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Professional indemnity insurance
Instant proof of cover and hassle-free claims with UK-based customer support from £9.08 a month
What is professional indemnity insurance?
Clients often rely on professional advice or data to make their business decisions.
Where that advice or data alleges to cause damage to them and they threaten to sue you, professional indemnity insurance can protect your business for their associated losses due to your potential error or negligence.
Professional services can include, but are not limited to the likes of:
Design work
Advice or consultations
Accountancy and financial advice
Marketing and graphic design
Engineering
Surveyors
Healthcare workers
Be sure to check whether you need professional indemnity insurance for your business.
How does it work?
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What does professional indemnity insurance cover?
If you run a business or you're sole trader might, you consider professional indemnity insurance to safeguard against potential legal and compensation costs associated if a client sues you after using your professional services.
The types of risks you might want to include could be for the following situations:
Breach of contract
Professional negligence
Design errors
Intellectual property and trademark disputes
Plagiarism
Defamation
Even unsuccessful claims incur legal costs, and professional indemnity insurance is designed to cover some of these claims.
What our customers say
Do I need professional indemnity insurance for my business?
PI insurance isn't a legal obligation, but in the event a successful claim is made against you for malpractice or negligence, your policy would cover:
Your legal defence fees; and
Compensation costs (if the claim was successful).
Some clients may ask whether you have PI insurance before they will work with you. It can sometimes be a requirement before entering into a contract.
If you're a member of a professional or trade body you might also need professional indemnity insurance as a condition of membership. If you’re unsure, check with your relevant governing body for advice on how much you need.
Where you and your business have access to confidential client information, professional indemnity insurance can help safeguard you from the associated costs of claims if a client sues you after using your professional services.
Professionals giving advice as a consultant or freelancer, dealing with software or intellectual property, or providing copywriting or article-writing services are some examples of when you might consider professional indemnity insurance for your business.
| Insurance type | *From | *To |
|---|---|---|
| Public liability | £4.67 | £18.07 |
| Professional indemnity | £9.08 | £45.42 |
| Employers' liability | £1.86 | £25.68 |
| Building, contents and stock | £6.84 | £50.37 |
| Cyber | £10.79 | £43.65 |
| Personal accident | £0.55 | £4.75 |
*Superscript: 10% of Superscript customers paid this much, or less, between October and December 2023.
**Superscript: 90% of Superscript customers paid up to this much between October and December 2023.
These prices should only be used as a guide. When you get a quote, it will be tailored*** to your unique circumstances and risk profile – so you may be quoted a price that’s a bit higher or lower.
And as with most covers, price shouldn’t be your only priority. Cheaper insurance could end up costing you more if it doesn’t provide the cover you need. To get the best deal, look for insurers that allow you to tailor*** your policy to your needs so you're not left over- or under-insured.
Getting the right professional indemnity insurance policy
Professional services vary widely, and so too will your business’ professional indemnity policy. For accurate cover, find an insurer who specialises in your industry and provides you with the cover you need and not what you don't need. As your company grows or changes, cover can then be adjusted as necessary.
Some instances where you may need protection include:
Negligence
Data loss
Failing to protect client confidentiality
Cyber breach
Financial loss
Companies promoting themselves on the likes of social media might also consider cover for claims around defamation and intellectual property.
When you take out professional indemnity insurance, your cover typically starts from the day you pay for protection.
You can't usually buy cover for an event, piece of advice or issue that arose before the insurance policy came into force unless your insurer agrees to cover you from a specific date in the past, which is known as a retroactive date. If you’re unsure, check your policy or contact your provider.
Things to consider: professional indemnity insurance
As you build your professional indemnity policy for your business, you might want to consider these things:
Does the policy cover everything you need it to?
Can you add to or change the policy as your business changes or expands?
How long do you need cover for?
How does the insurer handle claims, and how quickly might you receive a payout?
A reliable policy is one that covers your business needs, and provides sufficient cover to protect you in the event of a claim.
How to make a claim on your professional indemnity insurance
With Superscript, making a claim simply requires you to sign in to your online customer account and submit a claim. You'll have to provide details about the claim such as the date of loss and the type of claim being made against you. Providing as much documentary proof as you can will help your cause.
Once the claim is submitted, Superscript will contact you as the first step in processing your claim. From there it can take a few days or weeks for your claim to be settled based on size your of your claim.
Public Liability
Public liability insurance is a popular type of business insurance. It provides cover for legal and compensation costs in relation to a claim made against a business due to injury or property damage inflicted on a non-employee.
Employers' liability insurance
Employers’ liability (EL) is a legal requirement for UK businesses that hire employees, including full-time, part-time, contract or temporary staff. Exceptions include firms that only employ immediate family members or use bona fide sub-contractors.
Travel insurance
Travel insurance is a form of cover to protect you while you are away on holiday or travelling abroad. it can also provide monetary compensation for other loss or inconveniences you may suffer when your travels don't go to plan.
***Individual cover purchased online is offered on a standardised, non-advised basis and is not bespoke. Terms, conditions and coverage limits are predetermined by the Underwriter. If you require bespoke coverage offered on an advised basis, please contact our in-house broking team.