Ask an insurance broker who understands engineering firms to explain coverage in relation to your actual services, contracts, workforce, and locations. Topics to discuss may include professional liability, general liability, workers’ compensation, commercial auto, cyber coverage, and property or equipment coverage. The appropriate policies, limits, deductibles, exclusions, and terms depend on the firm’s circumstances and the wording of each policy.
Prepare for the broker meeting. Bring representative contract clauses, describe the work you plan to perform, and identify any construction phase services, geotechnical work, environmental work, surveying, or subcontracting. Explain which services the firm will perform directly and which it may subcontract. Ask whether the proposed policy application describes those services accurately and what changes require notice to the carrier.
Ask how professional liability coverage responds to a claim first made after a policy ends. Discuss claims-made coverage, continuity of prior acts or retroactive dates, and extended reporting options. Ask the broker to explain how deductibles apply, what exclusions may affect your planned work, and whether there are conditions that require specific procedures. Do not rely on a summary alone. Review the actual policy wording with qualified advisers when needed.
Ask how contract insurance clauses compare with the coverage available. If you require subcontractors to carry coverage, clarify the limits and types of coverage you expect and how you will check compliance. A certificate of insurance is evidence of certain policy details at a point in time, but it is not the policy itself and does not amend its terms. Have a process for collecting and reviewing certificates and endorsements.
Keep renewal dates, notice deadlines, and project-specific insurance requirements on a calendar. Tell the broker when services, jurisdictions, staff, or contract terms change. Insurance does not replace sound technical review, careful contract review, or compliance with firm registration requirements.
Ask the broker to explain the practical effect of each proposed coverage choice in writing.
This is general education, not insurance, legal, tax, investment, or engineering advice; licensed PE judgment and local codes govern.
