Public liability is usually written on an "occurrence" basis: the policy in force at the moment the injury or damage happens is the policy that responds, even if the claim is not intimated until years later. This is a materially different trigger from professional indemnity, which is written on a claims-made basis and responds to notifications made during the policy period regardless of when the underlying work was carried out. The occurrence trigger matters when a firm changes insurer, because historic policies remain on risk for injuries and damage that happened while they were on cover.

Why professional firms need public liability alongside professional indemnity The retention or excess, as noted, is occurrence: the policy in force when the injury or damage happens is the policy that responds.Architects. Site visits are the principal exposure. A partner walking a client's construction site, inspecting works or supervising trades is exposed to the accidents that happen there. An architect acting only as designer is in a different position from one directing works or acting as contract administrator.

can bring investigations by the Health and Safety Executive or environmental regulators within the cover. Data protection extensions on PL policies are extremely narrow and should not be relied on — a cyber policy is the meaningful cover. Terrorism extensions are unusual on professional-firm PL. Named contractors as additional insureds What is the difference between public liability and employers' liability? solicitors, architects,

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