Professional indemnity, public liability, and business insurance for Queensland engineers and consultancies — placed by a broker who understands that a design error claim can arrive years after the project is complete.
These are the exposures that regularly catch Engineers & Engineering Consultancies off guard — often because they weren't on anyone's radar until a claim was already underway.
A design error that results in structural failure, cost overruns, or remediation work can generate a PI claim years or decades after the design was certified. The long-tail nature of engineering claims means continuous and adequate PI cover isn't optional — it's fundamental.
Principal contractors, government clients, and project owners routinely require engineers to carry PI insurance as a condition of engagement — often specifying minimum limits, policy conditions, and additional insured requirements. Without the right cover, you don't get the job.
A failure to comply with current codes, standards, or regulatory requirements — even unknowingly — can result in significant claims if the non-compliance causes loss or damage. Engineering standards evolve, and design decisions made against a previous code can become a liability issue.
Engineers attending sites for inspection, certification, or supervision carry public liability exposure that is separate from their professional PI. An injury on site during a professional visit is covered under public liability, not PI.
When you engage or coordinate the work of sub-consultants, specialist engineers, or design subcontractors, errors or omissions in their work can result in claims that flow back to you as the lead or responsible engineer.
PI operates on a claims-made basis — the policy in force when a claim is made must respond. Practice changes, mergers, retirements, and dissolution all create run-off exposure that needs to be deliberately addressed, not overlooked.
The insurance products most relevant for Engineers & Engineering Consultancies — each placed through our panel of 20+ specialist insurers.
Covers claims arising from errors, omissions, or negligence in engineering design, specification, certification, and professional advice — including defence costs and run-off cover for prior work.
Covers injury to third parties or damage to their property arising from your engineering activities — including site inspections, certification visits, and on-site supervision.
For engineering principals and directors. Covers personal liability from decisions made in managing the business — employment claims, regulatory obligations, and governance exposures.
Covers your office, CAD equipment, specialist computing assets, and general contents. Business interruption cover for engineering consultancies is particularly relevant given the high cost of replacing specialist hardware and data.
Three reasons an independent broker delivers more for your premium than buying direct.
The appropriate PI limit for an engineering consultancy depends on project values, client requirements, and the liability environment for your discipline. We review these factors rather than defaulting to the minimum that keeps your professional registration current.
Multi-year projects, staged designs, and long-running engagements create complex PI timing questions. We structure your policy to ensure cover is continuous across the full project lifecycle — not just while the work is actively underway.
A structural defect claim or a design certification dispute requires a broker who can translate engineering concepts for insurers and adjusters. We manage claims advocacy on your behalf from the first notification through to resolution.
A design certification dispute from a project completed four years earlier came back as a formal claim. Alvero had structured our run-off properly when we restructured the practice. Without that, it would have been a personal exposure. The claim was defended successfully but it was a long process — having the right PI in place made it manageable.
Answers to the questions we hear most from Engineers & Engineering Consultancies — no jargon, no spin.
Engineering PI limits vary significantly by discipline, project scale, and client requirements. Sole-practitioner or small consultancies often start at $1M–$2M. Firms undertaking significant infrastructure, structural, or civil projects may be required to carry $5M–$20M or more per claim. We review your project history, forward pipeline, and contractual requirements to recommend appropriate limits.
It depends on your policy wording and how the sub-consultant engagement is structured. Some policies extend cover to errors by sub-consultants engaged under your direction; others specifically exclude sub-consultant work or require them to carry their own PI. We review how your sub-consultant engagements are structured and ensure your policy responds accordingly.
Most engineering practices carry an annual PI policy that covers all projects undertaken during the policy period — not project-specific policies. Annual policies are more cost-efficient and avoid coverage gaps between projects. For very large or unusual projects, project-specific top-up cover may be appropriate, which we can arrange alongside your annual programme.
PI policies are claims-made — the policy in place when a claim is lodged must respond, regardless of when the work was done. Run-off cover extends your PI protection forward after you retire, the practice is dissolved, or the firm changes structure. Without it, years of completed work can be exposed. We plan for run-off proactively, not as a last-minute consideration.
If you review, certify, or take responsibility for the design work of another party — including a sub-consultant — you take on PI exposure for that work. The extent of that exposure depends on the nature of your review, what you certified, and how liability is allocated in your engagement contracts. We review these arrangements when placing your cover.
Tell us about your situation and a broker will come back to you within one business day — no jargon, no pressure, no obligation.
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