CONSTRUCTION MANAGER PI CASE STUDY
Construction Project Manager - Five Insurers, Competitive Placement
A construction project manager in property services needed $1M PI cover. We went to market across five insurers, with two declining on occupation. Placed competitively through a specialist underwriter and renewed the following year at a lower premium.
THE SITUATION
A construction project manager working in property services contacted us needing Professional Indemnity insurance. They provided project management and contract administration services across property and construction developments.
The primary requirement was $1M PI cover, though we also obtained options at $2M and $5M limits so the client could scale up if project requirements changed.
Construction project management sits in a tricky space for insurers. It's a professional advisory role, but the exposure relates to large-scale construction outcomes - program delays, cost overruns, and contractor coordination failures. Not every insurer is comfortable with that combination.
OUR APPROACH
We approached five insurers to compare options for $1M PI cover:
- Woodina: approximately $1,650
- DUAL: approximately $2,050 (most competitive overall terms)
- Vero: approximately $2,900
- A fourth insurer: declined
- A fifth insurer: referred, no terms offered
We also secured quotes at $2M and $5M limits from the willing markets, giving the client a full picture of how costs scale with higher cover.
A sixth insurer was approached but did not quote for project management scopes at all - a reminder that not every market treats construction management as a standard occupation.
THE CHALLENGE
The main challenge was the spread of insurer appetite. Two of the five insurers we approached either declined or did not offer terms. A further market did not quote for the occupation at all. That's three out of six markets that did not quote.
For construction managers, this is a common pattern. The occupation sits between professional consulting and construction delivery, and some insurers aren't set up to assess that hybrid risk properly.
The pricing spread among the three willing insurers was also notable - roughly $1,650 to $2,900 for identical $1M cover. Without comparing the market, the client could easily have paid 75% more for the same protection.
THE OUTCOME
We placed $1M PI through DUAL at approximately $2,050. While Woodina was slightly cheaper on premium alone, DUAL offered the strongest overall terms and policy wording for this type of construction management exposure.
The client renewed the following year. At renewal, we went to market again and the premium came down to approximately $1,200 - a reduction of around 40% - reflecting a clean year with no claims and established trading history.
This placement shows two things construction managers should know: the market is narrow (half the markets we approached did not quote), and the pricing varies significantly among those that can. Going to market properly made a real difference, both at initial placement and at renewal.
Put this placement in context
More Case Studies
All case studiesNew Project Manager - Navigating Limited Experience
Project manager with one year of experience placed after three of six insurers declined on trading history. Woodina provided the terms that secured the placement.
Read case study Professional IndemnityBookkeeper & Tax Agent Startup
Budget-conscious startup compared PI quotes across five insurers and multiple limit options
Read case study Professional IndemnityHVAC Mechanical Firm: Dual PI + PL, Six Declines
HVAC and mechanical services firm with dual PI + PL risk. Project management activities required separate PI - six insurers declined on initial placement. Placed through Woodina. Four further declines navigated at renewal. Active multi-renewal client.
Read case studyConstruction project manager? Get your PI sorted.
Not every insurer understands construction management. We know which markets do and compare across them to find competitive terms. Also covering Construction Manager PI Insurance and Professional Indemnity Insurance more broadly.