PI Recommendations

[FarmerPalmer]

IT contracting by our underwriter's definition is pretty wide ranging and software engineering is definitely included in that.

Thanks for that - looks like you might be getting my business when it comes up for renewal.

[NickFitz]

IT, to me at least, brings visions of corporate infrastructure or City banking.

That's one of those problems where a term starts adopting different meanings to different people.

To me, "IT" means "Information Technology" - i.e. anything to do with technology for processing and disseminating information. I have always felt that printing and the machinery associated therewith is also a form of Information Technology, meaning that the term "IT" should also apply to Linotype machines and Original Heidelberg "windmill" platen presses (both wonderful machines to operate, if you ever get the opportunity).

However, it - whoops, inadvertent pun - "IT" was clearly never meant to apply to such technologies - it was intended to apply to new computer-related technologies, and for a long time it was a suitable catch-all phrase for them.

Nowadays it seems that the term "IT" is mainly used to denote all the infrastructure-related stuff to do with maintaining networks, keeping fileservers running, and replacing broken printers. I'm not sure whether an activity such as writing assembly language code would still be regarded as "IT" by some people anymore.

However, that's a question of common usage; in the context of insurance, the term would presumably be defined in the policy, and it would be that contractually binding definition of the term that mattered.

[Qdos Contractor]

IT contracting by our underwriter's definition is pretty wide ranging and software engineering is definitely included in that.

[ratewhore]

Randall Dorling via PCG did a reasonable deal for me £250ish.

However be warned there is a "shared layer" of cover at the top band and this confused the hell out of the poor pimp I was dealing with at the time.

It's really not rocket science is it? Poor fella...

[moorfield]

Randall Dorling via PCG did a reasonable deal for me £250ish.

However be warned there is a "shared layer" of cover at the top band and this confused the hell out of the poor pimp I was dealing with at the time.

[ratewhore]

You do seem confused to me as you contradict yourself to a certain extent. You say 'IT" makes you think of city banking but not railway infrastructure. If you follow your line of thinking, then IT bods in the city work in finance, not IT, and you work in, say, transport infrastructure, but not IT.

You can't have it both ways but, to avoid doubt, tell the insurer what you do and let them underwrite you. Bear in mind they may have their sales head on though...

[FarmerPalmer]

er, yeah

To use the popular plumber analogy, if he fixes Kylies bog or Alan Sugars, he's still a plumber...

but will that analogy stand up in a court of law when you get sued ?

say a Railway Signalling System fails due to a coding error - or even a vacuum cleaner - would an "IT Contractor" Public Liability Insurance pay out ?

IT, to me at least, brings visions of corporate infrastructure or City banking.

thus the question ....

Though it is unlikely to come back onto any individual entity (person or consulting business) anyway - if it is developed by one and tested by another.

Confused of Chippenham

[ratewhore]

...but does 'IT' really encompass Software Engineers, like myself, developing software for Telecoms, Rail, Defence and Consumer Products.

er, yeah

To use the popular plumber analogy, if he fixes Kylies bog or Alan Sugars, he's still a plumber...

[FarmerPalmer]

I notice that its £132 for "IT Contractors" - but does 'IT' really encompass Software Engineers, like myself, developing software for Telecoms, Rail, Defence and Consumer Products.

Software Engineering doesn't seem to be covered in Low & Normal Risk Trades either



I currently pay £230 for £250K cover to Chaunce O'Hara / Freelance Insure - same fee for IT Contractors & Engineering - but its due for renewal next month

[Qdos Contractor]

We don't cover laptops though I'm afraid (at the moment).

[Hex]

Look at QDOS Consulting too. Should be less than £200.

[ratewhore]

PCG membership + Randell Dorling with PCG discount.

No brainer...

[dangly]

I've just received my renewal quote for professional indemnity insurance which is currently with Hiscox - £509.25.

A colleague has pointed me at insurance-for-business.co.uk with quotes coming back as little as £95 for the same level of cover. ifb.co.uk is run by 'British Gas Business', so I'm not touching them with a barge-pole, but I'm intrigued by the massive cost difference.... (and haven't read the small print either)

Anyone have any recommendations for an insurance company providing professional indemnity insurance (1 million quid) + laptop (£1500) for somewhere in the middle of those two figures.

Cheers, D.