Why do energy assessors and home inspectors need insurance?
Client claim
If you’re a professional who works in domestic or non-domestic energy assessing and energy performance certificate (EPC) provision, then client issues can be a source of risk. If someone says your mistake in an EPC prevented the sale of their house, there’s a chance they could sue you to recover alleged losses. Therefore, professional indemnity insurance can help provide financial support for energy assessors.
Ornament breakage
Visiting homes is a major part of your work as an energy assessor, so it could be a good idea to get insurance for the times when your brushes with the public might go wrong. When carrying a ladder to take accurate measurements of a vaulted ceiling or loft, you might catch the corner of a side table, upending the property owner’s antique ornament. Simple slip-ups can come at a cost, so public liability insurance can help an assessor by supporting with legal fees and compensation demands.
Lost laptop
Part of your work as an energy assessor involves visiting partners, including local estate agents, to generate leads. After a meeting, you realise your laptop case is empty, but there’s no way to pinpoint where the device went missing and the person you met doesn’t remember seeing it. Insurance for your portable equipment, including laptops, smartphones and measuring devices, can bring an energy assessor welcome reassurance against the risk of accidental loss.
What insurance is available for energy assessors and home inspectors?
Professional indemnity insurance
Professional indemnity (PI) insurance protects energy assessors and home inspectors from the cost of settling or defending a client’s claim if they say there’s a problem with the work you have done. Even if the complaint wouldn’t stand up in court, legal fees can mount, and if you are found liable, compensation costs can impact a self-employed energy assessor or small business. With Hiscox, this product can also help with claims against your business if your subcontractors make a mistake or conduct themselves dishonestly.
Public liability insurance
Public liability insurance can be added to your policy to cover the cost of defending or settling a claim for compensation for bodily injury or property damage. Varying circumstances could lead to a claim for compensation, causing an energy assessor to fall back on their insurance cover. You might break something expensive while inspecting a client’s home or be held liable if a member of the public trips and hurts themselves on your toolbox.
Cyber and data insurance
Many elements of an energy assessor’s job happen online, so insurance can be tailored to help with digital risks too. When you’re processing calculations for an EPC report, you might decide to ask a colleague to send a similar property’s data as a reference. If they accidentally copy a client into the email, your business could be held liable for breaching data protection rules. Cyber insurance helps an assessor to work with confidence by helping to pay for costs related to data recovery, reputation management and investigations.
Some energy assessors and home inspectors may also add personal accident insurance, or insurance for office and portable equipment. Commercial legal protection can help with payment disputes, while employers’ liability insurance is often legally required (external link) if people work for you.
If you’re not sure what you need, tell us a little more about what you do. We’ll help you to build your quote and explore any other insurance needs.
Build my coverInsurance for energy assessors and home inspectors: FAQs
What does energy assessor professional indemnity insurance cover?
Hiscox professional indemnity (PI) insurance covers energy assessors for:
- Negligence or breach of duty of care – if you make a professional error or give incorrect or harmful advice
- Defence costs if you face investigation under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 or similar types of legislation
- Breach of confidence – if you accidentally share sensitive or confidential information without consent
- Civil liability – this means, if you face a claim because of business operations for a client, it’s covered by default if we haven’t specifically excluded it.
Hiscox indemnity insurance for energy assessors also includes free crisis containment cover should you need it due to a claim being brought against you. This means you can work with specialist PR experts if a claim were to threaten the reputation of your business. It’s a good way of keeping damage control in safe hands, while at the same time continuing with the day-to-day running of things.
How much professional indemnity insurance does an energy assessor need?
The amount of professional indemnity insurance cover an energy assessor needs will depend on factors such as the size of the contracts your business deals with. For commercial energy assessors working with big firms, even small mistakes could have large financial repercussions.
When you generate a quote, we’ll ask you to set a limit of cover – to avoid underinsurance, it’s a good idea to think about what a worst-case scenario lawsuit might look like for your business. You might also like to double-check your client contracts to see if a minimum limit is specified.
Learn more about how much PI insurance you might need with our guide.
What type of energy assessing does Hiscox cover?
Our cover is tailored towards professionals working in domestic and non-domestic energy assessing and energy performance certificate (EPC) provision. This means you can take out relevant insurance, including all-important professional indemnity cover, if you work in private houses and flats or large offices and warehouses.
Different types of energy assessor businesses can carry different risk profiles, however, which is why Hiscox’s tailored approach can be so beneficial. If you run a large energy assessment firm that deals with clients’ sensitive commercial data, then cyber insurance could be especially important, and you might need employers’ liability insurance if you have a team of assessors.
Related articles and guides
How much does professional indemnity cost?
Professional indemnity insurance is a requirement for energy assessors, but how much should you budget for this? Read more about the cost of PI insurance with our guide.
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