Waterproofing Consultant – Couldn't Get Cover Anywhere

A new business specialising in waterproofing consultancy for large commercial projects came to us after being turned down by multiple insurers. They needed Professional Indemnity insurance to operate, and many of their prospective clients required a certificate of currency before they could even win contracts.

The challenge was clear from the start. Waterproofing consultants sit in a difficult space for underwriters. The work is technical, the risks are complex, and claims can involve significant remediation costs if waterproofing systems fail on large commercial developments. Most generalist insurers simply decline these risks outright.

On top of the PI requirement, they also needed Public Liability cover. They needed a broker who understood the specialist nature of their work and had access to markets beyond the usual retail options.

We started by understanding exactly who the client had already approached. This avoided wasting time going back to insurers who had already declined and helped us understand what objections they were hitting.

Our strategy was methodical:

• Local market first: We worked through several local insurers to exhaust accessible options before escalating
• Specialist underwriting agencies: When local options didn't come through, we approached specialist underwriters with appetite for technical consulting risks
• London market access: For the PI placement, we ultimately went to an underwriting agency with access to Lloyd's of London
• Contract review: Before submitting applications, we reviewed the client's contracts and identified that their liability wasn't limited to professional fees. That's something insurers typically look for

We flagged the contract issue and suggested they get independent legal advice. Their lawyer recommended changes, and that strengthened their application significantly.

The initial declines weren't surprising. Waterproofing consultancy is a class of risk that many insurers won't touch. The reasons were consistent: technical exposure, potential for high-value claims from defective waterproofing, and the knock-on liability when waterproofing fails in multi-storey commercial buildings.

The contract review was crucial. Unlimited liability in consulting contracts is a red flag for underwriters. By addressing this proactively, before the client even knew it was an issue, we removed a potential stumbling block that could have meant more declines.

For the PL placement, the challenge was different. We needed to find an insurer comfortable with the physical work aspect of waterproofing inspections while also understanding the consultancy element.

We secured both policies the client needed:

For Public Liability, we found a complementary policy through a major Australian insurer with $10 million cover. That's appropriate for the commercial sites they'd be accessing.

The combined annual premium came in at approximately $6,000 for both policies. A reasonable investment for a consultancy that can now tender for substantial commercial contracts.

With both policies in place, the business is now scaling operations and tendering for projects into 2026 and beyond.