What You Should Know About Professional Liability Insurance
Professional liability insurance, often referred to as errors and omissions (E&O) insurance, provides crucial protection for businesses and professionals. This type of coverage helps safeguard your financial stability by covering the defense costs and settlements of claims arising from errors, omissions, or negligence in your professional services.
What Does Professional Liability Insurance Cover?
Professional liability insurance protects your business from claims related to:
- Errors or accidental omissions in your work
- Failure of your services to meet expectations or perform as intended
It’s important to distinguish this coverage from general liability insurance. While general liability insurance addresses claims involving property damage, bodily injury, or copyright infringement, professional liability insurance specifically covers issues tied to your professional expertise and actions.
Examples of what professional liability insurance typically covers include:
- Negligence
- Misrepresentation
- Breach of contract
- Missed deadlines
- Inaccurate advice
- Violation of good faith and fair dealing
- Incomplete or undelivered services
Why Is Professional Liability Insurance Important?
As a professional, you are responsible for providing accurate, reliable advice or services to your clients. Even if you’re highly skilled, mistakes or misunderstandings can happen—and even unfounded claims can result in costly lawsuits. Professional liability insurance ensures that you’re protected financially if a client believes you’ve made a mistake or failed to deliver.
Does My Business Need Professional Liability Insurance?
If you earn your living by offering professional advice or services, professional liability insurance is strongly recommended. Industries that commonly benefit from this coverage include:
- Architects and Engineers
- Real Estate Agents and Brokers
- Insurance Professionals
- General Contractors
- Land Surveyors
- Attorneys
- Medical Professionals (including therapists, counselors, and pharmacists)
For some professions, professional liability insurance is required by law or licensing boards. For example:
- Government Contractors: Required to carry professional liability insurance for government projects.
- Medical Professionals: Specialized malpractice coverage may be mandatory.
- Attorneys: Some states, like Idaho and Oregon, require lawyers to carry professional liability insurance.
- Real Estate Professionals: Many states require active E&O insurance to maintain a real estate license.
Types of Professional Liability Insurance Policies
Professional liability insurance policies are tailored to meet the specific needs of each professional or business. The two most common policy types are:
- Claims-Made Policies: These cover claims only if both the alleged incident and the lawsuit occur during the active policy period.
- Occurrence Policies: These provide coverage for claims arising from incidents that occurred during the policy period, even if the claim is made after the policy has expired.
Why Choose Troy Insurance for Professional Liability Insurance?
Your business is unique, and so are your risks. We take the time to understand your specific needs and concerns to craft a policy that fits your situation.
You’ve worked hard to build your business—now it’s time to protect it. Let us help you assess your risks and customize a professional liability insurance policy that ensures you’re prepared for the unexpected.
Secure your business, safeguard your reputation, and focus on what you do best while we handle the rest.