FAQ category: Web Designers and Web Developers

You need cover because clients rely on their websites and your web design 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 the website fails to meet the contractual provisions, including matters such as missed deadlines, non-compliance, non-performance and failure to meet uptime requirements.
• Cyber-attacks – Incidents affecting either your website 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.
• AdWords – Whilst not always within the services provided by web designers and web developers, a common source of claims relates to Google AdWords, where clients allege inadequate returns on investment or overspend.

Watch this video where we visit some of the claims we have seen made under a web designers professional indemnity policy.

• 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.
• 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.

We cover any web design business, including those responsible for hosting, and other related marketing activities like social media management and Google AdWords.