Consulting Engineers

The Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) represents the business interests of the consultancy and engineering industry in the UK and is currently the largest association in this field with a membership of around 800 firms, both large and small, operating across many different disciplines.

ACE encourages its members to seek PI cover with minimum terms and conditions which are clearly stated in the ACE Charter. Such minimum terms and conditions are not a requirement of the insurance coverage but merely a way for firms to make a reasonable comparison between quotations offered by different insurers.

These minimum terms and conditions are as follows:

• Annual ‘claims made’ cover on an ‘each and every claim’ basis
• Fully retroactive cover ie policy with no exclusion in place for claims arising from work performed prior to a specific and past date
• Civil liability insuring clause
• Cover to include the member firm, predecessors in business of the member firm and persons or agents at any time employed by the member firm or its predecessors

In addition cover should be included for collateral warranties, liability arising out of arbitration, adjudication or other dispute resolution provisions to which the insured member commits under contract and costs and expenses incurred in the defence of criminal proceedings for breach of statutory regulation relative to building or construction works.

Due to the variety of insurers offering PI insurance for consulting engineers, policy wordings differ enormously. Particular care must therefore be taken to ensure that the cover being offered at least matches the minimum terms and conditions recommended by ACE.

Quercus PI has extensive experience in broking this class and will give guidance on the completion of proposal form and how this should be submitted to the market in addition to advice in relation to the scope of existing cover, any alternative cover offered and on-going advice in respect of collateral warranties.

Download Proposal Form:
Adobe PDF Format
Microsoft Word Format