Specialist Professional Insurance Advice You Can Trust
Professional services businesses face a different risk profile than most commercial enterprises.
Your product is expertise. When clients believe that advice was wrong, the consequences become financially significant and professionally damaging.
We work with accounting firms, law practices, management consultants, technology service providers, architects, engineers, and many other professional services businesses across Australia. We understand your specific insurance requirements and ensure your program is structured correctly and responsive when something goes wrong.
Professional Services Businesses We Work With
Professional services is a broad category, and the insurance needs of a two-partner accounting firm differ fundamentally from a 50-person technology consultancy or a sole-practitioner architect.
We work with professionally managed professional services businesses that need more than off-the-shelf policies.
Understanding Your Insurance Program
Professional Indemnity Insurance
Professional indemnity is the foundation of every professional services insurance program. It protects against claims of professional negligence, errors and omissions, and economic loss from your advice.
Professional indemnity operates on a claims-made basis. Your policy must be active when a claim is made, not when the work was performed, which matters for continuous cover, retroactive dates, and run-off protection.
Learn more about professional indemnity insurance.
Cyber Liability Insurance
Professional services businesses are among the most targeted sectors for cyber attacks. For many practices, a cyber incident is now a more likely cause of business disruption than a fire or flood.
Cyber insurance responds to the financial consequences: data breach response costs, privacy notification obligations, business interruption, and recovery costs. For Australian practices, Privacy Act notification requirements make this protection especially valuable if a data breach occurs.
For law firms and accounting practices, social engineering and funds transfer fraud deserve particular attention. Cyber policies vary in how they treat these incidents. We help you understand what your specific policy covers.
Learn more about cyber insurance.
Management Liability Insurance
Management liability protects the individuals who run your practice (directors, partners, managers, senior professionals) against claims from their management decisions.
For professional services practices, employment practices liability is the most active component. Allegations of discrimination, unfair dismissal, harassment, and underpayment are common.
Management liability also addresses internal governance exposure. Partner disputes, profit-sharing disagreements, and allegations of breach of fiduciary duty can generate claims covered under the management liability policy.
Statutory liability is particularly relevant for professional services businesses. Unintentional breaches of legislation can create unexpected exposure; this cover protects against that risk.
Business Insurance
Business insurance covers the physical and operational aspects of running your practice: premises, contents, portable equipment, and business interruption.
PI, cyber, and management liability address professional and liability exposures. Business insurance addresses what happens when something goes wrong with the environment in which you work.
Business interruption deserves particular attention. Unlike retail or manufacturing, the physical assets of a professional services firm are often less important than your data and access to that data.
A fire that destroys an office may be less disruptive than a cyber event that makes client files inaccessible for two weeks. Your business interruption cover should reflect that reality.
Public Liability Insurance
Most professional services businesses need public liability to cover third-party injury or property damage at your premises or arising from your business operations.
Many client contracts also require minimum public liability limits before engagement. Check your major client contracts for these requirements.
Other Common Insurance Types
Professional services practices often also carry:
- Workers Compensation Insurance: Mandatory cover for all employees
- Key Person Insurance: Protection for loss of income if key professionals become unable to work
- Professional Indemnity Placement: Arranging appropriate coverage with proper retroactive dates and extended reporting periods
Our Approach to Professional Services Insurance
Every practice we work with starts with a no-obligation risk and insurance review. We don’t ask for commitment before we’ve demonstrated that we understand your practice and can offer genuinely better advice than you’re currently receiving.
Understanding Your Practice
We start by learning about your practice structure, service offerings, client base, contractual obligations, and insurance requirements. A comprehensive understanding helps us identify the specific insurance requirements relevant to your professional operations and regulatory obligations.
Comprehensive Risk and Insurance Review
Our team conducts a thorough no-obligation assessment of your current insurance program. We identify gaps and areas where cover may not align with your professional obligations, operational scale, or client requirements.
You’ll receive a detailed gap analysis report to help you make informed decisions about your insurance arrangements.
Tailored Advice
We provide clear recommendations on appropriate insurance options for your practice. We explain complex policy terms and professional obligations in straightforward language. Our advice considers your professional discipline, practice scale, and risk profile.
