Short answer
Often yes. You can usually ask a carrier to increase your professional liability limit mid-term, but the carrier may want project details first and may charge additional premium. Request it early, before the certificate is due.
What does it take to increase your professional liability limit?
Information the carrier may request
Carriers often ask for:
- Your current and requested limits
- The reason for the increase
- Project name, location, and scope of services
- Construction value and professional fees
- Start and completion dates
- Whether work has already begun
- The project’s share of firm revenue
- Any claims or known circumstances
- A copy of the contract
Premium and endorsement terms
The carrier may charge additional premium. The endorsement may carry its own effective date, so confirm it falls before your work or certificate deadline.
Does a higher limit apply to all your work?
Not always. Ask how the endorsement is structured. It may raise the limit for the whole policy, or only for certain projects. Read the wording before you send a certificate.
When does another option fit better?
Some carriers will not raise a limit mid-term. In that case, project-specific professional liability or excess professional liability may fit better. Both can help you increase your professional liability limit for one contract without changing the base policy.
Real-world example
An engineering firm wins a project requiring $3 million per claim. It carries $1 million.
The broker sends the carrier the contract, project value, fees, and schedule. The carrier offers an endorsement raising the limit for an additional premium, effective before work begins.
What to check before you ask
- What the contract requires: per claim, aggregate, or both
- When the certificate is due
- Whether work has already started
- Whether the carrier offers a mid-term endorsement
- Whether project-specific or excess coverage is an alternative
Common mistakes
- Waiting until the certificate deadline
- Skipping the contract when asking
- Assuming the increase is free
- Not confirming the endorsement effective date
Related questions
Will the carrier charge extra to increase my limit?
Often yes. The amount depends on the carrier and the project.
Does the new limit apply to old work?
That depends on the endorsement wording. Ask before relying on it.
What if the carrier says no?
Project-specific or excess professional liability may be an option.