021 - Architect Insurance: Types, Costs, and Risk Management Guide

Architect insurance is the safety net every design professional needs but nobody wants to think about. This episode breaks down what coverage you need, what it costs, and how to protect your practice from career-ending claims.

We cover professional liability and E&O insurance, general liability, and workers' compensation. You'll learn the critical difference between claims-made and occurrence policies, why tail coverage matters when you retire or switch carriers, and how waiver of subrogation and hold harmless clauses protect your project team.

We also walk through real claim scenarios, insurance requirements for contractors and owners, and risk management strategies that lower your premiums.

📝 Key topics covered:

• Professional liability and E&O insurance for architects

• Claims-made vs occurrence policies explained

• Tail coverage and extended reporting periods

• Waiver of subrogation in construction contracts

• Hold harmless agreements and indemnification clauses

• Architect insurance costs and premium factors

⏱️ Chapters:

(0:00) Introduction

(3:42) Architect Insurance Requirements

(8:39) Contractor Insurance Requirements

(10:23) Owner Insurance Requirements

(11:53) Owner-Built Project Scenario

(14:06) Contractor-Led Project Scenario

(15:52) Multiple Parties in a Claim

(18:52) Insurance Costs and Legal Terms

(23:49) Architect Insurance Exam Questions

(27:18) Recap and Resources

📖 Read the full blog post

📝 Download the FREE Architect Insurance study notes

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• PjM 101 (Project Management)

• AIA Contracts 101

• CE 101 (Construction and Evaluation)

• PA 101 (Programming and Analysis)

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• PDD 101 (Construction Documents and Specs)

• Building Codes 101

• Mechanical Systems 101