State facts
Written and reviewed by Michael LaBarbera, licensed insurance agent
Pennsylvania licenses design professionals through 3 boards we confirmed on official state websites. Architects: State Architects Licensure Board. Professional engineers: State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists. Land surveyors: State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists. Landscape architects: State Board of Landscape Architects.
| Discipline | Board | Status | What the official page says |
|---|---|---|---|
| architects | State Architects Licensure Board | licensed | The board regulates architects and certified interior designers. |
| professional engineers | State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists | licensed | The combined board regulates engineering, land surveying and geology. |
| land surveyors | State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists | licensed | The combined board regulates engineering, land surveying and geology. |
| landscape architects | State Board of Landscape Architects | licensed | The board regulates the licensure and registration of landscape architects. |
| interior designers | Not confirmed | Not confirmed from an official source | — |
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 Pennsylvania-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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania cases.
A staking error places a foundation four feet into a side setback. The developer faces corrective work and a location dispute.
Illustrative claim amount: $210,000.
Keep controlling plans, revisions, and field instructions; investigate before agreeing to fund relocation.
Residents discover water intrusion after occupancy. The owner alleges that an envelope detail and consultant coordination left vulnerable transitions in the design.
Illustrative settlement amount: $850,000, plus defense costs.
Preserve envelope details, consultant comments, submittals, and observations to separate design decisions from installation.
The State Architects Licensure Board, per its official website: The board regulates architects and certified interior designers.
The State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists, per its official website: The combined board regulates engineering, land surveying and geology.
The State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists, per its official website: The combined board regulates engineering, land surveying and geology.
The State Board of Landscape Architects, per its official website: The board regulates the licensure and registration of landscape architects.
We could not confirm a Pennsylvania board for interior designers on an official source, so we make no claim about it.
No. Published claims and market data for design professionals are reported nationally, not by state. We show cited national figures so Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania 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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