An each and every claim limit in PI insurance gives the insured a fresh limit of indemnity for every separate claim notified during the policy period, with no overall cap on the number of claims that can be paid. It is the structure required at primary level for several regulated UK professions, including solicitors and architects, because it stops the cover running out in a multi-claim year.
What each and every claim limit means in PI insurance
The limit of indemnity is the most an insurer will pay. “Each and every claim” describes how that limit is applied: separately, to every claim that meets the policy’s definition of a claim. A £1m each-and-every limit means £1m is available on Claim A, a fresh £1m on Claim B, and so on, regardless of how many claims arise in the policy year.
This contrasts with an aggregate limit, where the limit is shared across all claims notified in the year.
For UK regulated professions, each-and-every cover at primary level is a regulator-mandated feature in several frameworks:
- Solicitors (SRA) — the Minimum Terms and Conditions require £2m or £3m each and every claim depending on entity type, with no aggregate cap on the primary cover.
- Architects (ARB) — published criteria require cover written on an each-and-every-claim basis, with fee-income-banded minimum limits.
- Insurance brokers (FCA / IDD) — minimum levels of cover are set by reference to gross income, on a per-claim basis.
Other professions — accountants regulated by ICAEW, surveyors regulated by RICS — also use each-and-every structures for their core PI cover, with the precise minimums set by the respective regulator.
How an each and every claim limit works in practice
The defining test is the policy’s definition of “claim” and the related aggregation clause. The insurer will pay up to the full limit on every matter that is a separate “claim” under the policy. Where several allegations are connected by a common cause or originating event, the aggregation clause may treat them as one claim — drawing on a single limit — even if they involve different clients or different projects. See aggregation of claims.
Several practical features follow:
- No annual cap on claim count. Unlike an aggregate policy, an each-and-every wording does not run out in the policy year just because several claims have already been paid. The cover keeps responding.
- Reserves are set per claim, not against a shared pool. Each notification has its own reserve.
- Excess applies per claim. The firm pays the excess on every claim. On unrelated matters this means the excess is incurred each time; on aggregated matters it is incurred once for the related set.
- Defence costs treatment still matters. Whether costs sit inside or outside the limit is a separate question from whether the limit is each-and-every or aggregate. See defence costs inside vs outside the limit.
- The structure is regulator-driven for some professions. Where a regulator’s minimum terms require each-and-every, the wording cannot be replaced with aggregate cover and still meet the regulatory standard.
Worked example: each and every claim limit in action
Consider a small UK firm of solicitors with £500,000 of fee income, primary PI on the SRA Minimum Terms at £3m each and every claim, defence costs outside the limit (as the MTC require), and a £10,000 excess per claim.
During the policy year three separate, unrelated claims are notified:
- Claim A: a conveyancing matter. Settles at £180,000 with £35,000 of defence costs.
- Claim B: a probate dispute. Settles at £420,000 with £90,000 of defence costs.
- Claim C: a commercial litigation file. Settles at £750,000 with £140,000 of defence costs.
Each claim has its own £3m limit available. The settlements are all within the limit. The insurer pays:
- Claim A: £180,000 settlement plus £35,000 defence costs outside, less £10,000 excess paid by the firm.
- Claim B: £420,000 settlement plus £90,000 defence costs outside, less £10,000 excess.
- Claim C: £750,000 settlement plus £140,000 defence costs outside, less £10,000 excess.
The firm has paid £30,000 in excesses across the three claims. Each claim used a fraction of a fresh £3m limit; the cover is not exhausted, and any further claim that year would still have £3m of fresh cover available.
If the same firm had bought £3m aggregate cover instead, the same three claims would together have consumed £1.35m of indemnity (settlement only), plus £265,000 of defence costs. The aggregate would still have capacity at the end of the year, but a single large fourth claim could materially erode what remains. The difference becomes acute in a bad year where one cluster of claims approaches the headline figure.
The figures are illustrative; in real PI the timing, reserving and case development vary. The point is structural: each-and-every cover gives the firm a fresh limit per claim; aggregate cover does not.
When this matters most
Each-and-every cover matters most when:
Multiple claims arise from independent matters. A practice handling many separate engagements is structurally exposed to several unrelated claims in a year. Each-and-every cover protects the firm against the worst-case combination.
