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Professional indemnity insurance

One mistake shouldn't cost you the business.

Cover for legal costs and compensation if your advice or your work costs a client money.

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Provided byMarkel

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Online quote and buy, provided by Markel. No obligation.

What you get

  • A few questionsYour profession, your turnover, the limit you need
  • Your price on screenIncluding Insurance Premium Tax at 12%
  • Documents by emailProof of cover to send to whoever asked for it
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IGotCover introduces you to Markel. Markel runs the quote, sells the policy and underwrites it.

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It covers professional negligence, unintentional breach of confidentiality or copyright, defamation, and loss of documents or data. It also pays to defend a claim when you have done nothing wrong.

Subject to the policy terms, exclusions, your excess and the insurer's underwriting.

  1. Your workAdvice, a design, a report or a professional service for a client
  2. Something goes wrongA mistake, an allegation of one, or work the client says was not fit for purpose
  3. They claimAgainst your business, for the money they say it cost them
  4. The policy respondsLegal defence costs and any compensation, up to your limit
A consultant standing with a laptop under one arm

Who is it for?

Typically suitable for businesses paid for advice, designs or professional services. It is not required by law, but clients and industry bodies often make it a condition of the contract.

Usually a fit

  • Consultants, IT contractors and engineers
  • Architects, surveyors and designers
  • Marketing, creative and media professionals
  • Teachers, tutors, trainers and coaches
  • Anyone whose client or regulator asks for proof of cover before work starts

What it doesn't do

  • Claims from your own staff. That's employers' liability
  • Injury to the public or damage to their property. That's public liability
  • A cyber attack or data breach. That's cyber insurance

Cover, limits and exclusions are set by the policy wording. Read the documents before you buy.

Why businesses buy it

  • Defending a claim costs money either way

    An unfounded claim still has to be answered. Subject to the policy terms and conditions, the policy may cover legal defence costs as well as compensation payments.

  • Contracts and industry bodies ask for it

    A named limit is often a condition of starting work. Being able to send proof of cover the same day keeps the contract moving.

  • Claims can arrive long after the job

    This cover works on a claims made basis. What matters is holding a live policy when the claim is notified, not when you did the work.

What to be aware of

  • Claims made basis. The policy must be live both when the mistake happened and when the claim is notified.
  • Cancel between contracts and a claim about earlier work may not be covered. Continuous cover is the point.
  • The limit is the most the policy pays. Higher limits cost more.
  • Work carried out before your retroactive date is usually excluded.
  • Cover levels and exclusions vary by policy. Read the policy documents before you buy.

Pick your limit

The limit is the most a policy pays. Markel offer cover from £50,000 to £5m across more than 200 professions. Check what your contract or industry body asks for, then choose. We don't recommend a number, and you can change it at renewal.

£5m £1m £50k

Where cover is a formality

Lower-value contracts and professions where a client asks for cover but sets no figure.

COMMONLY ASKED FOR BY
  • Some small clients
  • Low-value contracts

Not sure? Check the contract in front of you. You can change your limit at renewal.

What it costs

Starting price

from£8a month

Available only for certain trades and business profiles. Individual premiums may be higher.

Markel's starting price for professional indemnity cover

Markel's indicative quotes, cover bundled
  • IT contractor, £116k turnover: £21.73 a month
  • Business consultant, £101k turnover: £28.17 a month

Markel's published price. The monthly figure is an average equivalent monthly of the annual premium. A higher first payment applies and individual premiums vary. Source: Markel Direct, September 2026. Markel's own basis for the £8 figure is an IT contractor taking £50,000 of cover. Only available for certain trades and risk profiles.

Every price in the quote includes Insurance Premium Tax at 12%.

A designer holding a tablet and a rolled drawing

How it works in practice

An illustrative example, not a real claim. Names and figures are invented to show the mechanics.

Priya, 41Freelance marketing consultant. Works with four or five retained clients at a time.
The situation

A campaign Priya planned uses a stock image the client later discovers was never licensed for commercial use. The rights holder writes to the client, who passes the bill to Priya.

What it meant

Assuming the claim falls within the scope of cover, the insurer may take over the correspondence and deal with the settlement. Priya pays the excess and keeps the client, rather than funding a copyright claim and a legal bill herself.

  • Limit£1m
  • Excess£500

Whether and how much a policy pays depends on the policy terms, the excess and the circumstances of the claim.

Who you're dealing with

Two parties, and it's worth knowing which is which.

  • Introduces you to MarkelIGotCover

    A trading name of Caspian Assured Ltd, authorised and regulated by the FCA. We explain the cover and point you to Markel's quote.

  • MarkelSells and underwrites the policyMarkel Direct

    The quote journey you're taken to, the policy you buy and the insurer named on your certificate. Markel Direct is a trading name of Markel International Insurance Company Limited. Claims are handled by Markel.

Protecting the people the business relies on

Professional indemnity covers what your work does to a client's finances. Business protection covers what happens if you or a key person can't work.

  • Directors

    Relevant life insurance

    Life cover for a director, paid for by the business.

    Explore
  • Key people

    Key person insurance

    A lump sum to the business if someone it depends on dies or is seriously ill.

    Explore
  • Ownership

    Shareholder protection

    Funds for the other owners to buy a shareholder's stake.

    Explore
  • Staff

    Employee benefits

    Cover arranged across your staff rather than one at a time.

    Explore

These are separate products, not part of the quote above. Advice is provided by IGotCover advisers. Cover is subject to eligibility, underwriting and the policy terms.

Common questions

Something not covered here? Email us at [email protected].

What does claims made actually mean?

The policy has to be live both when the alleged mistake happened and when the claim is notified to the insurer. That is why cover is usually held continuously rather than taken out per contract, and why cancelling between jobs can leave earlier work uncovered.

What limit should I choose?

We don't give advice, so we won't name a number. The practical answer is to check what your contract or industry body asks for. Markel offer £50,000 up to £5m. If nobody has set a figure, think about what putting a serious mistake right would actually cost.

I work from home. Do I still need it?

If you provide advice, services or designs to clients from home, your home insurance is very unlikely to respond to a client's claim. The cover is about the work, not the premises.

Do the prices include tax?

Yes. Every price you see includes Insurance Premium Tax at 12%. The price you pay depends on your profession, your turnover, the limit you choose and the insurer's underwriting.

Get your proof of cover sorted today.

A few questions, your price, then documents by email. No obligation to buy.

Questions for us? Email [email protected]. Help with the quote itself is Markel's team on 0800 640 6600.

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Quote journey provided by Markel.

This page is information only and not personal advice. IGotCover is a trading name of Caspian Assured Ltd, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA reference [FRN]). Registered in England and Wales, company number 07011592. Registered office: Tower 12, Level 2, Bridge Street, Spinningfields, Manchester M3 3BZ. IGotCover introduces customers to Markel for this product. It does not provide advice or a personal recommendation, and does not recommend a level of cover. You choose the cover and limits that suit your business.

The online quote-and-buy journey is provided by Markel. Markel Direct is a trading name of Markel International Insurance Company Limited, authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority. Policies are underwritten by Markel International Insurance Company Limited. Prices include Insurance Premium Tax at 12%. Cover levels, limits and exclusions vary by policy and are subject to eligibility and underwriting. Read the policy documents before you buy. Last reviewed 14 September 2026.

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