Professional indemnity insurance

[duncan drennan]

Does any one know where I should look to find out about professional indemnity insurance?

Main reason I am looking: if I make something, and someone uses it and happens to kill/harm themselves I might need some type of insurance to cover legal expenses etc.

What is available?

[Dave A]

Professional indemnity insurance is most often facilitated by the associated professional body. The schemes I'm aware of often require membership of such a body as a prerequisite. Isn't there a professional engineers association, council or board of some sort? They'd be the place to ask.

A second option would be to get hold of an insurance broker, but not all of them will look much beyond the regular high-volume standard stuff.

[duncan drennan]

I have started by looking there, they just have a horrible website. I just have to spend some more time probing, but I'll post here when I have my answer. ECSA is the engineering body for SA, http://www.ecsa.co.za

[Eugene]

" if I make something, and someone uses it and happens to kill/harm themselves I might need some type of insurance to cover legal expenses etc."

Duncan, the best advise would be not to make something that will kill/harm someone else (LOL). Will find out from a buddy of mine in the insurance game what is available and let you know.

[RKS Computer Solutions]

Disclaimer: If you happen to kill yourself using our product, please don't blame us.... hehehe

Duncan, the solutions would be to make it as fail-safe as possible, and put huge disclaimers on it, or have it tested to the max and work out any kinks and then still put the disclaimers on...

[Phil Cooper]

Duncan - speak to me - can help.

You don't need Professional Indemnity - you need Products Liability.

[Phil Cooper]

Hi

Professional indemnity would cover him if he DESIGNED the goods, and there was a defect in the DESIGN, but the goods were made as per the design, but caused a defect because of a defect in the DESIGN.

Public Liability excludes any damage or injury caused by a defect in the goods themselves.

Products Liability is an EXTENSION to a General Liability policy (it cannot be written alone), which extends the policy to indemnify the Insured for loss, damage or injury caused by goods supplied which are defective in any way.

Three totally different covers in this case.

I used to lecture on Liability Insurances for the SA Insurance Institute, and this is one of my specialist areas.

One extra comment: with the advent of the Consumer Protection Act, anyone who sells goods who does not have the correct liability covers is on a VERY slippery slope!

[Phil Cooper]

General Liability is the most basic Public Liability policy issued - it is what you will generally get with your domestic or business insurances.

Correct comment - if he designs, and manufactures, and repairs - would need General, Defective Workmanship, Products Liability and Professional Indemnity (if the design process is regarded as a professional service, such as by an engineer, etc.)