Professional indemnity insurance
Specialist professional indemnity insurance from £8 a month*
Fast, easy online quote in just 90 seconds
24hr legal advice helpline included
No hidden fees or cancellation charges
Professional indemnity insurance pays your legal costs, as well as any compensation payments that you might be liable for, if your client takes legal action against you. This could be for a mistake you made when providing professional services, advice or designs to them.
We know that everyone strives to provide their clients with the best service possible. But sometimes, no matter what, things go wrong. So, it pays to be properly insured.
Without professional indemnity cover in place, you'd have to defend any allegations of mistakes out of your own finances. It could prove very damaging and costly, which is why it's typically regarded as a vital piece of business insurance.
Our specialist cover has been expertly designed from over 25 years experience offering professional indemnity insurance to contractors, consultants and small businesses. It exists to provide you with comprehensive protection against claims – so if a piece of work for a client doesn't go to plan, you'll have the peace of mind that you're covered by an industry expert.
What is professional indemnity insurance?
Professional indemnity insurance (also known as PI insurance, PII or professional liability insurance) is designed to protect you if you make a mistake in a piece of work for a client that causes them a financial loss. Examples include providing incorrect advice, sub-standard services, or incorrect designs.
These mistakes can cost your clients time and money, and they may then choose to take legal action against you to recover their costs.
Professional indemnity insurance pays the legal costs of defending you, as well as any compensation payments that may be due to your client as a result of your mistake.
Even if you’ve done nothing wrong and a client makes an unfounded or spurious claim against you, it can cost significant sums of money to defend yourself. Professional indemnity insurance can be your protection against such scenarios.
Read our what is professional indemnity insurance article to find out more.
How much does professional indemnity insurance cost?
Who needs professional indemnity insurance?
You should consider arranging professional indemnity insurance if:
- You provide advice, designs or professional services to your clients
- Your client requires you to have professional indemnity cover to begin a contract
- Your industry body requires you to have professional indemnity cover to operate
Why do I need professional indemnity insurance?
Here are some examples of who could benefit from professional indemnity insurance, with examples of why they might need it:
Who?
Accountants and business management consultants
Why?
A deadline to file paperwork with HMRC is missed, resulting in your client incurring additional costs. They claim against you for their financial loss. Find out more about professional indemnity insurance for accountants here.
Who?
Business and management consultants
Why?
A business plan provided to a client doesn't deliver the expected results. They claim against you for their financial loss. Find out more about professional indemnity insurance for consultants here.
Who?
IT contractors and consultants
Why?
A website, application or software provided to your client isn't fit for purpose. They claim against you for the cost of putting the mistake right.
Who?
Technical and engineering contractors, surveyors and architects
Why?
Some CAD (computer-aided design) work you undertake for a client contains the wrong measurements, causing long delays to your client's project. They claim against you for the cost of putting the mistake right.
Find out more about architects professional indemnity insurance here.
Who?
Creative and marketing professionals, including web designers, graphic designers, marketing consultants and photographers/videographers
Why?
A client alleges that the photographs you have taken aren't suitable for use, or a memory card corrupts and you lose all the day's shots. They claim against you for the cost of re-organising the shoot.
Who?
Teachers, tutors, instructors and trainers
Why?
A client injures themselves during a personal training session. They make a claim against you alleging that you failed to properly explain how to perform the exercise.
Arrange specialist professional indemnity insurance today with Markel Direct.
Without professional indemnity insurance cover, you could be liable for thousands of pounds worth of legal fees and compensation payments payable to your client if you are found to have been negligent in your services to them. When it comes to business insurance, professional indemnity cover is generally considered vital cover.
For more information and access to Markel Direct insurance guides, visit our insurance help and guidance hub here.
What is covered by professional indemnity insurance?
Our professional indemnity insurance covers your legal costs and expenses when defending against a claim. It also covers any compensation or costs that may subsequently be awarded. These claims can follow on from:
Professional negligence
Such as making a mistake in a piece of work for a client or giving them poor advice
Unintentional breach of confidentiality
Such as sharing sensitive client information without permission
Unintentional breach of copyright
Such as using an image on your website without permission
Defamation and libel
Such as making false comments about a competitor or client that damages their reputation
Loss of documents or data
Such as if you accidentally delete vital client data or lose important documents
Loss of money or goods (for which you are responsible)
Such as if you lose money entrusted to you by a client or a valuable piece of machinery goes missing
Get a professional indemnity insurance quote now
Why choose Markel Direct for professional indemnity insurance?
See how our professional indemnity insurance compares with others and you’ll find out why we’re such a great choice for cover.
