What computer consultants indemnity insurance can do for you in a legal battle

April 21, 2009 · Filed Under Computer Consultants Indemnity Insurance 

Even with the best planning in the world, some of the more well-trained professionals can still make mistakes. Depending on the circumstances some errors can be simply dealt with by a straightforward apology and a shrug of the shoulders. But if you’re a hired professional, a slip can lead to serious consequences, particularly if a client loses money. Hired professionals who deal with IT-related contracts may have the future of some of their customers businesses in their hands, and as such some see fit to take out computer consultants indemnity insurance.

This is a form of professional cover which acts as a kind of safety net, paying your legal fees if you are ever formally accused of making a mistake. Say a computer consultant is hired to install a new broadband network - if there is a mistake in the work which leads to a company being offline for days on end, they may lose a considerable amount of money and look to take legal action to recover it. In such circumstances Indemnity insurance would pay the cost of defending the policyholder, and would even award any compensation which may be ordered by a court.

This might sound like a worst case scenario, but legal risks are a serious concern for anyone offering their advice on a professional basis. Computer consultants indemnity insurance is also product designed to protect against some of life’s more common legal risks. For example, it protects against the likes of breaches of confidence or copyright, defamation, and the loss or damage of a client’s data or documents. All of these things are potential hazards for businesses and computer contractors.

The cost of this type of computer consultants indemnity insurance will vary and the cover limit will often affect it. An insurance company will not pay out legal fees and compensation indefinitely, so there needs to be a cap agreed at the start of a policy. For example, a small contractor business with only one or two employees might want cover for a few thousand pounds worth of expenses, while a larger firm might want protection for hundreds of thousands.

Comments

Leave a Reply