Building certifiers are essential to the construction industry, ensuring projects meet safety standards and comply with regulatory requirements. However, the role comes with significant challenges, including liability for errors, disputes over compliance, and the potential financial and reputational impacts of professional oversights.
In such a high-stakes environment, managing these risks is critical. With the right measures in place, building certifiers can confidently navigate their responsibilities while protecting their professional standing and business interests.
Professional Indemnity Insurance for Australian Building Certifiers
Building Certifiers have been facing an uncertain future for some years as their PI Insurance supply collapsed in the wake of the 'cladding crisis'.
Coverforce as a RICS Preferred Partner for Professional Indemnity Insurance in Australia along with RICS has been in negotiations with insurance providers for months to find a sustainable solution for this national issue.
We are pleased to announce that PII is available now for eligible insureds which includes coverage for cladding. Coverage has been designed by Insurers to be compliant, great value and 100% backed by Lloyds of London.
Key Policy Features:
- Limits of $1mil and $2mil offered (For limit requirements over $2mil, an "excess-layer" policy will need to be arranged above the primary $2mil cover. The "excess-layer" policy will likely have an industry Cladding exclusion.)
- Automatic reinstatement
- Cladding cover (refer to Coverforce for details)
- Fraud and Dishonesty cover
- Cover for Consultants, Sub-Contractors and Agents
- Continuous cover
- Inquiry costs - submitted to $100,000
- Run-off Cover
- Vicarious Liability
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Frequently Asked Questions
This policy is designed for Australian Building Certifiers with a turnover of less than 5mil AUD. It provides professional indemnity insurance (PII) including cladding coverage.
For Australian Building Certifiers with higher turnover, there are other cover options available and it is best to speak with your Coverforce broker for personalised advice.
The policy has been designed by Insurers to be compliant with relevant legislation throughout Australia for Building Certifiers. However, to ensure your policy is compliant, it’s important to adhere to the applicable minimum coverage limits and other requirements relevant to your business profile in the states and territories that you operate in.
It is always best to speak with your broker when taking out cover to ensure you get a policy that meets your needs.
The security for this product is provided 100% by Lloyd’s of London (Lloyd’s).
Lloyd’s has been in business since the year 1688 and has been a pioneer in insurance for over 330 years to become the world’s leading market for specialist insurance.https://www.lloyds.com/about-lloyds/history
No. The security for this product is provided 100% by Lloyd’s of London (Lloyds).
Lloyd’s is authorised under the Australian Insurance Act 1973 (Cth) to conduct insurance business in Australia and is a member of the Insurance Council of Australia.
As far as we are aware, this policy is currently the only cover available to Australian Building Certifiers, which provides coverage for cladding.
For more than 18 months, Coverforce and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) have been working hard with Insurers to be in this position where insurers are now able to offer Professional Indemnity Insurance including cladding coverage.
The process has involved systematically addressing key issues impacting insurer confidence, including consumer risk, and providing extensive historical data to support the solutions proposed.
In response, Insurers have set targeted underwriting guidelines to ensure that this policy may be sustainable for the long term. This includes the precondition for RICS to assess staff against internationally recognised professional competencies as a means to increase consumer protections (see below).
Coverforce and RICS are immensely proud to bring this solution to market. It is fantastic news for the industry and consumers.
There is no drawback to having broad coverage unless you are paying more than you need.
For businesses that have no cladding exposure, your policy is priced as per your specific risk profile. You will not have premium loadings that may be applied to business with cladding exposure.
As always, it’s best to talk with your broker who can provide you with advice suited to your specific circumstances. They can even help you to compare between alternate products and options available in the market.
Insurers have set two key policy conditions that leverage RICS assurance.
First, a minimum 50% of the professional staff of the insured must become a Chartered Surveyor or Associate member of RICS within the period of insurance.
The application process must commence within 4 weeks of policy inception otherwise Insurers reserve the right to double the standard policy excesses agreed at placement, in the event of a claim.
Second, the insured must become a firm Regulated by RICS within the period of Insurance.
The Certifiers Professional Indemnity facility has been negotiated with Insurers in conjunction with RICS.
Without RICS involvement, Insurers would not have introduced new insurance capacity into a distressed sector. The confidence of Insurers has been bult upon the assurance capabilities of RICS as a means to buttress the coregulatory environment for individuals and firms.
RICS assurance provides the critical means to:
- assess staff against internationally recognised professional competencies
- monitor compliance against the highest international standards
- support compliance through ongoing skills training and technical guidance
- provide robust complaints handling
- enforce against standards where necessary
- buttress the coregulatory environment
The policy is designed for Certifiers only, and therefore does not provide cover for Design & Engineering activities.
There are various options available for business that provide a range of professional services. It is always best to speak with your broker prior to taking out cover to ensure you get a policy that meets your unique business needs, including all licensing and registration requirements.
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To find out if your business is eligible to take out this cover and for an obligation free quotation, please contact us.
Alternatively, you can simply fill out the Building Certifiers Insurance quote form below and one of our insurance brokers will get in touch in one business day.
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