What to Look for in Your A&E Professional Liability Insurance Provider

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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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Free Webinar: Risk Management Essentials of the New Normal

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Presented by:
Diane P. Mika, Senior Vice President, Risk Management Officer, Berkley Design Professional
Andrew D. Mendelson, FAIA, Executive Vice President, Chief Risk Management Officer, Berkley Design Professional

Thursday, September 18, 2025
10-11 AM Pacific
12-1 PM Central
1-2 PM Eastern

Approved for 1.0 AIA Learning Units 
1 RCEP Professional Development Hours+

Berkley DP policyholders who participate in this program can qualify for a 15% Risk Management Education credit. Contact your agent for further information*

Register Now

In today’s rapidly evolving AEC landscape, risk management fundamentals are more critical than ever. This webinar explores how post-pandemic shifts, emerging technologies, and changing client expectations are reshaping professional liability exposure for architects and engineers. Gain actionable insights and tools to protect your firm and enhance risk resilience in the “new normal.”

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Free Webinar: Reviewing Contracts for Professional Liability Coverage and Risk

Posted by & filed under Events.

Presented by:
Diane P. Mika, Senior Vice President, Risk Management Officer, Berkley Design Professional

Tuesday, February 11, 2025
10-11:15 AM Pacific
12-1:15 PM Central
1-2:15 PM Eastern

Approved for
1.25 AIA Learning Units 
1.25 RCEP Professional Development Hours+

Berkley DP policyholders who participate in this program can qualify for a 15% Risk Management Education credit. Contact your agent for further information*

Register Now

Before signing on the dotted line, you should carefully review every contract in the context of project-specific requirements, conditions, your firm’s standards and protocols, and language that is consistent with your professional liability insurance. During our upcoming webinar, Diane P. Mika, Senior Vice President, Risk Management Officer will showcase actual contract clauses that have crossed our desk and explain how to edit them for insurability.

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Berkley Design Professional’s 10th Anniversary – Cheers to 10 Years!

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By Larry Moonan
Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, Berkley Design Professional, a Berkley Company

April 17, 2023

April marks the ten-year anniversary of Berkley Design Professional and we couldn’t be more excited! Over the past decade, we have established ourselves as a leader in the A&E marketplace by providing outstanding service to our brokers as well as comprehensive coverage, risk management support and exceptional claims handling for design professionals across the country.

The past ten years have been filled with some challenges and many successes, but throughout it all, our brokers have consistently supported and encouraged us. Our brokers have enabled us to grow and thrive and we are grateful for their unwavering commitment to Berkley Design Professional.

When we first started out, our vision was to create a business that would meet the unique needs of design professionals. Our goal was to provide insurance coverage that was tailored specifically to the risks faced by architects, engineers and other design professionals. Over the years, we have been able to do just that, offering a range of innovative insurance products designed to meet their diverse needs.

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Broker Webinar: Social Inflation – How it Impacts the Professional Liability Market

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Tuesday, October, 25, 2022
2:00 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. Eastern Time

Presented by:
Steve Porcelli, President, Berkley Design Professional
Larry Moonan, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, Berkley Design Professional

What is social inflation and why is it important?

Social inflation is a concern in the insurance industry with societal and legal trends driving larger, more costly lawsuits – what does it mean for the professional liability market?

Join us for insights into the key drivers of social inflation that are contributing to escalating costs for insurers and policyholders and what it might mean to your book of business.

Register Now!

Rhonda Navarrete Joins Berkley Design Professional as an Assistant Vice President, Senior Underwriter

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Monterey, Calif. (December 1, 2021) – Rhonda Navarrete joins Berkley Design Professional, a division of Berkley Alliance Managers, a Berkley Company as an assistant vice president, senior underwriter. She is responsible for underwriting primary and excess business within the retail Architects & Engineers insurance community, building strong broker relationships and achieving profitable growth for Berkley Design Professional’s architects & engineers professional liability portfolio.

“Rhonda’s extensive experience with the design community, professional liability lines and our network of specialty insurance brokers will serve us well,” says Lawrence G. Moonan, executive vice president at Berkley Design Professional. “Rhonda is a seasoned veteran who understands our culture and the urgency we have around serving the needs of our brokers and policyholders. She will be a welcome addition to our talented underwriting team.”

Ms. Navarrete joins Berkley Design Professional with more than 20 years of experience underwriting Architects & Engineers Professional Liability Insurance. She is a licensed insurance agent in the state of California and holds the designations of Registered Professional Liability Underwriter (RPLU) and Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designations. Ms. Navarrete is based in California.

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Walter J. Adams, Jr. of Berkley Alliance Managers to Discuss Professional Liability in a Post-COVID-19 World at CLM 2021 Annual Conference

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Albany, N.Y. (July 21, 2021) – Walter J. Adams, Jr., vice president and assistant claims manager at Berkley Alliance Managers, a Berkley Company, will discuss ways to Get Ahead of the Claim: Professional Liability in a Post-COVID-19 World at the CLM 2021 Annual Conference to be held at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis in Atlanta, Georgia. During the roundtable discussion scheduled for Thursday, August 12th at 2:00 p.m. EST, Adams will highlight the novel claims faced by design and construction professionals in a pandemic environment and proactive methods to protect against increased exposures.

“Nearly every individual, organization and profession nationwide were impacted by the coronavirus,” says Adams. “Many construction projects were either delayed or canceled, which created incentives to accept less than desirable projects or contracts. This roundtable will profile the many challenges professionals overcame during this time and the risk management strategies that will help them navigate through a post-COVID-19 world.”

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