A single underlying issue triggers separate claims. Where one error affects several files — a misread of a legal point, a miscalculation in a financial model, a template letter with a defect — the aggregation clause is the key question. If the matters aggregate to a single claim, the each-and-every and aggregate structures behave identically for that group; if they don’t aggregate, the each-and-every cover gives a fresh limit per file.
Regulatory minimum standards apply. Solicitors, architects, brokers and others must hold each-and-every primary cover. Switching to an aggregate-only wording would breach the regulator’s minimum terms and could lead to enforcement action.
The firm has run-off exposure. Run-off cover written on an each-and-every basis preserves the same structural protection in retirement. Aggregate run-off can be exhausted by claims arising from old work.
Common variations and market wording
UK PI wordings express each-and-every cover in several ways. Common phrases and what they mean:
- “Limit of indemnity any one claim.” Standard each-and-every formulation.
- “Each and every claim and claimant.” Slight refinement — the limit applies even if multiple claimants are involved on the same set of facts. Aggregation may still treat them as one claim, depending on the aggregation wording.
- “Each claim including defence costs.” Each claim has the limit; defence costs are paid from within it. The limit resets per claim but is eroded by costs on each claim.
- “Each claim plus costs in addition.” Each claim has the limit, and defence costs are paid in addition (outside the limit). This is the SRA MTC structure and is also seen on some architects’, accountants’ and surveyors’ wordings.
- “Each and every claim, subject to aggregate sub-limit for [specific risk].” The main cover is each-and-every; a specific extension (often cyber, regulatory defence costs, or a defined activity) carries its own aggregate sub-limit. The main cover keeps its each-and-every character; the named extension does not.
The schedule is what governs. A marketing summary or quote sheet is not a substitute for the wording.
Related concepts
- Aggregate limit — the alternative structure to each-and-every.
- Aggregation of claims — when separate matters are treated as one claim.
- Defence costs inside vs outside the limit — whether legal costs erode the limit.
- MTC — minimum terms and conditions — where each-and-every cover is required by regulation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between each and every claim and aggregate?
Each and every claim provides a fresh limit per separate claim with no annual cap. Aggregate provides a single total limit shared across all claims in the policy year. The same headline figure delivers materially different protection. Each-and-every is more protective; aggregate is usually cheaper. Regulated professions are commonly required to hold each-and-every cover at primary level.
Does the SRA require each and every claim cover?
Yes. The SRA Minimum Terms and Conditions for solicitors’ PI require primary cover to be written on an each-and-every-claim basis with no aggregate cap. The minimum sum insured is £2m for sole practitioners and partnerships and £3m for LLPs and companies (these levels are set by the SRA and reviewed periodically). Excess layers above the minimum may be aggregate.
How does each and every interact with aggregation?
Aggregation is the policy mechanism for deciding whether multiple allegations are one claim or several. Under each-and-every cover, aggregating two matters into one claim means one limit is available for the combined matter and one excess applies. Splitting them into two claims means two limits and two excesses. The aggregation clause wording — usually based on “originating cause”, “originating event” or “series of related acts” — is what drives the outcome.
Does each and every cover have an annual maximum?
Strictly, no. The limit applies per claim, and there is no overall cap on how much the insurer might pay across the year. In practice, insurers’ reinsurance arrangements and policy clauses around “series” can limit exposure on connected matters, but the wording itself does not impose an annual maximum the way an aggregate policy does. This is one of the main reasons regulators favour each-and-every cover for core PI.
Does each and every apply to my excess layer too?
Not necessarily. Above the primary policy, excess layers in the UK PI market are commonly written on an aggregate basis. A firm with £3m primary each-and-every plus £7m excess aggregate has fresh primary cover for every claim, but a single annual £7m pool above that, shared across all claims. The structure of each layer should be checked on the schedule.
What is “each and every claim and in the aggregate”?
A hybrid wording. Each claim is subject to the per-claim limit and the total payable across the year is also capped at an aggregate figure (sometimes the same as the per-claim limit, sometimes a multiple of it). It is not true each-and-every cover. For regulator-required PI, the aggregate cap usually fails the minimum terms test unless its structure satisfies the regulator’s specific requirements.
Does each and every cover cost more?
