Design Professional Insurance Buyer Questions
Written and reviewed by Michael LaBarbera, licensed insurance agent
These are the questions design firms ask most before buying professional liability, each with one canonical, sourced answer. Start with the topic that matches your situation, then request quotes from multiple carriers with one application.
Coverage
- Do architects need professional liability insurance?
Most architecture firms carry professional liability insurance because clients, owners and contracts commonly ask for it and because design-error allegations can arise years after a project closes.
- Does general liability cover design errors?
Generally no: general liability is not a substitute for professional liability when the allegation is a design error.
Claims-made
- What is a retroactive date?
A retroactive date is the prior-acts boundary on a claims-made policy: services performed before that date may fall outside coverage even when the claim arrives during the current policy.
Contracts
- Can a client be named as an additional insured on professional liability?
Usually not: additional-insured status is typically a general liability request, and professional liability policies generally do not add clients as additional insureds.
Side work
- Is my side work covered by my employer’s professional liability policy?
Usually you should not assume so: an employer's professional liability policy generally covers work you perform for the employer, not independent side work for your own clients.
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