Professional indemnity insurance is an essential purchase for professionals who are advising or offering a service as part of their business and no more is this the case than for Architects. Working with Manchester Underwriting Management (Underwriters to AMLIN) we've used our experience to develop a bespoke professional indemnity (PI) facility for Low Fee earning and part time Architects.

We recognise some Architectural Practices operate at the lower fee end of the scale either because they prefer to operate as one or two person operations or because the Architect only carries out a small amount of annual fee work possibly in addition to an employed position where their liabilities are catered for by their employer but not their out of office activities.

Designed for Low fee earner Architects including, but not restricted to, new business start ups our scheme provides cover limits consummate to those suggested by the ARB with up to a 25% discount for new business start-ups or where not retro cover is required.

The scheme provides cover based on civil liability wording with limits from £250,000 each and every claim with legal defence cost in addition and with a £500 policy excess that is not applicable to the defence costs.

Downloads

• Architect PI Scheme Form

Architects Low Fee Earners Scheme

Professional Indemnity Insurance

We recognise not all Architects earn large fees nor undertake large and complex projects so in order to allow these firms or individuals to operate with a robust Professional Indemnity Insurance at a realistic cost Hammond Professional Indemnity have negotiated a scheme designed specifically for Architects and Architect firms earning less than £100,000 which is underwritten Manchester Underwriting (Amlin Insurance).

The premium offered is designed and aims to be lower than rates generally offered in the market as it is targeted at specific sizes of firms

Cover is comparable to other policies offered in the markets and is issued with the ARB requirements in mind.

The policy meets the demands and needs for Professional Indemnity insurance as outlined within the attached declarations.

• Insurers: Manchester Underwriting Management
• Limit of indemnity: Limits form £250,000 any one claim
• Policy period: 12 months from inception
• Declared Fee Income: Not exceeding £100,000
• Retro Date: Fully Retroactive
• New Business Start-ups: – 25% discount with No Retro date

If your fees have exceeded £100,000 in any of your last five financial years, you will not automatically qualify for the scheme and the policy may need to be individually underwritten but may be accepted at normal terms.

• Legal Defence costs: Will be paid in addition to the limit of indemnity
• Policy Excess: The policy excludes the first £500 of any claims
• Policy basis: Professional Indemnity policies are written on a claims made basis. This means that a claim will be notified under the policy which is in force at the time you first become aware that a claim may be made against you.
• Cancellation: Should the policy lapse in the future, no cover is provided for claims arising after cancellation of the policy. (A specific “Run Off” policy can be purchased for provide protection in the event that the individual member ceases trading).

Principal Exclusions

• Fines, Penalties or liquidated damages incurred under contract
• Bodily Injury
• Any circumstance or claim known you prior to inception of this policy

For a full list of exclusion please refer to the policy documents.

Costs

Premiums start from £168.75.

This policy will not be suitable for those:

• Who’s fees have more than 50% of their income deriving from Public Sector/Commercial clients.
• With projects were the total construction value of a single contract/build has exceed more than £1.5m
• Where The Firm is undertaking non-architectural Surveys & Valuations, Golf Course Design, Setting Out, Geotechnical, Hydrographical or Mineral Surveying, Nuclear, Chemical, Mining, Offshore, Tunnelling, Bridges, Railways, Swimming Pools
• Where the firm is employed solely as a Project Manager, responsible for other contractors/consultants
• Where the Firm is RICS registered

Please Download this Declaration

Download and return a signed copy of this PDF declaration

• Small Architect Scheme Form