Professional liability insurance for architects. Everything you need to know.

Professional liability insurance is an important safeguard for architects in Switzerland. It protects them against the financial consequences of planning errors, mistakes in construction management or inadequate advice, which can result in personal injury and property damage. The insurance covers both claims for damages and defence against unjustified claims – in other words, it ensures your financial stability and good reputation.

The scope of liability in modern planning practice is growing all the time. General planners and coordinators of specialist planners bear additional responsibility. Appropriate professional liability insurance ensures that your company is also covered in connection with complex project structures and can continue to work stably and securely in the long term.

Professional liability insurance for architects covers you and your company against the financial consequences of various types of losses that can occur in connection with your professional activity. These include:

• Personal injury: Injuries to persons due to planning or monitoring errors
• Property damage: Damage to buildings, building components or third-party property
• Financial losses: Unnecessary use of expensive special machines or higher concrete quality than would be required under applicable standards
• Structural damage: Damage to and defects in structures and facilities due to incorrect planning or construction management

During the planning of a new research building, a calculation error in relation to the roof drainage goes unrecognised. After a period of heavy rainfall, water leaks into the building and damages sensitive laboratory equipment, which has to be replaced at high cost. The professional liability insurance of the responsible architectural firm covers the loss, ensuring that the company stays afloat financially.

How much professional liability insurance costs depends on how comprehensive your cover is to be. The higher the sum insured and the more benefits are included, the higher the premium will usually be. Many architectural firms supplement their cover with add-ons – such as for work as a general planner or for project-specific purposes.

Your company's individual risk profile is also a crucial factor. Do you mainly focus on smaller residential properties or do you regularly work on complex commercial buildings? Your professional activities influence the premium, as do the size of your company and the responsibilities within the project.

Want to know exactly how much professional liability cover will cost for your architectural firm? Our experts will be happy to advise you in person.

Professional liability insurance is a core component of architectural firms' and self-employed planners' insurance cover. Since construction projects are often complex and different risks can apply at the same time, you should consider other types of insurance as well. These include:

• Occupational benefits and accident insurance: Occupational benefits insurance and accident insurance are required by law for architectural firms with employees. They insure risks such as accident, disability, incapacity and death. Self-employed people without staff can use voluntary solutions to obtain comprehensive coverage for themselves. If your company works on building sites, supplementary UVG accident insurance and group daily sickness insurance may also be worth considering.
• Cyber risk insurance: The loss of sensitive project data, system failures and cyber attacks can cause substantial losses – planning firms with BIM data or digital project management systems are particularly at risk. Cyber risk insurance covers the costs of data recovery, business interruption and third-party claims. 
• Property insurance: Expensive hardware and software and office infrastructure are essential for operations. Property insurance covers damage caused by fire, water, burglary and technical faults and safeguards business operations. Optional add-ons such as electronic equipment insurance for special technical devices can also be included.
• Legal protection insurance: Disputes with customers, partners, authorities and subcontractors are common in construction projects. Legal protection insurance covers the costs of lawyers, legal proceedings and expert reports. Administrative legal protection and legal protection for contracts can be crucial, especially for complex construction projects.

If you have an architectural or planning company, you should take out professional liability insurance to protect yourself against the biggest financial risks – especially if you regularly work on large or complex construction projects. Allianz professional liability insurance provides optimal cover with the following extras:

• Inclusion of principal's liability and loss to property in the custody of or worked on by the insured
• Cover for activities as a general planner
• Inclusion of cyber events in connection with financial losses

Further advantages of our insurance solution include:

• Comprehensive personalised advice and systematic risk assessment
• Rapid claims processing by experienced specialists
• Cover packages that can be combined flexibly to meet individual needs
• Cover tailored specifically to architects, planners and engineers

Would you like us to put together a personalised quote for you? Our experts will be happy to advise you in person.