Generally yes, but the difference is often smaller than firms expect, particularly at the small-firm end of the market. The premium difference reflects the insurer’s worst-case exposure on multiple claims. For regulated firms the question is largely academic at primary level because each-and-every is mandated; the structural choice arises in the excess layers above.
Does each and every protect me against a single very large claim?
The limit applies per claim, so a single £4m claim against £3m each-and-every cover leaves a £1m shortfall — the cover structure does not change the per-claim limit. Each-and-every protects against the multi-claim scenario, not the single-large-claim scenario. For protection against very large single claims, the answer is a higher per-claim limit, achieved through primary cover plus excess layers.
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Each and every claim limit in PI insurance: what it means",
"description": "An each-and-every claim limit gives a fresh PI limit per claim with no annual cap. Required structure for regulated UK PI under SRA, ARB and other regulators.",
"author": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Apex Insurance Brokers Ltd",
"url": "https://www.apexinsurancebrokers.co.uk/"
},
"publisher": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Apex Insurance Brokers Ltd"
},
"datePublished": "2026-05-29",
"dateModified": "2026-05-29",
"inLanguage": "en-GB"
}
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "DefinedTerm",
"name": "Each and every claim limit (PI insurance)",
"description": "A professional indemnity limit structure under which the insurer's limit of indemnity is available afresh on each separate claim notified during the policy period, with no annual cap on the number of claims. Required by several UK regulators at primary level.",
"inDefinedTermSet": {
"@type": "DefinedTermSet",
"name": "Apex Insurance Brokers Glossary",
"url": "https://www.apexinsurancebrokers.co.uk/glossary/"
}
}
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "FAQPage",
"mainEntity": [
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "What is the difference between each and every claim and aggregate?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "Each and every claim provides a fresh limit per claim with no annual cap. Aggregate provides a single total limit shared across all claims in the policy year. Each-and-every is more protective; aggregate is usually cheaper. Regulated professions commonly require each-and-every at primary level."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "Does the SRA require each and every claim cover?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "Yes. The SRA Minimum Terms require primary solicitors' PI to be each-and-every with no aggregate cap. Minimum sums insured are £2m for sole practitioners and partnerships and £3m for LLPs and companies. Excess layers above the minimum may be aggregate."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "How does each and every interact with aggregation?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "Aggregation decides whether multiple allegations are treated as one claim or several. Under each-and-every cover, aggregating two matters means one limit and one excess apply. Splitting them means two limits and two excesses. The aggregation clause wording drives the outcome."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "Does each and every cover have an annual maximum?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "Strictly no. The limit applies per claim with no annual cap. Insurers' reinsurance arrangements and series clauses may shape exposure on connected matters, but the wording itself does not impose an annual maximum. This is a key reason regulators favour each-and-every for core PI."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "Does each and every apply to my excess layer too?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "Not necessarily. UK PI excess layers are commonly written on an aggregate basis. A firm with £3m primary each-and-every plus £7m excess aggregate has fresh primary cover per claim but a single £7m annual pool above that. The structure of each layer should be checked on the schedule."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "What is 'each and every claim and in the aggregate'?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "A hybrid wording. Each claim is capped at the per-claim limit and the total across the year is also capped at an aggregate figure. It is not true each-and-every. For regulator-required PI, the aggregate cap usually fails the minimum terms test unless structured to satisfy specific requirements."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "Does each and every cover cost more?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "Generally yes, though the difference is often smaller than firms expect at the small-firm end. The premium reflects the insurer's worst-case multi-claim exposure. For regulated firms it is largely academic at primary level because each-and-every is mandated."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "Does each and every protect me against a single very large claim?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "The limit applies per claim, so a single £4m claim against £3m each-and-every cover leaves a shortfall. Each-and-every protects against multi-claim years, not single-very-large-claim years. For protection against very large single claims, buy a higher per-claim limit via primary plus excess layers."
}
}
]
}
About Apex Insurance Brokers Ltd
Apex Insurance Brokers Ltd is a Bristol-based insurance broker authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (firm reference number 724952). The company is registered in England and Wales under Companies House number 07014570. Contact: info@apexinsurancebrokers.co.uk | 0117 325 0027.
Last reviewed: May 2026 by Apex Insurance Brokers Ltd.
Important: this article is general information, not advice on your specific circumstances. For advice on PI insurance for your firm, contact us on 0117 325 0027 or info@apexinsurancebrokers.co.uk.