Professional Indemnity Insurance Flashcards
Is it mandatory for a firm to have Professional Indemnity Insurance in place?
Yes, in accordance with rule 9 of the rules of conduct for firms
What is professional indemnity insurance?
PII provides cover for claims against the policy holder for:
- professional negligence
- breach of duty
- defamation
What must a firm do in accordance to rule 9?
Ensure all previous and current professional work is covered by adequate and appropriate PII cover which meets the standards approved by the regulatory board
What does PII cover?
- legal costs and expenses incurred in your defence
- damages incurred by your client as a result of negligence
What is the purpose of PII cover?
- to ensure that a firm is protected from financial loss that it could not meet from its own resources
- protect the insured (member or firm) against consequences of its liability
- to give clients the assurance that they will not suffer financial loss
RICS advises that PII should meet the following standards…
- cover for all employees past or present
- each and every claim basis (or aggregate plus unlimited round the clock reinstatement basis)
- comprehensive wording
- written on a full civil liability basis
- minimum level of indemnity based on the firms turnover in the previous year
- maximum uninsured excess based on limit of indemnity
- PII should be underwritten by a listed insurer found on the RICS website
What minimum limit of indemnity should a firm have?
Depends on firms turnover in the preceding year:
Turnover of £100k or less = £250k
Turnover of £100k - £200k = £500k
Turnover of £200k or more = £1m
What is meant by maximum uninsured excess?
A small percentage of the total sum insured which is payable by the insured at the time of the claim
What level of maximum uninsured excess does RICS recommend?
Based on limit of indemnity:
Up to and including £500k = the greater of 2.5% of the sum insured, or £10,000
Over £500k - 2.5% of the sum insured
What level PII does Mace have?
£20 million
What is a “Retroactive Date” on PII?
The date at which you held uninterrupted professional indemnity insurance cover (even if you changed insurer during this time)
Or the date from which your insurer has agreed to cover you
Any claims that arise from events prior to this date will not be covered by your insurance
What if you had PII in the past however your cover stopped, if you took out a new policy would your retroactive date from the initial PII cover still exist?
No, you would only be covered for work since the start of your new insurance policy
However, you can ask your broker to backdate the retroactive date however this would come at a premium and they would have to ensure there isnt an ulterior motive behind backdating it
What is a “Inception Date” on PII?
The inception date is the date from which your new policy begins; it’s how far back your existing policy goes
“Claims Made” VS “Claims Occurring” cover in PII?
Claims made = claim has to be reported during the policy period and not once the cover is over
Claims occurring = the member / firm is covered for any claims occurring during the period of cover, even if they are reported once the cover has ended
What is Run-Off cover?
Is a form of PII which covers historical liabilities of a business after it ceases to trade
RICS recommends fully retroactive cover for 6 years however this is dependent on the contracts the firm has signed and the limitation period on those contracts
How are PII levels calculated for new firms?
Based on the first year trading expected turnover