There are risks to every profession. You might think web designer insurance is completely unnecessary since, from your perspective, all you do is sit in front of a computer most of the time. What could possibly go wrong there to warrant all this insurance nonsense? It’s not like you work on a construction site or work heavy machinery…
But maybe you do work heavy machinery on a construction site – digitally speaking, of course. What is a large website if not a complex digital machine? One bug introduced to the code, and the website’s core functions could collapse and result in your client suffering a financial loss while you try to solve the issue.
Whether you’re a freelance web designer or manage a team of web designers, web designer insurance might just save your business one day.
Professional Indemnity Insurance for Web Designers
Even if you’ve done no wrong, maybe a client decides that the website you’ve designed and developed for them isn’t what they expected it to be. It might not be bad, it just wasn’t what they had in mind or doesn’t function the way they wanted it to. They may decide to make a claim against you for negligence.
Professional indemnity insurance for web designers can cover you against a whole range of unforeseeable scenarios where your client suffers a financial loss as a direct result of your professional advice or the work you have carried out for them. Whether you’re right or wrong, if you’ve found yourself on the receiving end of a claim, you may just lose by default.
Maybe the enquiry form you built on their website was never tested properly after an update, resulting in thousands of lost leads or enquiries. Or maybe there’s a bug on the basket or shopping cart page of an e-commerce website that has led to an increased rate of cart abandonment. Your work may have accidentally led to the client losing a lot of money. Similarly, if you have an online marketing professional that produces website analytics reports for your client, an error in their work may result in the client overlooking a financial issue that caused them to make the wrong business decisions as a result. Professional indemnity insurance can protect your web design business from all of these risks. From data loss to copyright infringement – which is one of the most common risks for those in web design, graphic design and online marketing. Many aren’t even aware that they are infringing on copyrighted material until they receive notice. Even the design of a new logo that looks hauntingly similar to another trademarked logo that you didn’t even know existed can get you into some serious legal difficulty.
TOP TIP: Some clients may require confirmation of professional indemnity insurance on your end before any contracts are signed. (We can actually get these documents emailed to you immediately so you can purchase your policy with us online or by phone from your client’s office and present the proof of cover to them with no fuss.)
Public Liability Insurance for Web Designers
Unless you work from home and, more importantly, never meet face to face with any of your clients, then this is something to seriously consider. Each client you meet with in person presents a risk to your business. But that’s no reason to lock your office doors and never come out again!
If you have clients visit your office, you may be unfortunate one day and get a particularly clumsy one. Maybe they trip over a trailing cable or the very thing that was supposed to prevent that from happening – the cable tidy itself! Or maybe you’re the clumsy one and accidentally spill coffee onto their laptop, or knock their laptop off the table completely! Public liability insurance for web designers will cover you for the injury of third-party persons and the damage of their property, on both your premises and theirs.
TOP TIP: Accidents can happen, even superheroes make mistakes. Which is why public liability insurance is crucial to protect yourself against third-party claims that you may be found liable for.
Employers Liability Insurance for Web Designers
If you have any employees working for you, employers liability insurance is a legal requirement. This includes any full-time, part-time and temporary staff you have working for you – even if they’re an apprentice, an unpaid volunteer or a self-employed contractor.
Maybe your web design team consists of multiple web designers, graphic designers, web developers, website administrators and online marketers. Whether you’re a two-man band or a larger operation, if one of your employees were to slip over a wet floor in the bathroom and injure themselves, or suffer repetitive strain and back injuries from sitting at their computer desk all day, they may demand compensation for their injuries.
TOP TIP: This type of insurance is required by law. You are responsible for the health and safety of your employees. Displaying your certificate on the wall, or keeping it accessible at all times, is recommended as inspectors may ask you to present it to them or face a £1000 fine.
Office Insurance for Web Designers
Even if you’re a home based web designer, you may want to consider office insurance as your home insurance policy will not cover you for any problems that may arise at home from running your business. Office insurance will cover against any damage done to the office or the contents within it.
If there’s a fire at your office and everything goes up in flames, you’re not going to be able to keep the business open. How much is it going to cost to replace all the computer equipment alone, before you even get to all the furnishings? Web design companies rely on their computers and software in the office. You can get business interruption cover so that you can claim something back if you are unable to work and therefore are losing money due to any insured peril.
TOP TIP: Office insurance is a tailored insurance policy that will include public liability, professional indemnity, employers liability and any other insurance cover you may need working in an office. Cover your computer equipment, web design employees and clients in one insurance package designed for web design companies.
Tools Cover for Web Designers
Web designers can protect their tools of the trade with an extension to their public liability insurance known as tools cover. Tools cover will protect against any loss or damage of tools that are used in connection with your business. Maybe your laptop gets stolen on the way to a meeting with a client. Or you drop the office iPhone or iPad that you use to check you responsive web designs for mobile devices. This type of insurance cover can help to cover the costs of repair or replacement.
TOP TIP: The tools can be owned by you, your employees, the business or even hired from elsewhere.
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