Insurance for architects
Close attention to detail goes without saying in your profession, but there are times when a mistake, whether it’s your fault or not, can lead to a legal dispute with a client or contractor and you’re held liable. Hiscox business insurance for architects is there for you whether a miscalculation on a building plan leads to a claim for negligence, a client is injured at your office or valuable equipment is stolen preventing you from working.
Why you need business insurance for architects
A client falls during a meeting
An architect’s office is often full of computers and technical equipment. Imagine a client trips over cables on the floor during a meeting, breaking her wrist and she needs to spend a day in hospital. She decides to make a claim for the injury and her lost income – your public liability insurance covers the legal costs of defending the claim as well as the final settlement.
An unhappy client
Construction of a new house stops when the builder finds a design flaw in the plans. It results in thousands of pounds of additional work to rectify the problem. The client claims the additional costs are down to the architect’s negligence. The legal case costs thousands of pounds in addition to the settlement, but professional indemnity insurance covers the costs, ensuring the architectural practice is protected.
Stolen computer equipment
Valuable computer equipment used for drawing architectural plans and designs has been stolen from an architect’s practice office. Work on all projects has to stop, resulting in lost time and income. Office insurance from Hiscox covers the cost of replacing the equipment, ensuring the business can purchase new computers and return to work.
If you’re not sure what you need, tell us a little more about your architectural and building design business. We’ll help you to build your quote and explore any other insurance needs.
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Key types of insurance for architects and architectural professionals
Professional indemnity insurance
Professional indemnity insurance is there to back up the professionalism that you put into your work. It protects you against the costs of any legal action taken by a client who claims there’s a problem with your work, or with the guidance you’ve given them. Whether settling or defending a claim, the policy provides you with peace of mind. It’s suitable for both RIBA registered architects and architectural technologists or technicians.
Public liability insurance
Whether you’re working on a public building surrounded by commuters or you’re on site at a home extension, you’re working with the public. Public liability insurance ensures you’re covered if someone claims they’re injured or their property is damaged as a result of the work you’ve carried out. Your business insurance for architects will pay compensation on your behalf as well as the legal costs of defending yourself against a claim.
Office insurance
Along with your own skills and expertise, your specialist tools and your key business equipment are some of the most important assets for your day-to-day work. Whether it’s expensive 3D scanning equipment or more general tools like your laptop, tablet or smartphone, If they’re damaged, lost or stolen it’s a headache. Our office insurance policy will cover you for the costs of replacing or repairing them as quickly as possible.
These are just some of the types of business insurance for architects that we can offer. We can provide other specific types of cover and build them into a policy that’s tailored to the exact needs of your business.
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