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Insurance for architects Insurance for architects

Professional protection for architects and architecture businesses with flexible and customisable insurance that fits your business.

Be quote confident. We'll beat the price of any like-for-like quote. T&Cs apply.

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What does architects' insurance cover?

Whether you own an architecture firm or work as a self-employed freelance architect, there are some significant risks associated with designing buildings and infrastructure.

Superscript's flexible insurance for architects protects you and your business against a range risks, from the loss or theft of specialist equipment to cyber breaches and much more.

Build you fully customisable policy with a range of covers, including:

  • Public liability
  • Business equipment
  • Employers' liability
  • Cyber insurance

Be quote confident

We're big on fairness. So if you find a lower price for a comparable quote, we won't just match it – we'll go one better and beat it.

So even better than apples to apples, apples to better apples. We're talking Galas to Braeburns.

As you'd expect, T&Cs apply.

What covers do architects need?

Public liability

One of the most commonly sought-after covers for sole traders and limited companies or all sizes, public liability insurance protects you in the event that you are responsible for injuring (or damaging the property of) a third party, such as a client or member of the public. It can cover the legal and compensation costs if a claim is made against you.

Business equipment

Equipment cover protects the valuable specialist equipment that you rely on to complete your work and run your business, day in, day out. Whether it's specialist drafting tools, or your laptop and phone, you're covered against loss, theft and damage.

Personal accident cover

This cover will pay a benefit if someone working for the business suffers an accident resulting in loss of sight, hearing, speech or a limb, death or leaving them disabled and permanently unable to work.

Cyber insurance

Cyber insurance is designed to protect you from a range of cyber risks that can affect sole trader and self-employed individuals in any industry.

From card data breaches to social engineering fraud and GDPR non-compliance to business interruption if your website provider goes down, cyber insurance protects you.

Employers' liability

If you employ any staff, then you are legally obliged to hold employers' liability insurance. This cover protects you and your business in the event of a claim made by someone you employ, for instance if they are injured at work.

Once you've completed a quote, you'll be able to view a summary of cover. Please always refer to your policy documents for full details around exclusions, terms and limits of your customised cover. Read our guide to understanding your policy documents.

Architects' insurance claims examples

There are various different types of insurance claim that a an architect may have to make, so here are a few examples of specific claims that would be covered by Superscript’s customisable policy:

Hot coffee spillage

When presenting blueprints to a client at your office, you accidentally spill hot coffee over their laptop, damaging it beyond repair. Your public liability insurance can cover your legal and compensation costs if the client makes a claim against you.

Website downtime

Your firm's website crashes due to a cyber attack on the web service firm that hosts your site. Your cyber insurance policy pays out for projected profits lost during your company’s downtime, even if the outage happened at a third-party business you depend on.

Injured employee

While doing a site inspection, an employee of yours is injured and makes a claim against your company. Your employers' liability insurance can cover the legal and compensation costs involved in a claim against your business by an employee.

How do insurance claims work for architects?

1

You make a claim

Log in to your online account and go to the ‘Make a claim’ section. There, you can make a claim directly – there's no need to call us.

We'll ask you for some details about your claim, including a crime reference number (if applicable), the date of loss, type of claim and its detailed description.

You can also attach any relevant supporting documentation like proof of loss or proof of purchase.

2

We'll get on the case

Once submitted, your claim will be assessed.

If the claim is large, we may need more information from you. Or, if it's small, our team may be able to settle it within a couple of days (or hours, in some cases).

Either way, we'll keep you regularly updated and you'll be able to see the status of your claim on our customer portal.

3

Your claim is settled

After it's been assessed, we'll let you know if your claim has been successful or not.

If items have been lost, stolen or damaged, we might arrange for the items to be replaced or make a payment to you.

Architects' insurance FAQs

What is architects' insurance?

Business insurance for architects and architecture firms is a combination of different covers, including:

  • Public liability insurance – covers injury or property damage caused to a member of the public or a client
  • Employers' liability insurance – covers you for the costs associated with a claim made against you by a member of staff
  • Cyber insurance (optional) – protects you from hacking, social engineering fraud and much more
  • Business equipment insurance – covers your specialist equipment, as well as your laptops and phones, from loss, theft and damage.
  • Personal accident insurance – pays a benefit if someone working for the business suffers an accident resulting in loss of sight, hearing, speech or a limb, death or leaving them disabled and permanently unable to work

Together, your policy can protect you from the wide variety of professional risks associated with designing buildings and infrastructure.

How much does insurance for architects cost?

The cost of your policy will depend on a number of factors such as your location, the types of activities you engage in, the value of your equipment, whether or not you have employees and whether or not you wish to include cyber cover.

Do architects have to have insurance?

The only cover that is legally required of any business in the UK is employers' liability insurance for any business with staff. However, you may wish to consider whether or not you would be able to cover the cost of a claim made against you or the cost to replace damaged equipment if you did not hold other business insurance covers.

Is my architects' insurance tax deductible?

In short, yes. Your business insurance premium is labeled by HMRC as an 'allowable expense' and the cost of your premium can be written off against your taxable profit for the year. Be sure to keep records of your expenses for your self-assessment or corporation tax return.

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