IPReg professional indemnity insurance requirements for patent and trade mark attorneys
Reviewed by Matthew Bartlett, Director, Apex Insurance Brokers Limited · Last reviewed 2026-08-05
Who IPReg regulates and why PI matters
IPReg is the operating name of the Intellectual Property Regulation Board, the independent body that regulates registered patent attorneys and registered trade mark attorneys in the UK. It maintains the registers, sets the Code of Conduct and enforces the rules that govern how attorneys and their firms practise. It works alongside the professional bodies — CIPA (the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys) and CITMA (the Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys) — but it is the regulator, not a membership body.
Professional indemnity insurance (PII, sometimes called PI) sits at the centre of that regulation. IP work carries real exposure: a missed renewal deadline, a lapsed patent or trade mark, a priority date lost, or advice that later proves wrong can crystallise into a substantial client claim. PII is the mechanism that protects clients — and the attorney's own practice — when something goes wrong. IPReg's PII rules exist so that a client who suffers loss has a realistic route to compensation.
What IPReg actually requires
IPReg's approach is built around a set of professional indemnity insurance rules that apply to regulated persons and the entities they practise through. Rather than fixating on a single number, it is more useful to understand the structure of the requirement, because the specific figures are set by IPReg and can be revised.
- Adequate and appropriate cover. Cover must be suitable for the nature, scale and risk profile of the practice. A sole practitioner and a large multi-partner firm are not expected to carry identical arrangements — the test is whether the cover is genuinely adequate for the work being done.
- A minimum level of indemnity. IPReg sets a floor for the amount of cover a regulated firm must hold. Because that figure is set by the regulator and reviewed periodically, you should confirm the current minimum from IPReg's published rules rather than relying on a remembered number.
- Minimum policy terms. The cover has to meet baseline conditions on scope, so that a policy cannot be hollowed out by exclusions that would leave clients unprotected in the situations the rules are designed to catch.
- Run-off cover. When a practice closes, merges or an attorney stops practising, run-off insurance must remain in place for a defined period to answer claims that surface after the work has ended. Claims-made PII only responds if a policy is live when the claim is made, so run-off is essential.
- Ongoing compliance and disclosure. Regulated firms are expected to maintain qualifying cover continuously and to be able to demonstrate compliance to IPReg on request.
The important compliance point is that these are structural requirements. IPReg publishes the specific minimum indemnity limit, run-off period and policy terms, and updates them from time to time. Treat any figure you read second-hand as indicative only and verify it against IPReg's current professional indemnity insurance rules before you rely on it.
Need PI cover that satisfies IPReg's rules and protects your practice? We arrange it for patent and trade mark attorneys.
Get a PI quote →PAMIA: the profession's mutual insurer
PAMIA — the Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys' Mutual Insurance Association — is the mutual insurer established specifically for this profession and is the principal provider of PII to UK patent and trade mark attorney firms. Because it was created by and for the profession, its cover is designed around the way IP practices actually work and around IPReg's requirements.
A mutual is owned by its members rather than external shareholders, which shapes how it behaves: underwriting and pricing are geared to the long-term interests of the profession rather than short-term shareholder return. For many firms, PAMIA is the natural starting point. That said, IPReg does not mandate any single insurer — what matters is that whatever policy you hold meets the regulator's minimum terms. Some firms, particularly larger or more complex practices, place cover in the wider commercial PI market or arrange additional layers above their primary policy.
Choosing a limit of indemnity
The IPReg minimum is a floor, not a target. The right limit for your firm depends on the value of the IP you handle, your client base, your fee income and your appetite for retained risk. As a general illustration of the options available in the market:
| Indicative limit | Typically suits |
|---|---|
| £1m | Smaller practices with lower-value portfolios, where this meets or exceeds the applicable minimum. |
| £2m | Established firms handling commercially significant filings and prosecution. |
| £5m+ | Larger firms, high-value patent portfolios, or clients whose contracts specify higher cover. |
These are generic illustrations, not quotes. The single mistake we see most often is carrying only the bare minimum: a lost patent on a valuable invention can generate a claim well beyond a £1m limit. It is worth sizing your limit to your actual exposure, not just to the rulebook.
Practical points to get right
- Continuity of cover. PII must be in force without gaps. A lapse is both a regulatory breach and a serious exposure.
- Claims-made basis. Cover responds to claims made during the policy period, so keeping the policy renewed — and arranging run-off when you stop — is what keeps you protected for past work.
- Scope of practice. If your firm does litigation, higher courts work, patent box advice or other adjacent services, check the policy responds to all of it.
- Dual-qualified and cross-border work. Attorneys registered with more than one regulator, or handling overseas filings, should confirm the policy covers the full footprint of the practice.
Common questions
Is PII mandatory for patent and trade mark attorneys?
Yes. IPReg requires regulated attorneys and their firms to hold qualifying professional indemnity insurance that meets its minimum terms. Practising without adequate cover is a regulatory breach.
Do I have to insure with PAMIA?
No. PAMIA is the profession's mutual and the most common provider, but IPReg does not mandate a specific insurer. Any policy that meets IPReg's minimum terms is acceptable, and some firms place cover in the wider market or add higher layers.
What is the current minimum limit of indemnity?
IPReg sets the minimum and revises it periodically, so we do not quote a fixed figure here. Check IPReg's current professional indemnity insurance rules for the exact minimum, run-off period and policy terms that apply to your practice.
Apex Insurance Brokers Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 724952). This guide is general information, not advice on a specific policy or a substitute for your policy wording.