By Paul Dillon
Senior Vice President, Executive Underwriter
Berkley Design Professional, a Berkley Company
September 10, 2025
In the professional liability market for design firms, the value of an insurance provider extends well beyond price. It lies in thoughtful underwriting, proactive risk management and a claims team that genuinely understands the industry.
At Berkley Design Professional, we’ve worked closely with agents and brokers across the country who serve the unique needs of architects and engineers (A&E). Over time, we’ve listened carefully to what they say makes an insurance provider stand out and what keeps them coming back with new business and renewals.
Based on our brokers’ feedback and ongoing industry insights, here are three qualities that distinguish Berkley Design Professional as a trusted partner in the A&E professional liability insurance marketplace.
1. Creative and Flexible Coverage
A solid policy form is the key to dependable coverage. At Berkley Design Professional, we adopt a flexible and innovative approach to underwriting that meets the real-world needs of A&E firms. For example, we recently issued an enhanced primary policy form with significant updates, including:
- Definition of insured: Now covers independent contractors
- Waiver of subrogation: May apply to parties with a written agreement with the insured (excluding their subcontractors or sub-consultants)
- Extended reporting period: New option to extend reporting up to five years
- Cannabis coverage: Clearly included in the policy to address an emerging risk
We also clarified our definitions of claim, contractors pollution coverage, professional services and deductible credits, making it easier for agents and brokers and their clients to understand how our policy works and how coverage applies.
For an additional premium, our policies feature several elements that agents, brokers and clients appreciate:
- Project limits enable firms to allocate specific coverage to individual projects. This helps manage liability, meet client requirements and maintain the overall policy limit.
- Run-off 3 Year policy providing ongoing protection for work completed before a firm closes or changes ownership, ensuring claims related to past work are still covered.
- Separate defense limits allocate funds specifically for legal defense, so indemnity coverage isn’t depleted by high legal costs.
Berkley Design Professional also offers admitted follow-form excess policy options, which provide coverage above the primary policy, following the same terms. This is especially beneficial for A&E firms handling complex or high-value projects.
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