Insurance for Industrial, Energy & Plants Projects

Industrial and energy projects carry large values, strict owner contracts, and a cost of downtime that can dwarf any design fee.

Insurance applications list refineries, chemical plants, pipelines, mines and processing facilities separately because the claims are different in size and kind.

Where exposure tends to arise

Why Industrial Work Is Different

Lost production

A plant that stops loses money every hour, which is why consequential damages clauses matter so much.

Process safety

Hazard studies and process designs are closely examined after any incident.

Pollution and releases

Spills and emissions need coverage that many design forms exclude.

Work outside the U.S.

Projects abroad need a policy territory that reaches them.

A realistic claim

For example: the pump that failed at startup

An engineering firm designs a pump station for a processing plant. At startup the pumps cavitate, the line shuts down for twelve days, and the owner claims repair costs plus lost production.

The contract’s waiver of consequential damages decides whether lost production is on the table at all. Without one, the claim can be many times the fee.

Hypothetical example for illustration. Coverage for any claim depends on the policy terms and the facts.

Contract language to watch

Contract Language to Watch.

“Consultant is liable for loss of production.”

Ask for a mutual waiver of consequential damages. It is standard on many industrial contracts.

Owner insurance requirements of $5M or more

Common on plant work. Excess professional or a project policy may be needed.

Frequently asked

Industrial, Energy & Plants: Common Questions

Will carriers rate my firm like an energy company?

They might if the application is vague. We describe the work as engineering, with fees shown as fees, not project or plant values.

Do I need pollution coverage for plant design?

If your work could contribute to a release, it is worth having. Many professional liability forms exclude pollution unless added back.

Do I need coverage for work outside the United States?

If you design for projects abroad, check the policy territory. Many policies cover claims brought in the U.S. only, and some countries require local insurance.

Talk to a specialist

Tell Us About Your Firm. We’ll Tell You What We See.

Starting out or renewing, with a policy in hand or not. If something is worth discussing, we’ll call. If not, we’ll say so.