Engineering Insurance

Ready for Engineer Insurance That Gets You?

Being an engineer means knowing how things work inside out and backward. You know how to build something and ensure that the final product is functioning as intended. But when it comes to small business insurance, that may be an area that leaves you scratching your head.

That's where Simply Business comes in.

We are an online insurance platform that makes it easy to find the personalized engineer insurance coverage options for your business. From general liability to workers compensation insurance, we can help you find a policy that safeguards you against the biggest liabilities you may face.

Plus, with Simply Business, it's easy to get covered. Just give us 10 minutes, and we’ll show you policies built to protect your hard work.

Ready to get covered?

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Business Insurance Policies Available for Engineers:

• Professional liability insurance
• General liability insurance
• Workers compensation insurance

Benefits:

• It can protect your business from certain claims.
• It can cover damages caused by your negligence.
• Proof of insurance can help clients feel good about your work.
• It may be required where you're located.

What Type of Insurance Do Engineers Need?

Insurance for engineers can include various policies that can protect you from everyday risks and liabilities you may come across in your line of work.

When building your engineer business insurance coverage, we may suggest these three core policies as part of your overall plan:

Professional Liability Insurance

No matter what type of engineer you are, you probably spend some portion of your time working directly with clients or vendors. Your clients and vendors seek your expertise and knowledge to build a product that works.

But mistakes can happen — no matter how careful or experienced you are as an engineer.

That's why it's critical to have professional liability (PL) insurance on your side.

Professional liability insurance for engineers can cover you and your business if a client claims that you were negligent in providing your services. Also, if you have employees, engineer PL insurance can potentially cover them, too.

So how does professional liability insurance function in a real-world setting?

Imagine that while working on a project, you make a mistake while testing a safety element of the design. It ends up failing and causing the client a financial loss.

What are you supposed to do?

Luckily, if you have professional liability insurance, it may cover the cost of the damage and your client's financial hardship. This type of insurance protection means that you likely won't have to use your savings to cover associated fees.

In short, here's what professional liability insurance for engineers can cover:

• Negligence or alleged negligence
• Legal defense costs
• Omissions or alleged omissions
• Claims and damages
• And more

Here's what PL insurance usually doesn't cover:

• Intentional acts and omissions
• Property damage
• Medical expenses
• Bodily injury
• And more

Commercial General Liability Insurance

If you have an office or space you rent where clients meet with you to discuss projects, you'll likely need commercial general liability insurance. This policy — also known as GL insurance — can cover the costs of incidents like third-party accidents, property damage, and bodily injury to a third party (e.g., a client or vendor).

GL insurance is considered a foundational insurance policy for engineers as it can protect you from major claims and costs. Did you know that the average customer injury or damage claim, something that general liability insurance covers, is $30,000?

This means that without general liability coverage, you may be at risk of paying for those costs yourself.

How does general liability insurance function for engineers?

For example, say that while working on a job site, you knock over some of your client's tools and damage them. Your client is furious and demands that you pay for replacement tools. Your general liability insurance typically would be able to cover the cost of replacing the tools and legal fees if your client sues you.

To summarize, here's what general liability insurance typically can cover:

• Bodily injury to another person
• Third-party property damage
• Personal and advertising injury
• Medical expenses
• And more

Now here's what general liability insurance usually doesn't cover:

• Damage to your own property
• Professional services
• Workers compensation or injury to your employees
• Damage to your work
• Motor vehicles while in business use
• Expected or intentional injury or damage
• And more

Workers Compensation Insurance

If you have any full-time, part-time, or even temporary workers on your team, you may be required to carry workers compensation insurance. This type of insurance can cover the costs related to an employee's injury or illness while on the job.

Most states require business owners with employees to have some form of workers compensation coverage; check to verify your state's laws.

Carrying workers compensation insurance can be a vital part of running your engineering firm. Plus, with the average work injury cost being $41,000, it's a smart business decision to have this coverage included in your comprehensive policy — even if you have only a few employees.

To recap, here's what workers compensation for engineers can cover:

• Medical payments
• Lost wages
• Rehabilitation expenses
• Death benefits

Why Should I Get Insurance for My Engineering Firm?

