Key Considerations When Insuring Architects, Engineers & Design Firms with Professional Liability Coverage

Posted on: August 10, 2023 by Huntersure

Insurance agents should understand the unique risk factors associated with professional roles such as architecture, engineering, and design. Clients in these industries need professional liability policies tailored to their specific risk factors. Architects, engineers, and design firms work in specialized fields that depend on precision and accuracy, with devastating consequences for mistakes. The right coverage protects these professionals from potentially disastrous financial losses. Consider the following factors as you draft liability coverage for clients in these roles.

Comprehensive Risk Assessment

Start with a thorough risk assessment to craft a liability policy that addresses their specific risk factors. Consider their services, the scale of projects they handle, and any past claims history they might have. This assessment helps you spot vulnerable areas in their business where they risk errors and omissions. Once you identify those risk factors, you can build a policy that offers sufficient coverage limits and risk protections for the business.

Specialization in Professional Liability Insurance

Architects, engineers, and design firms need agents with experience in liability coverage for these professional industries. The coverage these policyholders need requires a thorough understanding of their industry, the standards and best practices, and any unavoidable risks. The more the agent understands their clients and roles, the easier it is to craft coverage for their exposure risks.

Professional Liability Policy Coverage and Limits

Work with your clients to determine how much coverage they need, based not only on the projects they typically work on but also on their budgets. Coverage limits and premium costs play a key role in the right policy choice.

In some cases, policies need adjustment for specific projects when there are new risk factors to consider. Discuss the benefit of project-specific liability coverage, occurrence policies, and claims-made coverage. The more you know, the more you can help clients find the proper protection.

Exclusions and Endorsements

Many liability policies have exclusions for certain types of losses. Exclusions can vary with carriers, so take time to inform your clients of any exclusions that apply to the policies they’re considering so they can address any exposure risks.

You can also review any available endorsements to enhance their coverage. Some endorsements will cover specific risk factors that could apply for certain professionals, so review the options with them to get the professional liability coverage they need.

Conclusion

Insuring professionals such as architects, engineers, and design firms requires a thorough understanding of their risk factors and policy options. Conduct a comprehensive risk assessment, provide customized coverage options, and offer the support your clients need as they select their policy and even navigate claims. Build a solid relationship of trust and support to establish yourself as the go-to resource for these policies in your area.

 

About Huntersure

Huntersure LLC is a full-service Managing General Agency that has provided insurance program administration for professional liability products to our partners across the United States since 2007. We specialize in providing insurance solutions for businesses of all sizes. Our program features can cover small firms (grossing $2.5 million annually) to large corporations (grossing $25 million annually or more). We make doing business with us easy with our breadth and depth of knowledge of E&O insurance, our proprietary underwriting system that allows for responsive quoting, binding and policy issuance and tailored products to meet the needs of your insureds. Give us a call at (855) 585-6255 to learn more.

Posted in: Architects/ Engineers Design Firm Engineers Professional Liability Professional Liability Insurance