If you manage an architect firm, you need a comprehensive insurance policy which can mitigate both standard risks related to business and the work you do. This is where a professional liability insurance agent can come to your aid. An agent can both help assess your risks and formulate strategies to mitigate them.
What are the standard forms of architect insurance?
Professional indemnity is always vital for the smooth operation of a business. It secures your business operations and mitigates risks related to unhappy clients. You never know when an unsatisfied client would file a lawsuit against you. Mistakes are a part of every business, and architects are not an exception.
Here is the list of standard forms of insurance which apply to architects.
1. Design Insurance
We all know that a lot of architects work solely in the design field. Hence, they require insurance policies to mitigate risks which are common to that phase of the procedure.
2. Design and Build Insurance
It is for architects and engineers who accomplish it all. From designing a particular project to completing its construction, it protects you from claims that the design of the construction caused harm to the client.
3. General Liability Insurance
If your client or employee claims that you have inflicted physical harm on them, this coverage pays legal defense costs and compensation. Typically, as observed in past cases, accusers make a claim first, but at times they may swiftly opt for legal action.
4. Professional Liability Insurance
It grants cover to an architect firm for any errors and omissions emanating from their expert services. If the engineering services you provide result in a loss, or your consulting advice leads to a client’s injury, your professional liability coverage helps in claims.
5. Compensation to workers
Although you may not be at high risk for on-site injuries, your employees may be subjected to harm and physical damages. If an employee is injured while working, this policy provides medical expenses and ample coverage. It also limits the rights of a work-related to a particular type of injury.
Scenarios where professional liability insurance help architects
An effective insurance policy will safeguard against errors and omissions. Here is the list of situations where this insurance helps architects.
1. Breach of confidence
A legal suit can be filed against an architect if they share confidential information which can inflict a lousy reputation on your firm.
2. Defamation
In case an architect resorts to false claims-making, he or she can be sued.
3. Breach of duty
As an architect, you could be sued if the other party incurs on your lousy advice. For instance, if you have prepared a design work that doesn’t conform to standards, you can be sued.
Hence, buying the architect’s professional liability insurance can grant protection against professional mistakes.