Professional Market Access
Through our Steadfast network membership and relationships with Australian insurers experienced in professional services risks, we help you access appropriate insurance solutions suited to your practice requirements.
For specialist professional services or complex risks, we leverage specialist insurer relationships to find the right fit.
Ongoing Support
As your practice evolves, we provide continued advice and assistance.
Annual reviews, policy adjustments, and claims support are part of the partnership. We ask clients to keep us in the loop when significant changes are planned, so we can advise on the insurance implications before they’re locked in.
Insurance Services for Professional Services Businesses
Servicing Professional Services Businesses across Australia
We advise professional services businesses in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, regional Queensland, and throughout Australia.
Our team understands Australian professional standards, industry codes of conduct, and insurance requirements specific to diverse professional disciplines.
Whether you’re an established accounting practice, legal firm, consulting business, technology services provider, or specialist professional services practice, we provide expert guidance tailored to your professional discipline and operational requirements.
“Clear Insurance has been our trusted allied health insurance provider for many years. They offer comprehensive coverage and personalised recommendations. Their knowledgeable advisors and proactive approach have been invaluable, especially during industry changes. Their efficient claims handling process and commitment to customer service make them an outstanding choice.”
“We couldn’t be more pleased with the outstanding service provided by Lisa and her team from Clear Insurance in renewing our new insurance policies. Their dedication, attention to detail, and responsiveness made the entire process seamless and stress-free. They took the time to understand the needs of our business and found us the best available coverage at competitive rates. We highly recommend anyone looking for a knowledgeable and reliable insurance partner to get in touch with Lisa and the team from Clear Insurance!”
“We’ve been so impressed at the high-quality service provided by Clear Insurance. They were very thorough when assessing our insurance needs, ensuring that they completely understood our business before making any recommendations. Thank you, Lisa and the team!”
“Clear Insurance has become a key partner for WorkSafe Connect. Lisa and the team have ensured that we understand the risks associated with our business interests and have helped us decide on the cover we need. From taking over an existing set of policies to the full re-marketing of our portfolio, the quality of service, transparency of advice and responsiveness to any request is outstanding. In Clear Insurance, we feel that we are working with a partner who wants the best result for our business and is helping us achieve success.”
“I have had such a good experience with Clear insurance. They recommended to me many changes to my old policies and in less than 4 months the difference saved me $80,000 so I am over the moon. They absolutely know their area of expertise. Thank you to Clear insurance and yes, I can’t recommend them enough.”
“Clear Insurance completed an in-depth analysis of our insurance coverage, identifying our organisation was under-insured. They provided a comprehensive proposal specific to the context that we work in and our growth as a business. It is evident to me, Clear Insurance work diligently and tirelessly to truly understand the needs of their clients to protect them against potential risks.”
“All the work you guys do to help us, we are really grateful.”
“I note your disclosure of the Advisor Service Fee and think that this adds veracity to the insurance renewal process.”
“It’s refreshing to get great service!”
*These testimonials represent individual client experiences. Results vary based on circumstances, requirements, business operations, and market conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What professional indemnity limit do we need for our practice?
Professional indemnity limits depend on your service type, client contracts, project values, and professional registration requirements. Each professional body sets different requirements, and client contracts often impose minimum limits.
Rather than starting with a generic figure, we assess your specific circumstances. We look at your largest client engagement, highest-value project, professional registration requirements, and any contractual minimum limits to recommend appropriate coverage.
We also advise on the difference between any-one-claim and aggregate limits. This distinction matters considerably for practices with multiple active client engagements.
When does professional indemnity cover start and finish?
Professional indemnity operates on a claims-made basis. Your policy must be active when a claim is made, not when the work was performed.
This creates two important implications. First, a gap in coverage between policy periods eliminates protection for all work done before the gap, even if the policy was active during that work.
Second, when a practice closes, retires, or restructures, run-off cover must be arranged to protect against future claims on past work. The run-off period required depends on your professional discipline and any state-specific requirements.
Do we need cyber insurance if we have IT security measures in place?
Yes. Strong IT security reduces the likelihood of a cyber incident but does not eliminate it, and it does not cover the costs when an incident occurs.
