Insurance for private investigators

Why do private investigators need professional indemnity insurance?

Jumping to the wrong conclusion isn’t just unfortunate. It could cost you money.

You have to be confident you’ve got the right information about the right person – or risk a defamation claim against you. Likewise, you’d better be sure you’re keeping delicate information close to your chest, or risk the consequences of a breach of confidentiality.

And that’s on top of your obligations to your client. They can start asking awkward questions about your competence if they don’t get the result they want, or if they don’t think you’ve done what was agreed.

Any of these things can quickly escalate into a negligence claim against you and cause real, financial problems for your business. That’s unless you have private investigators’ professional indemnity insurance, of course.

If you do, you’ll get your legal defence paid for, and your disgruntled client (or third party) compensated. Having it means you can go about your business, safe in the knowledge you’re protected.

Case closed.

How much professional indemnity insurance do I need?

That depends on the exact nature of your business.

Coming up with a figure needs careful consideration of what you do, who you do it for and how much it’s worth. You should think about the worst that could possibly happen; the most expensive mistake you could make. That’s your ‘maximum probable loss’ and you’d be wise to choose a level of cover higher than the figure you come up with.

That’s because legal costs can quickly add up to tens of thousands of pounds – even if you’ve done nothing wrong. And then there’s the compensation you’re liable for if you have made a mistake ...

It’s not easy to get right. Have a read of this guide or call us if you need more help.

What does professional indemnity insurance cover?

Negligence claims and allegations made against you by clients and third parties, because of mistakes you’ve made and things you’ve failed to do.

Specifically (but depending on the policy wording):

• Defamation
• Intellectual property infringement
• Loss of documents or data
• Negligent misrepresentation or misstatement
• Employee dishonesty
• Virus transmission
• Breach of confidentiality
• Failure of third-party equipment

But that’s not all. Some professional indemnity policies can fix a mistake before your client is even aware of it, thereby preventing a claim in the first place.

Clever stuff.

What else do I need?

Public liability insurance is for when you go out and about on business, or have visitors to your office. It’s for claims of physical damage to property and people. Useful if you’re clumsy.

Employers’ liability insurance covers your business if an employee sues it for damages. Claims are usually because they’ve suffered injuries and illnesses as a consequence of working for you. It’s a legal requirement for UK businesses with employees.

Office and property insurance covers the things in your office (furniture, plants, fixed IT equipment etc) and portable insurance covers gadgets and technical equipment away from the office (laptops, tablets, projectors etc). If you’re not sure it’s worth insuring, add it all up – it’s probably worth more than you think.

Business interruption insurance means you can still work when your office is out of action. Be it flood, fire or flea infestation, you’re covered for the costs of setting up elsewhere and for any lost revenue in that time.

Directors’ and officers’ insurance covers your company bosses. Anyone from regulators to shareholders to competitors can accuse you of not running a business with due care. Worse, directors are personally liable for their actions. The good thing is this insurance covers your defence costs and any compensation you have to pay. So you can put away your chequebook.

Why choose us?

Because we deliver a quick and easy way to get your business insurance. In just a few clicks, you can get a quote, buy your insurance, and have your documents delivered straight to your inbox.

Got any questions? No problem! You can call our experts for advice and jargon-free explanations.

Oh, and we don’t have a call centre or a phone menu. So you’ll always be able to easily reach one of our team.

As a bonus, you get some extras with your insurance:

• You can get a bit of cash every time you recommend someone to us who then buys a policy
• You’ll get an “I’m insured” badge for your website
• An advice hub filled with helpful information, tips, and guidance for your business.

Want another opinion? Check out our customer feedback.