What's the difference between public liability and indemnity insurance?

Asked by: Delilah Ryan  |  Last update: April 2, 2023
Score: 4.5/5 (42 votes)

The short answer could be designed as follows: professional indemnity insurance cover claims made by clients for professional negligence or mistakes, whereas public liability insurance covers claims made by members of the public for injury or damage.

Is professional liability and professional indemnity the same?

Professional Liability (also known as Professional Indemnity) allows whole the practice team to do their jobs without always looking over their shoulders. Professional Liability insurance covers claims that are actually made while the policy is in force, even if the error causing it happened years ago.

What's the difference between insurance and professional indemnity?

Simply put, professional indemnity insurance covers claims made by clients for alleged professional negligence or mistakes that have caused the client to suffer a financial loss, whereas public liability insurance cover claims made by members of the public for injury or damage.

What is public indemnity insurance for?

Public liability insurance protects you and your business against the financial risk of being found liable for personal injury, property damage and economic loss.

What does public indemnity cover?

Professional indemnity insurance protects you against claims for loss or damage made by clients or third parties as a result of the impact of negligent services you provided or negligent advice you offered. Compensation claims can be brought against you even if you provided a service or offered advice for free.

The Difference Between Professional Indemnity and Public Liability

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Does professional indemnity insurance include public liability?

The difference between public liability and professional indemnity insurance is that public liability is tailored for claims by members of the public for injury, illness or damage while professional indemnity covers claims by clients for professional mistakes or negligence.

What is public liability limit of indemnity?

What is Limit of Indemnity? The Limit of Indemnity (LOI) is the maximum amount the insurer will pay under a policy during the policy period. Legal costs may be included within the Limit of Indemnity or may be covered as an additional amount, depending on the policy purchased.

Do I need public liability?

Public Liability insurance is not a requirement by law, but many clients will insist that you're covered for public liability before allowing you to begin work. Some trade associations will not allow you to register with them unless you have a valid liability policy.

What happens if a business does not have public liability insurance?

A claim could range from a few hundred pounds to hundreds of thousands of pounds, depending on the nature of the incident. You will also have to pay court fees, medical expenses, and legal costs to all parties involved. If you are operating as a limited company, your business will be responsible for paying these.

What is public indemnity insurance UK?

Professional indemnity (PI) insurance is a commercial policy designed to protect business owners, freelancers and the self-employed if clients claim a service is inadequate.

Does a self-employed person need public liability insurance?

Do self-employed and sole traders need public liability insurance? Public liability insurance is not a legal requirement. But if your business involves interactions with the public, you may need this type of cover. That's regardless of the size of your business and whether you work alone.

Does public liability insurance cover accidental damage?

With a public liability insurance policy, you will be covered against any of the following occurring to a member of the public at your event: Accidental bodily Injury. Accidental death. Accidental doss of property.

Is Limit of liability the same as Limit of indemnity?

indemnity, the major difference is that a limited liability clause is all about how much liability one party can be assigned if something goes wrong with a contract. In contrast, an indemnity clause is all about which party will have to bear the cost of defending a legal claim.

What is public liability insurance policy?

Public liability insurance policy covers sum which the Insured becomes legally liable to pay as damages to the third party in respect of accidental death/bodily injury/disease and loss of or damage to property. The policy covers sum which the Insured becomes legally liable to pay as damages to third party.

Do you need indemnity insurance?

Here are some reasons why you may need Professional Indemnity Insurance which might help make things clearer: You provide advice and consultancy - Clients can claim compensation if there's a mistake in the advice you've given. You provide an expert service - In case you make a mistake in designs, plans or calculations.

What are the things that must be specified in an indemnity clause?

Indemnity clauses often set out a list of what actions a party is insured against, for example:
  • All lawsuits, actions or proceedings, demands, damages and liabilities.
  • All claims, liabilities, losses, expenses and damages arising from a contract.

Is indemnification only for third party claims?

Indemnification is only for Third Party Claims Unless Clause Expressly States it applies to First Party Damages. An indemnification clause will only apply to liability for claims brought by third parties. It will not apply to claims between the contracting parties.

Can indemnity be capped?

IV.

However, a capped indemnity clause operates on a different footing as the concept of reasonability, foreseeability and remoteness applicable to a damage claim is not applicable to the adjudication of an indemnity claim.

Why do you need public liability insurance?

Public liability covers you against extra costs if a claim is made against you by a member of the public in relation to your business activities.

Do I need public liability insurance as a sole trader?

Yes. The need for public liability insurance is not determined by your turnover; it depends on whether you come into contact with the public. However, many insurance providers will consider your turnover when calculating your insurance premium.

Does public liability insurance cover stolen tools?

public liability insurance – this can also cover your tools against damage and theft. But the advantage of public liability insurance is that it may also cover you for damage caused by you or another employee.

Can a sole trader get indemnity insurance?

Professional indemnity insurance is there to protect you as a sole trader against any legal action or claims for compensation that you might face.

What insurances should self-employed have?

What insurance will you need?
  • Income protection. Long-term income protection insurance protects you if your earnings drop because of sickness and injury. ...
  • Critical illness cover. This is a long-term insurance policy. ...
  • Life insurance. ...
  • Private medical insurance.

What insurances do self-employed people need?

If you're unsure, get them to check with their insurer to confirm that business use is included.
  • Professional indemnity insurance. ...
  • Employers' liability insurance cover. ...
  • Buildings and contents insurance. ...
  • Equipment insurance. ...
  • Public liability insurance. ...
  • Product liability insurance. ...
  • Goods-in-transit insurance. ...
  • Credit insurance.

What is self-employed public liability insurance?

Public liability insurance will cover you in the event someone makes a legal claim against you for something that has happened because of your work. A claim could arise, for example, if someone were injured or suffered damage.