State facts
Written and reviewed by Michael LaBarbera, licensed insurance agent
District of Columbia licenses design professionals through 2 boards we confirmed on official state websites. Architects: Board of Architecture, Interior Design, and Landscape Architecture. Landscape architects: Board of Architecture, Interior Design, and Landscape Architecture. Interior designers: Board of Architecture, Interior Design, and Landscape Architecture. Professional engineers: District of Columbia Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. Land surveyors: District of Columbia Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors.
| Discipline | Board | Status | What the official page says |
|---|---|---|---|
| architects | Board of Architecture, Interior Design, and Landscape Architecture | licensed | The board regulates architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture. |
| landscape architects | Board of Architecture, Interior Design, and Landscape Architecture | licensed | The board regulates architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture. |
| interior designers | Board of Architecture, Interior Design, and Landscape Architecture | licensed | The board regulates architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture. |
| professional engineers | District of Columbia Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors | licensed | The board regulates licensing and practice of professional engineers and land surveyors. |
| land surveyors | District of Columbia Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors | licensed | The board regulates licensing and practice of professional engineers and land surveyors. |
Facts come from each board's official website. Board rules change, so confirm details with the board. These facts do not change policy terms; policy wording controls.
National figures, not District of Columbia-specific. Each links to its source.
The market is broadly stable with ample capacity despite carrier consolidation.
Source: Insurance Marketplace Realities 2026 Spring Update – Architects & Engineers — WTW (2026-05-07)
Renewal rate forecasts ranged between -5% and -10% so far in 2026.
Source: Insurance Marketplace Realities 2026 Spring Update – Architects & Engineers — WTW (2026-05-07)
Average claims were around $130,000, with severity claims exceeding $250,000.
Source: Insurance Marketplace Realities 2026 Spring Update – Architects & Engineers — WTW (2026-05-07)
Insurers’ scrutiny of risk quality and documentation remained unchanged.
Source: Insurance Marketplace Realities 2026 Spring Update – Architects & Engineers — WTW (2026-05-07)
Carriers quoted through our agency. Shown in no particular order; no ranking or endorsement is implied. Availability in District of Columbia is confirmed in underwriting.
| Carrier | Limits | Deductible | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Hartford — Small Business design professional liability | $250K–$2M annual limits | $0–$10K deductible | Design Professional Liability — The Hartford |
| Hiscox | Limits capacity up to $10M on a primary or excess basis. | Deductible credit included in base form; aggregate deductible option available. | Hiscox PRO Architects and Engineers — Design, Construction and Real Estate Development |
| Great American | $250,000 per claim/$250,000 aggregate to $5 million per claim/$5 million aggregate. | $0 deductible option for qualified small firms; aggregate deductible option for most firms. Early-resolution credits: 75% within one year or 50% within three years (only higher credit applies). | Great American Professional Liability Division — Protection for Design Professionals |
| GUARD | Up to $5 million per claim. | Deductibles starting at $2,500. | Professional Liability/E&O — Architects & Engineers |
| Travelers | Ask us | Claims guide: agreeing to claim resolution by mediation reduces the deductible obligation by 50%, up to a $25,000 reduction. | Design Professional Liability Insurance — Travelers Claim Services Guide |
| Hanover | Ask us | Additional claim-free and risk management deductible reduction benefits offered. | Professional liability for architects and engineers |
Illustrative scenarios, not actual agency losses or District of Columbia cases.
A client alleges that the design required late layout changes and delayed the opening of a medical office. The designer disputes responsibility for the schedule.
Illustrative claim amount: $140,000.
Written scope, approvals, and schedule changes help distinguish negligence from an uninsured opening-date promise.
After construction, runoff floods an adjacent property. The neighbor’s demand challenges the drainage assumptions and grading design.
Illustrative claim amount: $400,000.
Retain calculations, site data, assumptions, and changes so design responsibility can be investigated.
Professional liability for District of Columbia design firms
The Board of Architecture, Interior Design, and Landscape Architecture, per its official website: The board regulates architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture.
The Board of Architecture, Interior Design, and Landscape Architecture, per its official website: The board regulates architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture.
The Board of Architecture, Interior Design, and Landscape Architecture, per its official website: The board regulates architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture.
The District of Columbia Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, per its official website: The board regulates licensing and practice of professional engineers and land surveyors.
The District of Columbia Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, per its official website: The board regulates licensing and practice of professional engineers and land surveyors.
No. Published claims and market data for design professionals are reported nationally, not by state. We show cited national figures so District of Columbia firms can see the broader market; your own quote depends on your firm.
Carrier materials we cite list the limit and deductible ranges shown in the table. Availability in District of Columbia is confirmed during underwriting.
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.
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.
Generally no: general liability is not a substitute for professional liability when the allegation is a design error.
Usually not: additional-insured status is typically a general liability request, and professional liability policies generally do not add clients as additional insureds.
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