Business Owner Policy for Architects/Engineers

The business owner policy will be similar to other types of business owner policy in different industries with a few exceptions of coverage.

The business owner has a few major portions of the policy. The general liability, automobile liability (also known as hired and non-owned auto) and business personal property.

General liability is for protection for third-party property damage or personal/advertising injuries allegedly caused by your firm. The coverage is different from a contractor’s policy in that they will have coverage for their work. For architects/engineers your ‘work’ is your designs and that is covered under your firm’s Professional Liability policy.

The general liability portion of the policy also includes, in most cases, a blanket additional insured endorsement. The endorsement will include your clients as additional insured as required by contract.

Automobile liability or hired and non-owned covers liability expenses for accidents involving vehicles that your business uses for work purposes but does not own. This also includes your employee’s personal vehicles that are used for business purposes. If you have owned vehicles the liability portion will be covered under that separate policy

Business personal property is the coverage to replace your firm’s property. This includes everything from paperclips to desks. The policy may have an added coverage for fine arts, which include coverage for the 3-D models your firm may have in your office.

Other coverage that may be included in your firm’s business owner policy are valuable papers, employee dishonesty, business income and equipment breakdown. Some exclusions that may be in your firm’s policy are fungi, asbestos and silica.

Read your firm’s business owner policy to have a full understanding of what is coverage or not covered in your policy. If you have questions please call or email your Professional Underwriter agent.