FAQ category: Core FAQs

You need cover because clients rely on your software and services more than ever, and the UK is becoming more litigious.

Our insurance products safeguard your business if things go wrong. It provides legal protection and also compensation to your clients if you are liable for any errors or downtime.

The right insurance protects you and your business.

  • Professional indemnity insurance – This is crucial. It covers you for allegations of mistakes and negligence. It provides compensation to your client (or a third-party) in circumstances where you are liable due to professional negligence, and usually covers associated defence or legal costs.
  • Cyber insurance – This mustn’t be underestimated. Even the largest companies can be hacked. You know IT security better than most but it only takes a small oversight for your systems to be compromised. We provide specialist support and our insurance will get your business back on its feet quickly if the worst happens.
  • Public and product liability – This covers physical injury and damage and can be added to packages at a low cost.
  • Employers’ liability – This will protect you from legal costs should an employee sustain a bodily injury in the course of their employment. If you have any employees it is compulsory in the UK to have employers’ liability and it can be added to packages at a low cost.
  • Computers, laptops and office equipment – We advise insuring your IT equipment from theft and destruction and can offer cover for portable IT on a worldwide basis.
  • Directors’ and officers’ insurance – This covers claims against directors or senior managers made in a personal capacity and is especially relevant if you have external investors who could hold company directors liable for failures or missed targets.
  • Breach of contract – Allegations software fails to meet the contractual provisions, including missed deadlines, non-compliance, non-performance and failure to meet uptime requirements.
  • Cyber-attacks – Incidents affecting either your systems or your client’s (where you are liable).
  • Counter claims and tactical litigation – Increasingly claims are being made tactically, for instance, by clients with cash flow challenges who make unfounded allegations in a bid to get your business to write off or reduce genuine invoices.
  • If you have American or Canadian clients or contracts, they will probably be excluded and some insurers will restrict cover to UK claims only. However, policies can be extended to include USA and Canada protection for an additional premium.
  • Most policies will exclude any claims related to patents. In the software sector, you may not need it, but we can explore additional coverage if you do.
  • Deliberate acts, dishonest or fraudulent acts are usually excluded unless committed by an employee without the knowledge of senior management.
  • Disputes which are purely commercial in nature and not linked to your supply or service provision, such as a commercial dispute with a supplier may be excluded. Disputes with clients are usually covered, especially if they allege your business has been negligent or breached a contract.

Professional indemnity covers you for allegations of mistakes and negligence.

It provides compensation to your client (or a third-party) in circumstances where you are liable due to professional negligence, and usually covers associated defence or legal costs.

You work with clients on their brand and media presence in a fast-paced environment where publicity, good or bad, can go viral. You need insurance that protects and defends you because it’s easy for allegations to be made when things go wrong.

Our business insurance provides a legal defence for your business and helps cover the costs of putting things right, if you are liable.

The right insurance will protect your business, its reputation and balance sheet.

You’ll need a tailored package that includes:

  • Professional indemnity insurance – We suggest you to have professional indemnity. This covers you for allegations of mistakes and provides compensation where you are liable due to professional negligence. It usually covers associated defence or legal costs too which is vital when you are working with companies bigger, and more able to litigate, than yours. It will cover you for claims from clients and third parties.
  • Cyber insurance – Cyber criminals are acutely aware that marketing and media companies have access to sensitive commercial data which they can exploit. You’ll need cover if they gain access to your systems.
  • Public and product liability – This covers physical injury and damage and can be added to packages at a low cost.
  • Employers’ liability – This will protect you from legal costs should an employee sustain a bodily injury in the course of their employment. If you have any employees it is compulsory in the UK to have employers’ liability and it can be added to packages at a low cost.
  • Computers, laptops and office equipment – We advise insuring your IT equipment from theft and destruction and can offer cover for portable IT on a worldwide basis.
  • Directors’ and officers’ insurance – This covers claims against directors or senior managers made in a personal capacity and is especially relevant if you have external investors who could hold company directors liable for failures or missed targets.
  • If you have American or Canadian clients or contracts, they will probably be excluded and some insurers will restrict cover to UK claims only. However, policies can be extended to include USA and Canada protection for an additional premium.
  • If you are involved with advertising production, some policies will exclude work away for the office unless you buy an extension.
  • Most media policies will exclude any claims related to patents. We can explore additional coverage if you need it.
  • Some insurers will apply a retro-active date, which means complaints or claims related to work prior to that date are excluded.
  • Deliberate acts, dishonest or fraudulent acts are usually excluded unless committed by an employee without the knowledge of senior management.
  • Disputes which are purely commercial in nature and not linked to your supply or service provision, such as a commercial dispute with a supplier, may be excluded. Disputes with clients are usually covered, especially if they allege your business has been negligent or breached a contract.

Professional indemnity covers you for allegations of mistakes and negligence.

It provides compensation to your client (or a third-party) in circumstances where you are liable due to professional negligence, and usually covers associated defence or legal costs.

A tailored professional indemnity package should include extensions important for creative professionals such as breaches of infringement of intellectual property rights including copyright infringement, or any misappropriation of musical compositions, graphic material, or artwork.

Insurance for this sector is usually purchased in a package or portfolio. This means the financial lines insurance form part of a single package with a single insurer. This is particularly common for small and medium-sized financial services companies, asset managers, financial institutions or fund managers.

The most common package combines professional indemnity, crime insurance and directors’ and officers’ insurance. Recently, some insurers have started to offer cyber insurance, and in some cases public and employers’ liability extensions.

We advise you get professional indemnity and directors’ and officers’ insurance as a minimum. In fact, depending on your Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) permissions, professional indemnity might be compulsory.

Depending on whether you handle client funds on your own platform, crime insurance might or might not add value. We can help advise you.

In recent years, we have seen an increase in claims, in part driven by social media and campaigns by some law firms, often referred to as ‘claims farmers’. These campaigns, previously focused on large investment providers, are now targeting companies of any size.