
Professional Indemnity Insurance
Professional Indemnity (PI) Insurance protects businesses and individuals who provide professional services, advice or designs. It covers the cost of legal defence and compensation if a client alleges your work caused them financial loss due to a mistake, negligence or breach of duty.
What Does Professional Indemnity Insurance Cover?
Depending on the policy, a PI insurance policy could cover the following.
Negligence
Claims arising from mistakes or oversights in your work (e.g. incorrect advice, poor design or calculation errors)
Breach of Professional Duty
If you fail to meet industry standards or contractual obligations
Defamation and Libel
Unintentional damage to someone's reputation through written or verbal statements
Breach of Confidentiality
Accidental disclosure or mishandling of sensitive client information
Loss of Documents
Physical or digital loss of client documents you are responsible for
Intellectual Property Infringement
Using copyrighted materials (e.g. images, content, software code) without proper permission
Legal Costs and Expenses
Covers your defence, settlements and compensation if you’re found liable
What a Claim Might Look Like
1. Incorrect Professional Advice
Scenario:
An accountant gives incorrect tax advice that leads to a client receiving a large HMRC penalty.
Outcome:
The policy covers legal costs and the compensation owed to the client.
2. Design Error
Scenario:
An architect submits plans with a structural miscalculation, requiring rework and delays. The client sues for additional costs.
Outcome:
Professional Indemnity Insurance covers the claim and associated legal fees.
3. Breach of Confidentiality
Scenario:
A consultancy firm mistakenly emails a client’s sensitive data to the wrong recipient.
Outcome:
The insurer pays for legal defence, investigation and any damages for breach of confidentiality.
4. Copyright Infringement
Scenario:
A marketing agency uses a copyrighted image in a client’s campaign without proper licensing.
Outcome:
The photographer sues and the policy covers the settlement and legal fees.
We Would Love to Hear from You
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