Professional indemnity insurance

Insurers will set your premiums for professional indemnity insurance based on factors such as:

• Size and type of business: Bigger businesses generally have more at stake when it comes to financial and reputational losses, so you’ll generally need higher levels of cover if your client is a big company
• Nature of the work you do: If your business faces high levels of risk, then insurers are also likely to charge more in premiums

Most insurers offer between £50,000 and £5 million in terms of cover. To get a good idea of how much you’ll need, check:

• Your business contract: If your contract requires you to have professional indemnity cover it’ll usually specify the minimum amount you need
• The value of your project: Factoring in how much you’re being paid and the overall value of your work can help you judge the appropriate level of cover
• Professional or regulatory bodies: You can always ask any regulatory bodies for help and guidance

You’ll also be able to add any of the following policies to your overall business insurance:

• Public liability cover: Public liability insurance covers your business for the cost of any compensation claims you might face if someone becomes ill or injured, or has their property damaged as a result of the work you do
• Employers’ liability cover: Employers’ liability insurance covers legal costs resulting from an employee becoming ill or injured, or having their property damaged as a result of your business
• Product liability cover: Product liability insurance protects you against the cost of legal fees resulting from someone becoming ill or injured, or having their property damaged by a product you sell – which you may be liable for even if you didn’t manufacture it
• Business interruption cover: Business interruption policies cover you for lost income if the running of your business is interrupted by an insured event such as a fire or flood
• Business buildings cover: Also known as business property insurance, this covers you for the cost of any damage done to your premises resulting from an insured event
• Cyber cover: Cyber insurance is a useful policy for all modern businesses, as it covers you for a range of costs that could result from a cyber-attack

Business interruption insurance after the coronavirus outbreak

Any new business interruption policies sold won’t cover claims resulting from events that are already taking place – so business interruption claims related to COVID-19 are unlikely to be successful.

Comparing business insurance deals with MoneySuperMarket and Simply Business is the easiest way to find a cheaper quote for your company. Just give us a few details about your business and employees and we’ll show you a list of quotes tailored to your requirements.

You’ll be able to compare deals by their overall cost, the cover you’ll get and any extra policies you can add to your overall business insurance. Once you’ve found the provider and quote you want, just click through to the provider to finalise your purchase.