Insurance for translators and interpreters

Why do translators need professional indemnity insurance?

You don’t.

It’d be great if we could say that and mean it. But we can’t.

Mistakes happen, accusations are made, solicitors get involved and clients want payback. Rightly or wrongly these things happen every day and, sooner or later, you could be on the receiving end.

A claim won’t go away if you ignore it. And there are no shortcuts. You have to Do Something About It.

So, you need professional indemnity insurance because you have a business to run; because you have limited funds; because you’re not legally trained; and because your reputation matters.

What else is there?

How much professional indemnity insurance do I need?

Professional indemnity insurance protects your business. No one else’s.

So you have to decide what level of cover is enough for you. Consider what you do, who you do it for and how much it’s worth. Think about worst-case scenario and what could go wrong. What’s the most expensive mistake you could make (or be accused of making)?

Always bear in mind that you can’t have too much cover. Your legal defence can cost many tens of thousands of pounds – and that’s before the compensation bill from your client arrives. Your level of cover has to be enough to cover all of this.

It’s a tricky one 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?

Nous excellons dans notre domaine.

Wir sind Experten.

Básicamente somos superhéroes.

That’s right. We’re really good at what we do. Because it’s all we do. We’re always working hard, trying to find the right insurance for small businesses and freelancers like you.

Our team of friendly advisers are here to chat with you about any insurance-related questions you might have. No phone menus, no jargon. Just straightforward, honest advice.

Or if you prefer the digital route, you can get a quote and buy your policy online. It’s totally hassle-free and will only take you a few minutes.

What more do you need?

How about a free ‘I’m insured’ badge and a reward for recommending us.

Oh, and don’t forget to read our customer feedback. It’s pure gold... platinum actually.