You know the importance of making sure each part of a product or design functions properly. Without the proper protections in place, the design can potentially fail.

The same can be said for small businesses. If you aren't protected against significant claims and costs, they could be devastating to the health of your business.

Still not sure?

The truth is, insurance for engineers can be an essential part of reducing the liabilities you're exposed to, even if you're just starting. What happens if a client meets you at your office, trips, and falls? Or if you make a mistake with a design and as a result, your client faces serious financial issues?

Though we can minimize the risks we face, it doesn't mean they can't happen. Here are some of the most common incidents that can happen to small business owners, including their average costs:

• Reputational Harm: $50,000
• Client Injury or Damage: $30,000
• Client Slip and Fall: $20,000

As mentioned before, those costs could do serious harm to a small business. However, if you have protection with engineer insurance, your policy could cover some or all of the costs of claims or lawsuits you may face.

Speaking of lawsuits, did you know that up to 43% of small business owners polled reported being threatened with or involved in a civil lawsuit?

In other words, your client could sue you for claims of negligence or damage they've experienced from your services — even if you did everything correctly.

Don't leave your business up to chance. At Simply Business, we make it easy to find the best insurance policy at the right price. Just answer a few questions about your business, and you can start comparing free quotes from top insurers across the country.

Plus, we can provide a certificate of insurance (COI), so you can show proof of coverage to clients, vendors, and more.

Engineer FAQs

• Is engineer insurance required by law?

  Because engineer insurance can be a bundle of policies, you may be required to carry some coverage, but not others.

  For instance, perhaps your state requires you to carry workers compensation if you have employees, but not general liability insurance.

• Is engineer insurance income tax-deductible?

  In general, engineer insurance premiums are income tax-deductible by the IRS. We recommend speaking to an accountant if you have questions about your specific business's deductible expenses, though.

• How much engineer insurance will I need?

  The amount of coverage your business may need will depend on a few factors:

  • The size of your business
  • Your business's location
  • Your annual revenue and payroll
  • And more

  If you aren't sure what type of insurance coverage you need, our quote form is built to recommend insurance plan options for you.

  If you have questions, our licensed insurance agents are available to assist you.

• What should I consider before buying engineer insurance?

  If you're ready to check out your free quotes, it's a good idea to have the following information available to make the process as fast as possible:

  • Annual revenue estimates
  • Payroll estimates
  • Information on any previous claims
• Does insurance for engineers differ by state?

  It may, as your state may have different insurance requirements for engineers than other states (especially regarding workers compensation).

  That's why our quote process is important when shopping for an insurance plan. Our questions can narrow down policy options for you, based on your needs and information you provide, as well as any requirements your state may have concerning insurance protection.

• What does business insurance for engineers cover?

  Engineer insurance depends on the policies you need to meet your business's needs. If you opt for both core policies — general liability and workers compensation — your insurance plan can cover:

  • Bodily injury
  • Accidents and damages
  • Employee injuries
  • Negligence or alleged negligence
  • And more
• How much does engineer insurance cost?

  The cost of engineer insurance varies, depending on your business and its unique needs. For the most part, you can expect your insurance premiums to be determined by:

  • The number of employees you have (including part-time and consultants)
  • Your location
  • Payroll
  • Revenue
  • And more

  Ready to see how much your engineer insurance may cost? Just click here and get free quotes from top insurers in the country.

Why Choose Simply Business?

Simply Business is an online insurance platform that makes it easy to compare the best policies and quotes from top insurers. We're one of the fastest-growing online providers of small business insurance, with thousands of customers who trust us to protect their businesses.

Why choose us?

• We're fast and affordable. You have a lot on your plate, and you don't have time to worry about your insurance coverage. Our policies are fast, affordable, and ready when you are.

• We're flexible. Your business changes over time, so you need an insurance policy that can keep up. We're here to help make sure you're protected.

• We understand your business's unique needs. You deserve an insurance policy that gets your business. We can help you get that coverage.

You've worked hard to build a successful engineer firm, and you should have an insurance policy that protects that hard work.

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This content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is not intended to provide legal, tax, accounting, investment, or any other form of professional advice.