
Pi insurance for small business can be a complex and intimidating topic, but it's essential to understand what it is and how it can protect your business.
Pi insurance, also known as professional indemnity insurance, typically covers damages or losses resulting from professional negligence or errors.
As a small business owner, you may be wondering if you need pi insurance. The answer is yes, if you provide professional services or advice that could potentially harm others.
Pi insurance can help protect your business from costly lawsuits and reputational damage, giving you peace of mind and financial security.
What Is PI Insurance?
PI insurance, also known as professional indemnity insurance, is a type of insurance that protects small businesses from financial losses due to claims of professional negligence or errors.
This insurance is designed to cover the costs of defending against such claims, as well as any damages or settlements that may be awarded against the business.
The main purpose of PI insurance is to provide financial protection for small businesses that offer professional services, such as consultants, solicitors, and accountants.
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What Is PI Include?

Professional indemnity insurance, or PI, covers a wide range of scenarios, including professional negligence claims and data loss claims.
It can also help protect against allegations of giving poor business advice, which can be a costly mistake for any business.
A PI policy can provide up to £10 million cover for legal fees or compensation, helping you survive and thrive beyond a court case.
Industry-specific policies are available for tailored protection as your business grows.
Scenarios like breach of confidentiality, defamation, and intellectual property issues are also covered by PI insurance.
Note that PI insurance only covers events that have occurred since you've held a policy, with a retroactive date.
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What Is Insurance?
Insurance is a type of protection that helps you manage risks and financial losses. It's a vital tool for businesses that advise clients on complex matters.
Professional indemnity insurance, also known as professional liability insurance, is designed to protect professionals against claims of loss-causing advice, certification errors, and negligence.

You can get professional indemnity insurance as a standalone cover or add it to a broader business insurance policy. This flexibility makes it easy to tailor your insurance to your specific needs.
Some businesses may require a minimum level of professional indemnity insurance, so it's essential to check with trade associations and customers to see what's expected.
Professional indemnity insurance can protect you from financial losses of thousands of pounds. We offer coverage between £50,000 and £5 million, depending on your business type.
Some common reasons for professional indemnity claims include loss-causing advice, certification errors, and negligence.
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Do Business Owners Need PI Insurance?
Small business owners can be held personally liable for professional errors, which is a scary thought. Professional Indemnity Insurance can protect them against such risks.
In fact, Professional Indemnity Insurance is recommended for all self-employed people who work in a digital, creative or consulting capacity. This type of insurance is not compulsory, but some professional groups, like lawyers or tax advisors, are required to provide proof of it.
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Small business owners should take out Professional Indemnity Insurance because their personal assets could be at risk if a claim is made. With this insurance, the insurer will first check whether the claims against you are justified and whether the amounts involved are reasonable.
Professional Indemnity Insurance can cover a wide range of scenarios, including professional negligence claims, data loss claims, and allegations of giving poor business advice. It can also help with tricky areas like defamation and intellectual property.
If you're a small business owner who provides a professional service or gives advice, you should consider purchasing Professional Indemnity Insurance. This is especially true for companies that handle client data and are responsible for intellectual property.
Here are some examples of businesses that should have this cover:
- Marketing companies
- Architecture firms
- Interior and graphic designers
- Health consulting firms
- Financial advisors
- Recruitment, management, and business consultants
- IT contractors, like programmers and web developers
- Fitness professionals, such as personal trainers and dance teachers
- Private tutors
If you're advising clients, or helping them navigate complex financial or legal affairs, simple errors can cost thousands. This is why Professional Indemnity Insurance is so important for small business owners.
Business Risks Covered by PI Insurance

Professional Indemnity Insurance provides comprehensive cover for financial losses as well as personal injury and property damage caused to third parties in the course of your business.
Mistakes can happen despite all due care, leading to high damages, and are insured against, including violations of data protection laws (GDPR) and property damage and personal injury.
Some examples of risks covered by PI insurance include:
- Violation of data protection laws (GDPR)
- Violations of rights
- Property damage and personal injury
- Counselling mistakes
- Missed deadlines
- Valuation error
- Instructional errors
- Analysing error
- Data loss
- Loss of the keys to rented office space
PI insurance also covers risks arising from increasing digitalisation, including third-party cyber damage caused by cybercrime, viruses, malware, and ransomware.
Business Risks Covered
Professional indemnity insurance provides comprehensive cover for financial losses, personal injury, and property damage caused to third parties in the course of business. This includes mistakes made despite due care, which can lead to high damages.
Mistakes can happen in various areas, such as consultancy services, where crucial information is not taken into account. These errors are insured, as are violations of data protection laws (GDPR), violations of rights, and property damage and personal injury.
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Some specific risks covered by PI insurance include counselling mistakes, missed deadlines, valuation errors, instructional errors, analysing errors, data loss, and even loss of keys to rented office space. These risks are often associated with increasing digitalisation, including third-party cyber damage caused by cybercrime, viruses, malware, and ransomware.
Here are some examples of risks covered by PI insurance:
- Data protection law violations (GDPR)
- Violations of rights
- Property damage and personal injury
- Counselling mistakes
- Missed deadlines
- Valuation errors
- Instructional errors
- Analysing errors
- Data loss
- Loss of keys to rented office space
- Third-party cyber damage
PI insurance can also help cover industry-specific risks, such as professional negligence claims, data loss claims, and allegations of poor business advice.
When to Use This Cover
You might need Professional Indemnity insurance in situations involving professional errors, such as including factually incorrect information in a project you've done for a client.
Professional Indemnity insurance protects small businesses against professional risks like financial losses, personal injury, and property damage.
Error can happen in various ways, including including factually incorrect information in a project, which can lead to financial losses for your clients.
Negligence is another situation where you might need Professional Indemnity insurance, such as when client work doesn't meet the specified requirements, causing them to lose money or suffer an injury.
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Infringement can also be a reason to use Professional Indemnity insurance, for example, if an accusation is made that you've infringed a competitor's copyright.
Breaching confidentiality is another risk that Professional Indemnity insurance can cover, such as when an employee sends out an email to a supplier that contains confidential client information.
Professional groups like lawyers or tax advisors are required to provide proof of Professional Indemnity Insurance, so if you're in one of these professions, you'll definitely need this insurance.
Cost and Coverage of PI Insurance
The cost of Professional Indemnity Insurance for small businesses is not a one-size-fits-all answer, as it depends on various factors such as the industry you operate in and your previous year's turnover.
The cost can be influenced by the chosen add-on modules, the amount of the deductible, and whether you take advantage of discounts such as the start-up discount or term discount for a contract term of 3 years.
Calculating your individual insurance premium is a straightforward process that can be done online in just a few steps.
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What Does Cost?

