Why do marketing consultants need insurance?
Bad campaign advice
A client asks you to create an attention-grabbing campaign to market its new soft drink. But when the work goes live, your adverts are poorly received. Promotional social media posts are criticised online. Your client blames the language and imagery you advised on and claims its brand reputation has suffered. You receive a letter from its legal team, warning you of a future court appearance.
In such cases, marketing consultants could benefit from professional indemnity insurance. It’s there to provide financial support should a client sue you over claims of negligent advice.
A broken laptop
A client visits your office to discuss recent digital marketing campaign performance. They want to know where future improvements can be made. When setting up a presentation, one of your employees drops the client’s laptop. They lose valuable files as a result of the accident and demand compensation.
Including public liability cover in your business insurance policy could help to tackle the legal costs you face.
Data theft
You’re keen to strike the right tone of voice to help your client communicate with and attract new customers. They agree to give you sensitive background data on their brand and audience. But when cyber attackers guess a weak password and break into your network, the data is no longer in your hands.
Specialist cyber insurance could help you with the costs of investigation, data recovery and damages.
What insurance is available for marketing consultants?
Professional indemnity insurance
Professional indemnity (PI) cover is often at the heart of insurance for marketing consultants. That’s because your job centres on advising clients and steering them in a certain direction. There’s always a chance advice could backfire, leading to clients losing money or their market position.
For marketers, professional indemnity insurance can protect you against negligence, breach-of-contract and defamation claims. You can also find cover for infringement of IP (intellectual property) rights, such as copyright. And it could help if you unintentionally breach the CAP, BCAP and ASAI codes.
Public liability insurance
Marketing consultancy is a collaborative profession. As such, public liability insurance could prove useful. You’ll work closely with clients to shape their brand messaging. This usually involves plenty of ideation sessions and presentations. Even straightforward meetings can come with risk.
A compensation claim could arise if you accidentally injure a client or damage their belongings. It might be as simple as spilling coffee on a computer. Or a client tripping over a loose cable. Public liability insurance can ease the strain, by helping to pay legal costs and compensation fees.
Cyber and data insurance
Many businesses experience cyber attacks every year, as our annual Cyber Readiness Report shows. And marketing consultants are not immune to this threat. Chances are, you’ll work with websites, analytics data and email all the time.
Cyber insurance can shore up your finances should a ransomware attack, malware or data breach strike. It may help cover the costs of forensic investigations, legal disputes and repairing reputational damage.
For marketing consultants, insurance can also include portable equipment, office and legal protection cover. Employers’ liability insurance is available too. This is often a legal requirement (external link) if you hire workers.
Tell us more about your marketing consultancy business. We’ll build a tailored insurance policy that matches the unique demands of your role.
Build my coverInsurance for marketing consultants: FAQs
What insurance do I need as a marketing consultant?
The structure and scale of your marketing consultancy business is likely to influence the types of insurance you need. Employers’ liability insurance might be required by law if you employ people to work alongside you. In fact, you could face daily fines of £2,500 (external link) for as long as you’re not covered.
Although it’s not a legal requirement, you might also find client contracts ask you to hold a certain level of professional indemnity insurance.
Do I need insurance as a public relations consultant?
Professional indemnity insurance could prove useful for PR consultants who act as a link between clients and their customers. For example, it may financially shield you against claims of defamation or licence breaches.
A Hiscox business insurance policy allows you to add multiple professions – you just need to let us know when you apply. This could come in handy for marketing consultants who provide PR, SEO and copywriting services, for example.
Do freelance marketing consultants need insurance?
Freelance marketing consultants face similar risks to those structured as limited companies. Client complaints, accidents and cyber attacks can all pose a threat, no matter your size. Public liability and professional indemnity insurance are among the covers available to freelancers and home-based businesses.
Meet our experts
“As Head of Media at Hiscox, I provide insurance solutions to some of the UK’s leading advertising agencies, publishers and broadcasters. Our focus and expertise are key, with 30 years in the media sector, dealing with complex insurance needs.”
- Maxwell Tipper, Head of Media
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