Professional Errors and Omissions Insurance is a type of errors and omissions insurance protects business professionals whose clients could claim damages as a result of the business professionals' faulty performance. The faulty performance may be because of a negligent act, error, or omission by the professional.
Professional Liability Insurance - Beware of a Lapse in Coverage
If you have a professional liability (errors & omissions) policy, lapsing your policy for even one day can leave you open to a potentially devastating lawsuit down the road. Most E&O policies are written on "claims made" basis. This means that the policy covers claims that are reported during the current policy period, even if the claim happened in the past. However, there are two criteria that need to be met in order for the insurance company to respond to the claim. First, you must have a E&O policy in force at the time a claim is made. Second, you must have had continuous E&O coverage from the time of the incident to the time the claim is reported.
The starting date of your continuous coverage is called the retroactive date which is the earliest date an event would be covered. Usually, this is the date you first started your E&O policy. However, should you lapse your policy for any period of time, and then start another policy at a later date, your retroactive date is reset to the date the new policy started. So, if you let your E&O policy lapse, you will not be covered for claims that occurred prior to your new retroactive date, even though you had insurance at that time.
As an example, suppose you had an E&O policy in force for 5 years. In your 6th year, you let your policy lapse due to financial reasons. Sometime after that, your policy is reinsated. In your 7th year, you receive a letter from an attorney representing a former client. Apparently, the former client is unhappy with some work you did 4 years ago and is suing you for $100,000. You submit the claim to your insurance company and are shocked to hear that the claim is being denied, even though you had insurance at the time you did the work for the client. Due to the lapse in your policy and subsequent re-instatement, your retroactive date is now the date of the re-instatement and not the date your first policy started 7 years ago. As a result, you may be personally liable for the suit of $100,000 plus defence costs.
Here are a few thing you can do to prevent your E&O policy from lapsing.
If cost is an issue, find a broker that specializes in professional liability insurance who can shop for a premium that you can live with. Remember that retroactive dates are portable and will follow you even if you change insurance companies.
Set up a renewal reminder notice using your calendar or contact management system. You should allow sufficient time (1 to 2 months) to budget for the premium or allow your broker to shop for a better rate.
To find out more about professional liability insurance and other insurance products, visit the Insurance Resource Centre.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ron_Cseh
Do you think your commercial general liability (CGL) insurance policy will protect you from lawsuits alleging the failure of your product to perform or your failure to provide services to specifications…if so, you better think again. A general liability policy does not protect you from these exposures and as a result, you may have a gap in your liability insurance protection. This is why Errors & Omissions insurance, also known as Professional Liability and E&O for short, should be an integral part of a Graphic Designers liability insurance program.
Graphic Designers have two areas of exposure. The first is a media exposure from the designing and branding of a companies name and logo. These services give way to potential copyright and patent infringement claims. The second is a technology exposure from the designing and implementation of a web site.
The failure of many graphic designers to obtain E&O insurance reflects both a misunderstanding of the scope of protection offered and a “won’t happen to me” attitude concerning the potential risk of being sued. This insurance not only provides coverage for any damages that may be awarded but it also covers the defense costs associated with the claim.
Errors & Omissions liability claims alleging the failure to render professional services against graphic design firms are escalating. E&O liability provides coverage for claims with or without merit.
The good news is that protection is available and the cost of this insurance is becoming more affordable. There are now packages available for companies that offer a multitude of media services. Don't let your company go without this coverage.
Ryan Mitchell is a Professional Insurance Broker in Toronto, Canada. To learn more, please visit http://www.mitchellsandham.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ryan_Mitchell
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