Short answer
Professional liability for architects and engineers can be written on a design professional form or on a miscellaneous professional form. A design professional form is built around drawings, specifications and construction phase services. A miscellaneous form is written for consultants of all kinds. In our experience, the design professional form is generally broader for design work. Two quotes at the same price can respond differently to the same claim, so ask your agent which form you are on.
What “form” means in a professional liability policy
The form is the policy wording. It is not the carrier and it is not the price.
Two carriers can offer the same limit and deductible on very different wording. One carrier can also offer several forms. That is why comparing premiums alone can mislead you. Our guide to professional liability explains the basic structure.
How a design professional form is built
A design professional form is written around the work architects and engineers do. Its definitions and exclusions tend to reflect design services, construction administration and the risks that come with them.
Wording varies by carrier. Read the actual definition of professional services to see what the form treats as covered work.
How a miscellaneous professional form is built
A miscellaneous professional form, sometimes called misc E&O, is written for any consultant. It has to work for many kinds of firms, so it may use broader, less specific language.
For a design firm, that can mean design-specific coverage is missing or narrower. Some firms still fit this form well, especially if their work is mostly consulting rather than design.
Where differences in a design professional form tend to show up
Based on what we see in forms, differences often appear in a few areas:
- Construction phase services
- Bodily injury arising from design errors
- Pollution arising from design work
- Joint ventures
These are not the only areas, and no form handles every one the same way. Compare the exclusions and definitions side by side before you decide.
Why a firm ends up on the wrong form
Several things can push a design firm toward a miscellaneous form. Classification at intake may place the firm in a general consulting category. A firm with small revenue may receive a simpler quote. Firms with interior design or graphic design work may also land on a general form because their services overlap.
Often no one chose the form on purpose. It was simply the quote that came back.
How to check which form you have
Look at three places in your policy:
- The title page, which usually names the form
- The definition of professional services
- The exclusions list
If the definition does not mention design, drawings or specifications, ask your agent how it applies to your work. Our policy review page explains what we look at.
Switching forms at renewal
You can ask a carrier to quote the design professional form instead. The underwriter will likely ask about your services, project types, revenue and claims history.
Start early. Moving to a different form can take extra underwriting review, and not every carrier offers both.
Real-world example
A design studio came to us at renewal. This is an anonymized example for illustration. Its expiring professional liability was written on a miscellaneous professional form.
We asked the carrier to quote the architects and engineers form instead. In our experience, that form is generally broader for this kind of firm. The studio could then compare the two forms and see how the definition of professional services read on each.
What to check
- The policy title and the name of the form
- The definition of professional services
- Whether the definition mentions design, drawings or specifications
- The exclusions for construction phase services, bodily injury and pollution
- How the policy treats joint ventures
- Whether your firm does interior or graphic design work
- Whether your quote lists the form name
Hardcover insight
Firms often compare quotes by price, limit and deductible. The form rarely gets a second look, even though it decides how the policy reads when a claim arrives.
When you request quotes, ask each agent to name the form. Ask for a copy of the full policy wording before you bind coverage, not only the quote summary. A few minutes with the exclusions list can show a difference that the price never would.
Related questions
Is a miscellaneous E&O form ever right for a design firm?
Sometimes, for firms whose work is mostly consulting rather than design. Ask your agent how the form’s definition fits your services.
Will switching forms raise my premium?
It can go either way. Compare the coverage first, and then compare the price.
How do I know which form I have?
The policy’s title page and its definition of professional services usually tell you. Your agent can confirm.
Does a design professional form cover every claim?
No form does. Coverage depends on the policy terms, conditions, exclusions, retroactive date and the carrier’s review of the claim.