As an architect, you have one of the most interesting and creative jobs in the world. You also have a lot of responsibility to get it right. Most architects have various fail-safes in place for their operations. Still, while you might think that mistakes are not likely to happen, they can occur even when you have done your due diligence. When they do, they put you at risk of facing claims from your clients. This is one of the reasons you have general liability insurance. 
What should architects know about having proper business insurance for these risks?
What Can Go Wrong?
There are many things that can go wrong in your line of work. A small mistake may be all that is necessary to cause significant problems for your project or for clients themselves.
Imagine, for example, having the task of building onto a client’s home. Yet, the steps you have to take unintentionally (bug negligently) causes damage to their existing dwelling. That could put the client in a tight financial bind, and you could be responsible for their losses.
Or, perhaps the incident has to do with your in-office work. You welcome a high-profile client into the office to discuss a project. They trip on a carpet, fall and hit their head on the corner of your desk. Not only are you likely not to get the contract, but you could be facing thousands in medical claims from someone who sues you over the incident.
Your general liability insurance helps protect you from claims that you caused someone else’s loss. This includes most forms of bodily injury and property damage. It is not uncommon for something like this to go wrong in any business. Yet, having proper coverage can minimize the financial toll it takes on your business if it does occur.
What You Should Know
For architects, proper general liability insurance is very valuable. It may also be the law.
Many states require you to have proper general liability insurance coverage if you want to maintain your business licensing. The amount usually depends on the size of the projects you do. Most client contracts also have built-in language that requires you to maintain comprehensive coverage. This includes coverage for any contractors you bring into the project.
Don’t forget, you want to be sure the coverage fits the size and scale of the work you do. And, as your company grows, you may need more of this protection.
General liability insurance is quite valuable. It can help to cover damage related to just about any architectural project. However, you need to have enough of it. Work with your insurance agent on this. Be sure you are obtaining a policy that provides a high level of protection.