Free check · Contracts

Free contract insurance clause check

Send us the insurance clause from a client contract and a broker will tell you what it requires and whether your current cover meets it.

Part of: Professional indemnity insurance at Apex

In short

Client contracts often set out the insurance you must hold: the PI limit, whether it applies to each and every claim, how many years it must continue after the work ends, and other covers such as public liability or cyber. Apex will read the clause, and the indemnity and liability clauses around it, and tell you in plain English whether your cover meets it. The check is free, with no obligation, and nobody else is contacted.

How it works

Copy the insurance clause (and any indemnity or limitation of liability clause) from the contract, or attach the relevant pages.
Email it to info@apexinsurancebrokers.co.uk with your current policy schedule if you have one.
A broker reads it and tells you, in plain English, what the clause requires and whether your current cover meets it. If it doesn’t, we explain what would need to change.

There is no fee and no obligation. We don’t contact the other party or your insurer.

What we check in the clause

The limit, and whether it must apply to each and every claim or can be in the aggregate. Many PI policies are written on one basis, and contracts often ask for the other.
How long cover must run after the work ends. Clauses often ask for cover to be maintained for six years, or twelve where the contract is a deed, matching the limitation periods for claims.
“Commercially reasonable terms” wording: whether you can reduce or drop cover if it becomes unaffordable, and what you must tell the client if you do.
Fitness for purpose and other obligations beyond reasonable skill and care. PI policies generally cover negligence, not a promise that the result will be fit for purpose, so these can leave you uninsured.
Indemnities and liability you take on by contract beyond what the law would impose. Many PI policies exclude liability assumed under contract unless it would have existed anyway.
Requests to name the client on your policy, waive subrogation, or give notice of cancellation, which PI policies don’t usually allow in the form clients ask for.
Other covers the contract asks for: public liability, employers’ liability, cyber, or minimum standards for the insurer.
Evidence: whether a certificate or broker letter will satisfy the clause, and how often you must provide it.

Why it matters

An insurance clause is easy to sign and hard to comply with. If your policy doesn’t match it, you can be in breach of contract even without a claim, and if a claim comes, the gap falls on you. Checking the clause before you sign is far cheaper than finding out afterwards. Tech and consultancy contracts are a common source of problems: see insurance requirements in IT and technology contracts.

If the clause shows you need a higher limit or different cover, we can quote for it. If you are coming up to renewal anyway, ask for a free second opinion on your renewal at the same time.

Frequently asked

Is the contract clause check really free?

Yes. There is no fee and no obligation to buy anything through Apex.

Will you review the whole contract?

We review the insurance clause and the clauses that affect it, such as indemnities, limitation of liability and fitness for purpose. We don’t give legal advice on the rest of the contract; for that, speak to a solicitor.

What PI limit do client contracts usually ask for?

It varies by sector and contract value; £1m and £2m are common, and larger or public-sector contracts often ask for more. See what limits firms ask Apex for.

Can my PI policy cover a fitness for purpose obligation?

Usually not. PI policies generally respond to a failure to use reasonable skill and care. A fitness for purpose promise goes further, so it is worth negotiating it out of the contract or checking the policy wording.

Can my client be named on my PI policy?

PI policies don’t usually name clients as insureds. A broker letter confirming your cover is the usual way to meet the clause.

Send us your clause

Email the clause to info@apexinsurancebrokers.co.uk, or ask a broker to call you. Or call 0117 325 0027.

Ask a broker to check it Start your proposal

Apex Insurance Brokers Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England and Wales, company number 07014570. This check explains how an insurance clause relates to your insurance. It is not legal advice on the contract and does not guarantee that cover will be available or on what terms.