ARCHITECT PI CASE STUDY
Newly Registered Architect, First Year of Practice
A newly registered sole practitioner in Sydney needed $1M PI to meet NSW registration requirements in their first year of trading. Four insurers quoted. Same-day turnaround from call to confirmation.
THE SITUATION
A newly registered architect in Sydney's inner west contacted us needing Professional Indemnity insurance. They had been registered for less than a year and were in the very early stages of building a residential architecture practice.
Revenue was under $100,000 with one staff member, working exclusively in NSW. The primary need was $1M PI to satisfy their NSW architect registration requirements.
For newly registered architects, getting the first PI policy in place is a registration compliance requirement. Without it, they can't legally practise under the title of architect.
OUR APPROACH
We went to market across four insurers to obtain competitive options for $1M PI cover:
- Dual: approximately $1,000
- Woodina: approximately $1,100
- QBE: approximately $1,300
- AIG: approximately $1,300
All four insurers were willing to quote, which isn't always the case for newly registered architects with less than a year of trading history. The pricing spread was relatively tight, from roughly $1,000 to $1,300.
THE CHALLENGE
The main consideration here wasn't finding willing insurers. It was making sure the policy met NSW registration board requirements from day one.
Newly registered architects are sometimes viewed as higher risk by certain underwriters because they lack a claims history and have limited trading experience. In this case, all four markets were comfortable with the risk, which gave the client genuine choice.
The client needed cover confirmed quickly to remain compliant with their registration obligations.
THE OUTCOME
We placed $1M PI through Dual at approximately $1,000, the lowest of the four quotes. The client called back the same day to confirm and proceed.
For a newly registered architect in their first year, getting PI sorted quickly and at the right price removes a compliance barrier and lets them focus on building their practice. Even at this early stage, the $300 spread across four insurers shows that comparing the market matters.
A straightforward placement, but exactly the kind of cover that needs to be right from the start. Registration boards don't allow gaps.
Put this placement in context
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Read case studyNewly registered? Get your PI sorted today.
NSW registration boards require PI insurance as a condition of practising as an architect. We compare across multiple insurers and can often deliver quotes the same day. Also covering Architect PI Insurance and Professional Indemnity Insurance more broadly.