Business insurance for engineers


As the leader of an engineering firm, you might spend mornings taking bookings, afternoons on site and evenings completing technical drawings. Engineers’ insurance from Hiscox brings together several products to support the nuts and bolts of your organisation, such as a public liability policy to safeguard against the financial impact of accidents and professional indemnity cover to support your reputation.

In engineering, knowledge underpins big projects, from designing heating systems to redesigning residential extensions – if something goes wrong, Hiscox’s business insurance may help. Our cover can support you with the cost of client disputes, legal action and compensation, if circumstances require you to pay it.

 

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Why choose Hiscox for engineering insurance?


1

Help to minimise everyday risks

We won't just support you through a claim. Our dedicated teams can also help prevent issues occurring

2

PI insurance worth up to £3 million

With Hiscox, you can purchase up to £3 million in professional indemnity cover

3

Buy online in minutes

It takes a matter of minutes to purchase Hiscox business insurance. You'll receive cover and documents quickly

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Tell us about your business – We’ll help you to build your quote and explore your insurance needs.

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The website is very easy to navigate with multiple cover options you can dial in to get the quote. It took me no more than 10 minutes to complete the whole transaction.
FMCG Consultants Ltd
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Why do engineers need insurance?


Putting mistakes right

As an engineer, you pride yourself on attention to detail. Even so, problems could arise from a design error, a misunderstanding of the customer brief or even a simple design misinterpretation. Slip-ups can create expense and embarrassment for your firm, especially if they happen on your client’s time. Commercial relationships are integral, so if a customer claims you've made an engineering mistake, our professional indemnity insurance could cover the cost of putting it right and help you to fund a legal defence.

Protecting your employees

You always take steps to ensure the correct health and safety training is given. Despite your best efforts, a new engineering apprentice slips through the net. The individual sustains a back injury while unloading the parts for a new heating system. The injury requires rest and physiotherapy, so the employee is out of action for several weeks – and the injured person makes a complaint due to their lack of heavy lifting training. Our employers’ liability insurance could help an engineering company to pay compensation and legal fees if a claim is levelled by an employee.

Dissatisfied clients

A major theatre has commissioned your acoustic engineering business to soundproof its studios and assist in an upper floor renovation. A few vibration surveys later, you suggest the desired effect requires ground floor work, too – but the client asks you to push ahead with plan A. After completion, the theatre bosses claim your work was substandard and bring a claim against your firm. Whoever is at fault, client disagreements can create steep legal costs – fortunately, our engineers’ insurance can be tailored to cover compensation and fees.

What cover is included in insurance for engineers?


Depending on the nature of the work you do, you may decide to add office insurance, portable equipment insurance or cyber and data cover to your engineers’ policy too.

Insurance for engineers FAQs


What type of engineer does Hiscox cover?

Hiscox insures several types of engineering firms, including structural engineers, electrical engineers, acoustic engineers and those who work with HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) or MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) systems.

Get in touch for a quote to find out how Hiscox could support your specific line of work by providing insurance tailored to the common risks within your field. Our flexible cover means we’re able to help businesses of all sizes, from SMEs to large enterprises.

Do I need engineering professional indemnity insurance?

Professional indemnity insurance may be useful to an engineer because of the service-based nature of engineering work. It could be especially important for those who provide engineering consultancy services as part of their offering, since giving advice can leave a company vulnerable to negligence claims.

Professional indemnity cover is all about shielding your business from the financial impact of claims which relate to alleged mistakes.

How much portable equipment cover do engineers need?

Engineering businesses may benefit from portable equipment insurance to protect the tools of their trade while working on external sites. How much cover you’ll need depends on the total value of the tools and equipment you carry – so it could be a good idea to calculate the value of everything from pliers to voltage probes.

Insuring your equipment for less than its total value might reduce the amount you can claim if your tools are damaged or stolen.


precision measurements on paper

What is professional negligence?

No engineer likes to think too much about negligence, but disputes can still arise unexpectedly. Read about the definition of negligence to stay in-the-know.

electical testing equipment

What insurance does a sole trader need?

Some engineers operate under a sole trader business structure. In this case, specific insurance may be required – learn more with our guide to sole trader insurance needs.

close up of hands during contract negotiation meeting

How to become a contractor

As an engineering contractor, you can choose jobs to suit your schedule. Follow this step-by-step guide to becoming a contractor with the help of Hiscox.