PI insurance broker for engineering consultancies in London
Short answer. Engineering consultancies buying professional indemnity in London face no statutory minimum limit, so the limit is driven by appointments, collateral warranties and framework requirements. The exposure period is long: the Limitation Act 1980 allows six years for negligence, twelve for contracts executed as deeds, and Building Safety Act 2022 s.135 set fifteen and thirty year periods for Defective Premises Act claims.
Apex Insurance Brokers places PI insurance for engineering consultancies across the UK including London and the South East. This page sets out how we approach engineering consultancies' PI placements for London-based firms. Apex acts for the client rather than the insurer, and our page on how a specialist broker handles engineers PI describes how that works in practice.
Serving London engineering consultancies
- Engineering Council framework expertise. Engineering Council framework, ICE / IStructE / IMechE / IET standards, BSA 2022 s.135 for structural engineers on higher-risk buildings.
- Named-broker model — the same person from first quote through to renewal.
- Wholesale Lloyd's access for difficult-risk placements.
- Firms of all sizes from sole practitioners to major practices.
- Cover-limit sizing reflecting practice profile and long-tail exposure.
The Engineering Council minimum
- No fixed statutory minimum under Engineering Council.
- Institution codes require adequate PII.
- Client-contract requirements typically drive the effective minimum.
- Structural engineers on BSA-touching work face 30-year tail exposure.
Statutory time limits that outlast a one-year PI policy
Engineering exposure runs for years after a project completes, as the statutory limits below show.
| Route of claim | Time limit | Runs from | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breach of simple contract | Six years | The date the cause of action accrued | Limitation Act 1980, s.5 |
| Negligence (tort) | Six years | The date the cause of action accrued | Limitation Act 1980, s.2 |
| Latent damage — negligence | Three years | The starting date defined in s.14A(5), where later than the six-year period | Limitation Act 1980, s.14A |
| Long-stop for negligence (not personal injury) | Fifteen years | The last act or omission alleged to constitute negligence | Limitation Act 1980, s.14B |
| Action on a specialty (a contract executed as a deed) | Twelve years | The date the cause of action accrued | Limitation Act 1980, s.8 |
| Defective Premises Act 1972 s.1 — prospective claims | Fifteen years | The date the right of action accrued | Building Safety Act 2022, s.135 |
| Defective Premises Act 1972 s.1 — retrospective claims | Thirty years | The date the right of action accrued | Building Safety Act 2022, s.135 |
Sources: Limitation Act 1980 ss.2, 5, 8, 14A, 14B (legislation.gov.uk); Building Safety Act 2022 s.135 (legislation.gov.uk). Legal time limits, not policy terms — a claims-made PI policy only responds if cover is in force when the claim is made.
How we approach a London engineers placement
- Full presentation preparation — practice profile, claims history, remediation.
- Market run — multiple insurers direct plus Lloyd's wholesale.
- Structural options tested — excess, aggregation, cover limits.
- Comparison on terms, wording, price.
- Bind decision with cover-note bridge.
- Ongoing broker relationship for the year.
Building Safety Act 2022 s.135 extended the limitation period for Defective Premises Act 1972 s.1 claims to 15 years prospectively and 30 years retrospectively, far beyond the six-year run-off most professionals buy.
Frequently asked
Do you serve London engineering consultancies specifically?
How much does engineers' PI cost in London?
Can you place cover for a London engineers with prior claims?
Do you handle Engineering Council-specific regulatory framework?
Do London engineering consultancies face specific PI dynamics?
Can you help a London start-up engineers practice?
What if I want to switch broker mid-cycle?
Do you serve London engineering consultancies outside the standard framework?
Related reading
- PI insurance broker in London
- Engineers sector guide
- Engineers annual PI renewal
- PI cover limit adequacy check