Professional Indemnity and Public Liability insurance

[weneedtotalkaboutinsurance]

Hello,

I've been in business quite a while as a sole trader and until now have always negotiated limitations of liability with each customer.

Now however I've been commissioned to do a strategic review for a large partly-publicly-funded organisation that only contracts on its standard terms, and have to warrant that my services will be covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance. Given that I must give the warranty, incorporating a company won't solve the problem.

Has anyone been looking at insurance recently? I would appreciate your pointers on who you found out there. Are brokers useful?

I tend to earn between £30K and £44K a year and keep my rates very low so I'd like to purchase an inexpensive insurance then disclaim it against the warranty.

Go through a broker, they'll be used to this. I use Arthur J Gallagher Brokers (they're quite big and nationwide), get all the info from a broker then shop around ;)

My DH got his through his PGG membership, www.pcg.org.uk. You have to join the PCG first then there are three different levels to chose from. This was useful for him as he is just starting out, but possibly an expensive option if you are already experienced in business.

It's worth going with a broker. They'll shop around for you, help figure out your sums insured, remind you when your policy is approaching renewal. And if you ever claim it's always handy having a broker to put pressure on claims departments for updates etc. Insurers do not want to piss off brokers.

thanks I appreciate this.

DH uses Towergate
I get my insurance through my professional body

I always used caunce O'Hara for this... Although the PCG is worth joining for more than just access to insurace...