We know the difficulties the market is causing to those of you who need to renew your professional indemnity insurance policies. These problems are not exclusive to architects, or indeed the UK construction market, but nevertheless we are conscious of the impact it is having on your businesses. This does not, sadly, appear to be a temporary market condition that will resolve itself in the short to medium term, but there are practical steps you can take to alleviate the worst of the issues. To help you, we have recently published updated guidance here.

While the problems the global PI market faces may be widespread and complex, we continue to work with our stakeholders and government to push for an industry-wide response. In the meantime, it is of absolute importance that you do not accept an insurance policy that leaves you and your clients exposed in the event of a claim, or carry out new architectural work for which you aren’t covered.

It may be the case that some of your historic liabilities are now uninsurable, in which case you should seek the expert advice of your broker to understand the risks and opportunities that may be available to you. This is particularly relevant in respect of fire-safety exclusions in the wake of high-profile claims arising from inadequate cladding systems.

While we cannot provide professional advice on insurance matters, if you require further information on your regulatory responsibilities please contact our Professional Standards team at professionalstandards@arb.org.uk or on +44 (0) 207 580 5861.