Professional Indemnity
For advice, design and services — cover for a claim that your work caused a client a financial loss.
PI responds when a client alleges your professional advice, design or service caused them a financial loss — and it pays the often-large cost of defending the allegation, whether or not it's ultimately upheld. It's claims-made, so notifying early matters. It's distinct from public liability, and the two aren't interchangeable no matter how a contract words it.
What it typically covers
- Civil liability for professional negligence
- Legal defence & investigation costs
- Breach of professional duty
- Loss of documents & data
- Defamation & IP infringement (some wordings)
- Fidelity / employee dishonesty (add-on)
- Continuous cover & run-off options
- Claims-made trigger with a retroactive date
Who it's for
Consultants, engineers, architects and designers, accountants and bookkeepers, IT and marketing services, brokers and advisers — anyone paid for advice or a professional service.
Claims examples
How the cover responds in real situations.
An engineer's design specification is wrong and the client re-does the build.
How the cover responds: PI covers the client's resulting financial loss and the cost of defending it.
A bookkeeper's error triggers a penalty for their client.
How the cover responds: PI responds to the client's claim for the penalty and the professional's defence.
A consultant is accused of missing a deadline that cost a client a contract.
How the cover responds: PI funds the defence even while liability is contested.
What to watch
The retroactive date reaching back over your past work; the limit and whether it's eroded by defence costs; notifying circumstances early because it's claims-made; and run-off cover for when you stop trading.
How Stonewell places it
We match the limit and retroactive date to your history and contracts, place it with PI-experienced insurers, and get circumstances notified promptly to protect the claim.
Ready to sort your cover?
Tell us how you operate and we'll place it across our panel — or if something has already gone wrong, lodge a claim and we'll take it from there.
Cover, limits and examples shown are general in nature and subject to eligibility, underwriting and the terms of the issued policy.