Professional reviewing paperwork representing declined or hard-to-place professional indemnity insurance

Declined for Professional Indemnity? We Place the Hard Ones.

A decline from one insurer is not the market's answer. We specialise in hard-to-place PI - occupation declines, claims history, high limits and insurers exiting your profession.

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THE SHORT ANSWER

A decline from one insurer reflects that insurer's appetite at that moment, not the whole market. We map the specialist underwriters who still write your profession and place hard-to-place professional indemnity - including occupation declines, claims history, high limits and insurers exiting your class of risk.

Many of the risks we place have been declined elsewhere first - a different market often views the same profession, claim or limit very differently.

A decline reflects one insurer's appetite - not the whole market. We map the specialist underwriters who still write your profession and place the risks other insurers stepped back from.

Declined Is Not the End

Many of the risks we place have been declined elsewhere first. A different market often views the same profession, claim or limit very differently.

Act Before Renewal

If your insurer is exiting your class or will not renew, tell us early. The cover usually still exists - it just moves to a specialist market.

WHY TANK INSURANCE

Why declined risks come to us

When the direct market says no, the answer is rarely that the cover does not exist - it is that the risk has been shown to the wrong insurers. We work across a broad panel of specialist underwriting agencies, present the submission the way underwriters need to see it, and compare terms so a decline becomes a placement.

Broker and client reviewing options for hard-to-place professional indemnity insurance

01

Specialist Market Access

Many of the markets that write hard-to-place PI are underwriting agencies you cannot reach directly. We work with them every week.

02

Submission Done Properly

A decline is often a presentation problem. We frame your occupation, activities and history the way an underwriter needs to assess them.

03

Claims & Circumstances

A notified claim or circumstance narrows the field but rarely closes it. We place risks with claims history regularly.

04

Move Before Renewal

If your insurer is withdrawing, we act before the deadline so you are not left with a gap in cover.

WHY IT HAPPENS

Why professional indemnity gets declined

A decline almost always traces back to one of these - and each one is workable with the right specialist market.

Your occupation or activities fall outside an insurer's appetite
You need a higher limit than your current insurer can write
A claim or circumstance has been notified
Your insurer is exiting your profession or class of risk
Niche or high-hazard activities narrow the available market
Started works, run-off or unusual project exposures
A new business or limited trading history
Online or direct channels capped your occupation or revenue

POLICY SCOPE

What a placed PI policy covers

Once we place the cover, it is full Professional Indemnity protection - the decline does not change what the policy responds to.

Professional services office representing placed professional indemnity insurance
Professional services office representing placed professional indemnity insurance

Usually Covered

Professional negligence, errors and omissions
Legal defence costs, including for unproven claims
Advice, design or documentation causing financial loss
Cover for the higher limits your work calls for
Retroactive cover for past work, where available
Activities other insurers excluded or would not rate

Not Typically Covered

Intentional wrongdoing or fraud
Claims or circumstances known before cover incepted
Property damage or bodily injury (Public Liability covers this)
Fines or penalties
Work in excluded jurisdictions
Matters not disclosed to the insurer

This is a general guide only. What is and isn't covered depends on the terms, conditions, limits and exclusions of your specific policy.

CASE STUDIES

Declined elsewhere, then placed by us

Real placements from our professional and engineering book - each one declined by one or more insurers before we found the right market.

Premiums and outcomes described are specific to each client and indicative only. Your own terms will depend on your circumstances and the insurer.

QUESTIONS

Declined PI - Frequently Asked Questions

A decline usually reflects one insurer's appetite at that moment, not the whole market. It can happen when your occupation or activities fall outside an insurer's appetite, a claim or circumstance has been notified, you need a higher limit than the insurer can write, the work is niche or high-hazard, you have limited trading history, or the insurer is exiting your class of risk. A different market can view the same risk very differently.
Often, yes. A decline or non-renewal from one insurer is not the market's verdict. We map the specialist underwriters with genuine appetite for your profession and risk, present the submission properly, and compare terms. Many of the risks we place have been declined elsewhere first.
When an insurer withdraws from a class of risk, the cover is usually still available - it just moves to a different market. Tell us as early as possible before your renewal date so we can approach the specialist underwriters who still write your profession and avoid a gap in cover.
Yes, in many cases. A claim or circumstance narrows the field and affects pricing, but specialist markets regularly write risks with claims history. Full, accurate disclosure is essential - we help you present the claim and the steps taken since, which is often what gets an underwriter comfortable.
You generally need to disclose previous declines, and they can affect how underwriters view the risk. The right approach is to place cover properly with a market that wants the risk, rather than collecting further declines from insurers that were never going to write it - which is exactly what specialist broking is for.
It depends on the complexity, but straightforward risks can often be quoted within 24 to 48 hours once we have the information. If you have a renewal or contract deadline, tell us the date and we will prioritise the markets most likely to respond in time.

Declined or Non-Renewed for PI?

Send us the decline and the details. We will map the specialist markets that write your profession and come back with terms - before your deadline.

Last updated: 17/06/2026

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