✔ Legal advice 24/7
No need to wait for answers. 24-hour access to a legal advice helpline and legal document hub.
✔ Quick quotes
Get a fast, no-obligation quote in as little as 90 seconds by filling in our easy online form.
✔ Customer satisfaction
Consistent and excellent service for our customers, as proven by our high ratings on Feefo.com
✔ Transparent fees
Cover from £8 a month* and no hidden fees. If you want to change or cancel a policy, you won’t incur any extra fees either.
✔ 25 years’ experience
Trusted by over 200,000 businesses. At Markel Direct, our experience in business insurance means you can count on us when it comes to financial protection.
For professional indemnity insurance quotes, speak to our team today on 0333 242 9052.
*Price based on an IT contractor requiring £50,000 of professional indemnity insurance.
Get a professional indemnity insurance quote now
Wondering just what does professional indemnity insurance cover? Need to know if it’s right for you? For more detail about our professional indemnity cover, read our article: professional indemnity insurance explained.
Cover starting at £8 a month
Frequently asked questions
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What kind of claims does professional indemnity insurance cover against?
Professional indemnity insurance claims can be wide-ranging, but some examples are given below:
Management consultant - a business plan provided to a client doesn't deliver the expected results. They claim against you for their financial loss.
IT contractor - a website, application or software provided to your client isn't fit for purpose. They claim against you for the cost of putting the mistake right.
Engineering contractor - some CAD work you undertake for a client contains the wrong measurements and causes long delays to your client's project. They claim against you for the cost of putting the mistake right.
Fitness professionals - a client injures themselves during a session. They make a claim against you alleging that you failed to properly explain how to perform the exercise.
Photographers - a client alleges that the photographs taken aren't suitable for use, or a memory card corrupts and you lose all the day's shots. They claim against you for the cost of re-organising the shoot.
Teacher/tutor - a client doesn't achieve the necessary grades to pass their exams. They claim against you for the financial losses suffered.
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How much does it cost for professional indemnity insurance?
Our professional indemnity insurance is available from £74 a year (based on a £50,000 cover limit). You can choose from a range of different cover levels to suit your individual requirements and buy your policy online in a matter of minutes. More on professioanl indemnity cost.
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What level of professional indemnity cover should I choose?
If you're arranging professional indemnity insurance to meet the requirements of a client contract or regulated industry body, it's worth checking with them if they expect a minimum level of cover in order for you to start work.
If your client/industry body does not have minimum requirements, give some thought to a worst-case scenario and the likely costs involved in putting your mistake right. We offer professional indemnity insurance for over 200 professions and have levels of cover ranging from £50,000 to £5m, so you are guaranteed to find the right cover for your business.
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Is professional indemnity the same as public liability?
Professional indemnity insurance (PI) and public liability insurance (PL) are different types of business insurance that cover compensation claims. Professional indemnity insurance cover claims made by clients for professional negligence or mistakes, whereas public liability insurance covers claims made by members of the public for injury or damage. Read more on professional indemnity insurance vs public liability.
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I need professional indemnity insurance to secure a contract - do you provide proof of cover?
Yes. When you purchase professional indemnity insurance with Markel, a proof of insurance document is emailed to you instantly detailing the cover you hold with us. Many of our customers arrange cover with us in order to meet the insurance requirements of clients, agencies and other parties. This document will help you show that you have the appropriate cover in place to start work.
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Do I need professional indemnity cover if I work from home?
If you work from home and provide advice, services or designs to your clients, you should consider arranging professional indemnity insurance. It is highly unlikely that you will be covered under your home insurance policy, so buying a specialist professional indemnity insurance policy will ensure you’re protected in the event of a claim.
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I only need cover for a few months - do you offer short-term policies?
No. All our policies last for 12 months, and there is a reason for this.
Professional indemnity insurance is underwritten throughout the industry on what's known as a 'claims made' basis. This means that the policy must be live at the time the alleged negligence took place and also when we are notified of the claim by you.
In effect, it means that if you cancel your professional indemnity insurance and a claim is brought against you by a client from a previous contract, you won't be covered.
If, however, you maintain continuous cover between contracts, you will have the peace of mind that if a claim is brought against you relating to work previously carried out, you'll be covered.
Cover starting at £8 a month
Cover starting at £8 a month
More specialist cover
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Public liability insurance
Public liability insurance covers the cost of defending your business (including damages awarded against you if unsuccessful) if someone is injured, or their property damaged, which arises from you going about your business or supplying products. The legal fees alone could cost your business thousands of pounds. If you regularly visit client premises as part of your consulting activities, you may need this cover. Limits range from £1m to £5m.
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