An architectural practice can face a complaint long after a drawing was issued. Design responsibility, project coordination and the work of outside specialists should therefore be described precisely when comparing professional indemnity insurance quotes.
Professional-service allegations
Professional indemnity concerns allegations about professional services. Compare the accepted activities, claim and notification wording, prior-work provisions and exclusions. A higher limit cannot repair an activity that the wording does not accept.
The decision that deserves the closest review
Separate the services you provide from the construction work carried out by others. Ask how the wording treats design changes, fire-safety work, contractual liability and projects inherited from another practice. A client-requested limit is a starting point for discussion, not evidence that every exposure is covered.
Premiums, excesses and usable cover
Request quotations using the same business description, required limits and relevant dates. Put the annual premium, any instalment charges, excesses and important sublimits in one comparison. A cheaper premium can represent a different transfer of risk rather than the same cover at a better price.
| Comparison item | Question to resolve |
|---|---|
| Project values and building types | Which specialist design activities are declared? |
| Design and coordination responsibilities | Are defence costs inside or outside the limit? |
| Past work and the requested retroactive date | What happens to past work when the practice closes? |
Request the proposed wording and schedule, not just a price or certificate. Mark any difference that affects a real activity before deciding whether the premium saving is worthwhile.
A hypothetical example
Imagine a small practice moving from domestic extensions into commercial refurbishment. Keeping its old activity description could leave the quotation based on the wrong work. Preparing a project schedule allows the broker to address the changed exposure before renewal.
Prepare an accurate insurance enquiry
Give each adviser a consistent description of the activities being insured. Include important contracts, changes since the previous enquiry and matters the insurer asks you to disclose. Do not guess answers merely to obtain a faster or cheaper quote; ask for clarification when the proposal wording is unclear.
Make the project history useful to an underwriter
Create a project register that distinguishes completed work, live appointments and future proposals. For each relevant project, record the building type, your role and any change in responsibility. This gives an adviser a clearer picture than a single turnover figure and makes questions about inherited work easier to resolve.
When two proposals differ, ask each adviser to explain the wording against the same appointment. Use a design change or a specialist subcontract as the test case. Keep the response with the quotation so the practice can revisit the reasoning when its projects or appointments change.
Include overseas work or sales in the UK business’s enquiry and confirm the accepted territories and jurisdictions.
A mistake to avoid
Treating a certificate with the right headline limit as proof that the detailed design activities are accepted.
Check what happens after the policy starts
Ask who to contact when activities change or a potential claim arises. Understand the notification and consent process before arranging repairs, appointing specialists or settling a complaint. At renewal, compare the new documents with the accepted business description; continuity of a familiar brand does not prove continuity of every term.
Questions before choosing
Should an architect compare quotations every year?
Compare the proposed renewal wording as well as price, especially after taking on different building types or contractual duties.
Should the practice disclose work that is nearly finished?
Include it in the enquiry as requested and explain the remaining duties. Practical completion does not necessarily end the practice’s professional responsibilities or the relevance of its past work.
Sources and further reading
- Architects Registration Board: professional indemnity insurance
- RIBA: guide to professional indemnity insurance
Research date: 6 October 2026. Refer to the current linked guidance and written provider or adviser terms when making a decision.