The cost of Professional Indemnity Insurance can vary greatly depending on your industry and previous year's turnover.
Your chosen add-on modules can also impact the premium, so it's essential to consider what extras you need.
The amount of the deductible you choose will also affect the cost of your insurance.
You can calculate your individual insurance premium online in just a few steps.
Discounts are available for start-ups and those who commit to a 3-year contract term.
It's worth noting that each business is unique, and the cost of insurance will reflect that.
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Sum Insured/Cover Amount
The sum insured/cover amount is a crucial aspect of Professional Indemnity Insurance for small businesses.
Damages you cause can pose a significant threat to your livelihood, so it's essential to have a sufficient sum insured to cover financial losses.
According to current legal opinion, your liability cannot be excluded by general terms and conditions, but only limited.
The sums insured/coverage amounts depend on the potential impact of your errors or omissions on people, property, and the finances of customers and other third parties.
We offer a flat-rate sum insured for financial losses of up to €3 million to provide you with the best possible protection.
For personal injury and property damage, sums insured of up to €10 million are possible.
Our experts will be happy to advise you individually on the sum to be insured in your particular field of work.
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What Is the Cost of PI?
The cost of PI insurance is a crucial factor to consider for any business. It varies greatly depending on the industry and specific risks involved.
You can't determine a flat fee for Professional Indemnity Insurance, as the cost depends on several factors such as the industry, previous year's turnover, chosen add-on modules, deductible, and discounts.
Businesses in different industries face unique risks, which is why the insurance premium is calculated individually. You can use online premium calculators to get an estimate of your premium.
For small businesses, the annual net turnover of the last 12 months and whether you're a founder of a new business or a startup company are key factors that influence the insurance premium.
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You can calculate your individual insurance premium online in just a few steps, taking into account various factors such as the field of activity, annual net turnover, and contract term.
Here are the factors that influence the insurance premium:
- Field(s) of activity
- Annual net turnover of the last 12 months
- Whether you are a founder of a new business or a startup company
- Selected sum insured for Financial Loss Liability Insurance
- Selected sum insured for the General Liability Insurance
- Contract term: one or three years
What Cover Level Do You Need for Your Business?
You need to determine the right level of cover for your business, and it's not a one-size-fits-all solution. Every business is different, so you need to consider your unique circumstances.
Your business might be a member of an industry association, which could mean you need Professional Indemnity insurance as a requirement. If that's the case, the minimum level of cover will be decided for you.
To work out the cover you need, consider the size of your clients and the size of the contracts you have with them. This will help you understand the potential risks and costs involved.
You should also think about the potential total costs you'd need to make to defend yourself if a claim was made against you. This includes any compensation you might have to pay, based on multiples of the fees your clients pay for your services.
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Customizing and Cancelling PI Insurance

You can customize your PI insurance policy to suit your business needs by adjusting the policy limits, deductibles, and coverage options.
If you're not satisfied with your current policy, you can cancel it at any time, but be aware that you may not be entitled to a full refund of premiums paid.
To cancel your policy, simply contact your insurance provider and follow their cancellation procedure, which may involve paying a cancellation fee.
Customize Your Policy
You can only pay for what you need, which is a big advantage of customizing your policy.
This means you can pick what goes into your policy, so you're not paying for unnecessary extras.
By doing so, you'll save money and ensure you're covered for the things that matter most to you.
How to Cancel Coverage
Canceling your Professional Indemnity Insurance (PI Insurance) as a small business owner can be a bit tricky, but it's essential to know your options.

The standard notice period for canceling PI Insurance is one month before the end of the insurance year, which means you'll need to act quickly if you want to cancel mid-term.
If you fail to give the required notice, your contract will automatically be extended for another year, so be sure to mark your calendars.
However, there are some exceptions to this rule, which might come as a relief to some business owners. If your contributions increase without any adjustments to benefits, you may be able to cancel your PI Insurance.
Similarly, if you lose your occupation or have settled a claim, you may also be eligible for cancellation.
Here are the specific scenarios where you can cancel your PI Insurance:
- Increase in contributions, without adjustment of benefits
- Loss of occupation
- After a claim has been settled
Sources
- https://www.exali.com/en-dk/professional-indemnity-insurance-for-small-businesses/
- https://www.nextinsurance.com/professional-liability-insurance/edu/professional-indemnity-insurance/
- https://www.hiscox.co.uk/business-insurance/professional-indemnity-insurance/faq/what-is-professional-indemnity-insurance
- https://www.simplybusiness.co.uk/insurance/professional-indemnity/
- https://www.fsb.org.uk/resources-page/what-do-you-need-to-know-about-professional-indemnity-insurance.html
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