Cyber insurance responds to the financial consequences of a cyber event: breach response costs, regulatory notification obligations, business interruption, legal liability to affected clients, and extortion payments.
These costs arise even when you’ve taken reasonable precautions.
What’s the difference between professional indemnity and public liability?
Professional indemnity covers claims from errors or omissions in your professional advice or services. Financial loss a client suffers because your advice was wrong, a design that failed, or a legal matter that was mishandled.
Public liability covers physical harm or property damage to a third party. A client who slips and falls at your office, or a visitor whose property is damaged during a site inspection.
Most professional services businesses need both. Professional liability exposure is almost always the primary risk and the primary focus of the insurance program.
Does our insurance cover work performed by contractors or subcontractors?
This depends on your policy terms and how contractors are engaged. Some professional indemnity policies extend to work performed by contractors working under your supervision and on your behalf. Others require contractors to hold their own PI cover.
If you regularly engage contractors to deliver client work, we review how your policy defines ‘insured’ and whether contractor work falls within or outside the coverage scope.
Gaps here can be significant and expose your practice to uninsured liability.
What happens if a client contract requires higher insurance limits than we currently have?
This is a common situation. Your first option is to arrange a project-specific limit increase for the duration of the contract. Some insurers allow limits to be increased for specific engagements without changing the annual program.
Your second option is to adjust your annual program to a level that accommodates your largest client contract requirement. The right approach depends on whether the higher limit is a one-off requirement or a reflection of your broader client base.
We advise on the most cost-effective approach and ensure your certificate of currency meets the contractual requirement before you sign.
How do we handle insurance when partners join or leave our practice?
Partnership changes require careful management of the PI program. Departing partners need run-off cover for work done during their time at the practice. If the practice policy does not include a provision for departing partner run-off, individual arrangements may be needed.
Incoming partners need to ensure that work done at their previous practice is covered, either by their former employer’s run-off policy or by a specific retroactive date provision in your policy.
For law firms, state law society requirements add an additional layer of obligation. We guide practices through these transitions and ensure that no partner is left without appropriate protection.
Are there insurance requirements for specific professional registration bodies?
Yes. Many professional registration bodies impose minimum insurance requirements as a condition of registration or practice.
Law societies require solicitors professional indemnity with specified minimum limits and approved insurer terms. CPA Australia and Chartered Accountants ANZ have recommended minimum limits for member practices. Engineers Australia and the Australian Institute of Architects provide guidance on appropriate PI cover.
We’re familiar with the requirements of the major professional bodies and review compliance with these requirements as part of every program assessment.
What’s included in a gap analysis report for our practice?
Our gap analysis identifies areas where your current insurance may not align with professional obligations, client contracts, or industry standards for practices like yours.
The report highlights specific gaps, explains potential exposures, and provides recommendations for appropriate cover reflecting your practice scale and professional discipline.
What happens if we switch professional indemnity insurers?
Before switching, confirm in writing with both insurers that your new policy’s retroactive date covers all your historical work. If it doesn’t, your old insurer should arrange run-off cover for any work not covered by the new retroactive date.
Don’t assume this happens automatically. Get written confirmation from both insurers before you switch.
Can we get professional indemnity insurance if we’ve had prior claims?
Yes. Prior claims will affect your premium and policy terms, but they don’t automatically disqualify you.
You must disclose all prior claims (whether on you personally or on your business) when you apply. Prior claims may result in higher premiums, more restrictive policy terms, waiting periods before certain cover applies, or specific exclusions related to the prior claim.
We help you navigate this process and source appropriate cover despite prior claims history.
Important Information: The information on this page is general advice only and doesn’t consider your professional practice’s specific circumstances or registration requirements. Contact us for advice specific to your professional services business. Coverage examples are illustrative only. Your requirements depend on your professional discipline, service offerings, and client contracts. This doesn’t constitute advice regarding professional registration obligations; consult your registration body or professional association. Always review contract terms before entering agreements to ensure insurance aligns with contractual obligations. Before entering into insurance, you have a duty to disclose anything that may affect an insurer’s decision to insure you. View our Financial Services Guide for full details about our services and remuneration. Clear Insurance Pty Ltd | ABN 41 601 916 689 | AFSL No. 548953
Last updated: 3 September 2026