Building Design Business Insurance
What kind of work do you do?
View of a tall building with greenery.
Choose from the nation's best insurance providers
Logos of Insureon's business insurance carrier partners

General liability insurance for building design professionals

General liability insurance icon

General liability insurance

General liability insurance covers common business risks like customer injury, customer property damage, and advertising injury. It protects your small business from the high costs of lawsuits and helps you qualify for leases and contracts.

General liability protects against common risks

General liability insurance is often the first policy that building design professionals consider. If a client is injured while visiting your office, or you accidentally damage a client’s property, general liability insurance can help cover the costs. This policy is often required when you sign a commercial lease.

This policy provides liability coverage at your office related to:

  • Customer injuries
  • Customer property damage
  • Slander and other advertising injuries

Save money and increase your security by bundling policies

If you run a small building design company, you may be able to bundle general liability insurance with commercial property insurance in a business owner’s policy. A BOP costs less than purchasing each policy separately. Businesses that are eligible for BOPs typically:

  • Have fewer than 100 employees
  • Have a small office or workplace
  • Make less than $1 million in annual revenue
  • Operate in a low-risk industry
  • Need less than 12 months of business interruption insurance

Talk to a licensed Insureon agent who specializes in the building design industry to find out if a BOP fits your business.

Compare general liability insurance quotes for architects and engineers

What coverage can general liability provide for building design professionals?

Customer injuries

If a client slips on a wet floor at your office and sues over the injury, you could be held responsible for medical expenses – plus the cost of hiring a lawyer. General liability insurance covers:

  • Medical bills
  • Attorney’s fees
  • Court-ordered judgments
  • Funeral expenses in fatal incidents

Note that this policy does not cover employee injuries. For that, you’ll need workers’ compensation insurance.

Customer property damage

General liability insurance can protect your business when customer property is damaged. That means if an engineer accidentally drops a client’s laptop or an architect spills coffee on a client’s pristine white couch, your general liability policy could help pay for the cost of replacing the damaged property.

If there is a disagreement regarding more expensive repairs, general liability could cover attorney’s fees or a court-ordered judgment.

Advertising injuries

While marketing your company and its services, it’s important to avoid copying a competitor's slogan or design. If you do, even if it wasn’t on purpose, you could face a lawsuit. Accidental advertising injuries are covered by general liability insurance. That includes:

  • Defamation, both libel (written) and slander (spoken)
  • Copyright infringement

If you use advertising or promotional materials to market your building design company, make sure your insurance includes this protection.

How much does general liability insurance for building designers cost?

Building design professional calculating insurance costs for their business.

Building design professionals pay less than $40 per month for general liability insurance.

Insurance costs for building design professionals are based on a few factors, including:

  • Building design services offered
  • Business equipment and property
  • Revenue
  • Location
  • Number of employees

Other policies for building design professionals

While general liability insurance covers many risks of running a business, it does not provide complete protection. Building design professionals should also consider:

Business owner’s policy (BOP): This policy bundles general liability insurance with commercial property insurance at a lower rate than purchasing each policy separately.

Professional liability insurance: This policy is critical for building design professionals who provide expert advice. It can cover legal costs of lawsuits related to work performance.

Workers’ compensation: This policy is required in most states for businesses with employees. It can cover medical expenses if an employee is injured on the job.

Cyber liability insurance: This policy helps architects, engineers, and other building designers recover financially from data breaches and cyberattacks.

Commercial auto insurance: This policy helps cover costs if your business vehicle is involved in an accident. Each state has its own requirements for auto liability insurance.

License and permit bonds: Architects and engineers may need a license or permit bond to work in their state, or to take on certain projects.

Get free quotes and compare policies with Insureon

Are you ready to protect your building design business with general liability insurance? Complete Insureon’s easy online application today to compare quotes from top U.S. carriers. Once you find the right policy, coverage can start in less than 24 hours.

Updated: April 29, 2022
Compare general liability insurance quotes
Save money by comparing insurance quotes from multiple carriers.
EXPLORE ON INSUREON
How much does insurance cost for building design companies?The top risk management threats for architects3 reasons engineers get suedHow do I get a certificate of liability insurance?General liability vs. professional liability insurance