EXPERT WITNESS PI CASE STUDY
Structural Advisory, Forensic Investigation and Expert Witness Consultancy, $5M PI at Around $9,300
Four decades of project and engineering leadership turned into an advisory practice: peer reviews, design verification, forensic investigations, expert witness work and technical due diligence. One market declined, one could not offer the flexibility needed, one quoted $25,000 to $40,000, and one quoted around $9,300.
THE SITUATION
A newly established engineering and construction advisory consultancy in NSW came to Tank Insurance for professional indemnity and public liability. Its services were structural engineering advisory, structural assessments and investigations, peer reviews, design verification, concept structural design, facade advisory, construction methodology reviews, forensic investigations, expert witness services, technical due diligence and construction supervision.
The founder had decades of project and engineering leadership on major projects, and intended the practice to focus on peer review of others' designs rather than full design. The consultancy wanted $5 million PI with the option to extend to $10 million for specific projects, and $20 million public liability.
OUR APPROACH
- The service list was presented as advisory and review, with concept design and the intention to peer review rather than design stated plainly, because the distinction drives the rating.
- Four markets were approached. One declined. One could write the risk but could not convert the policy to design and construct cover later if the practice's work changed. One quoted $25,000 at $2 million and $40,000 at $5 million with co-insurance. One quoted $5 million PI with public liability at approximately $9,300.
- The client also asked about project-specific top-ups to $10 million, to be arranged as needed rather than bought up front.
THE CHALLENGES
Expert witness and forensic work sit at the litigation end of engineering, and some PI markets price that exposure heavily or decline it. The founder's history was the asset; the mix of forensic, expert witness and design verification services was what needed explaining. The spread between the two quotes, around $30,000 for the same $5 million limit, shows how differently markets read that mix.
THE OUTCOME
$5 million professional indemnity with public liability was placed with Chase Underwriting at a combined premium of approximately $9,300 a year.
Final Solution: $5 million PI with public liability for a structural advisory and expert witness consultancy at around $9,300 a year, against an alternative of $40,000 at the same limit.
This case records one historical outcome; current insurer appetite, premium, timing and terms depend on the complete risk at the time of application.
For the wider buying context, see our expert witness PI guide, the forensic consultant PI page and the structural engineer insurance page.
EXPERT WITNESS QUESTIONS
What this placement answers for other advisory and forensic practices
How much does PI cost for an expert witness engineer?
Can I add a higher PI limit for one project only?
Does peer review carry the same PI exposure as design?
EXPERT WITNESS PI
Put this placement in context
Case-study results are historical and are not a promise of current pricing, capacity or policy terms. This page is general information only and does not take account of your objectives, financial situation or needs.
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