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PROFESSIONAL INDEMNITY COVER THAT PROTECTS YOUR DRAWINGS, TOLERANCES & ADVICE
Why Professional Indemnity Matters for Aluminium Manufacturing
Aluminium manufacturing and fabrication is often seen as a “hands-on” trade — cut, fold, weld, machine, assemble, dispatch. But many modern aluminium businesses also take on professional responsibility without realising it. The moment you provide a drawing, confirm a specification, advise on a material grade, sign off a tolerance, or alter a customer’s design, you’re exposed to a type of claim that public/products liability insurance may not respond to.
Professional indemnity (PI) insurance is designed to protect you if a customer alleges that your advice, design work, drawings, specifications, calculations, or instructions caused them a financial loss. This could be a rejected batch, rework costs, a failed fit-up, a structural issue, project delays, or a wider contractual dispute. In aluminium manufacturing — where tolerances, surface finish, and performance can be critical — these allegations can escalate quickly.
Insure24 arranges professional indemnity insurance for UK aluminium manufacturers, CNC workshops, fabricators and engineering firms. We help you structure PI so it matches your scope of work, your contracts, and the industries you supply — from general engineering to construction, architectural metalwork, marine, automotive, renewables and OEM supply.
What Professional Indemnity Insurance Typically Covers
PI wordings vary, but the core purpose is consistent: protection against claims alleging you made a professional mistake. For aluminium manufacturers, that commonly means errors in drawings/specifications, incorrect advice on material selection, tolerance errors, or omissions in documentation that cause a customer financial loss.
- Negligence / breach of professional duty allegations
- Errors & omissions in drawings, specs, tolerance call-outs, instructions or documentation
- Design changes you propose or implement (even if minor)
- Fitness for purpose allegations where a customer claims reliance on your expertise
- Defence costs for solicitors, experts and investigations (subject to policy terms)
- Contractual liability (limited) where it arises from negligence (depends on wording)
PI is usually written on a claims-made basis, meaning the timing of when a claim is made and notified matters. Insure24 will help you avoid common pitfalls around retroactive dates, continuity, and notification.
Common Optional Extensions We Arrange
- Dishonesty cover (typically for employee dishonesty, often with conditions)
- Loss of documents and data restoration (where offered)
- Defamation / intellectual property (limited and wording-dependent)
- Breach of confidentiality and information handling allegations
- Subcontractor / consultants cover (where you assume responsibility)
- Worldwide territory options for export/OEM supply (where required)
If you supply safety-critical sectors or work under OEM terms, we can tailor limits, jurisdiction and wording to match contract requirements.
Where Design & Specification Risk Often Appears in Aluminium Work
Many manufacturers believe they are “build-to-print”, but day-to-day reality is messier: clarifications, substitutions, quick changes, and practical recommendations. These are exactly the areas where PI claims are born — because they’re often undocumented or agreed informally.
CAD/CAM, Drawings & Tolerances
- Producing drawings from a concept, sketch, or site measurement
- Translating customer intent into CAD models and machining paths
- Tolerance stack-ups and fit-up issues (holes, slots, mating faces)
- Incorrect revision control or using superseded drawings
- Programming errors leading to incorrect geometry or surface finish
- Misinterpretation of GD&T or specification notes
Even if the part is physically “wrong”, the claim may be framed as a professional error — especially if the customer relied on your interpretation.
Specification, Materials & Performance
- Advising on aluminium grade/temper (e.g., structural vs marine use)
- Recommending finish/coating routes (anodising, powder coat, paint systems)
- Changes to thickness, section sizes, gussets or fixing details
- Advice about corrosion resistance, galvanic isolation and compatibility
- Load, deflection or vibration performance assumptions
- Site survey or measurement errors feeding into fabrication
These are usually “financial loss” allegations: delays, rework, replacement, and project overrun costs — which is why PI is crucial.
Contract Terms & Commercial Fallout
- Fitness for purpose wording in purchase orders
- Uncapped indemnities or broad consequential loss clauses
- Design responsibility clauses hidden in frameworks
- Liquidated damages for late completion or defects
- Customer audits requiring PI evidence at specific limits
- Disputes over scope (“you should have spotted it”)
PI won’t fix a bad contract, but it can fund defence and settlement where allegations arise from negligence and professional duty.
Subcontractors & Shared Responsibility
- Outsourced design, drafting or calculations
- Third-party finishing or treatment that affects performance
- Installation partners relying on your drawings/spec
- Customer-appointed consultants reviewing your work
- Ambiguity over who “signed off” a change
- Multi-party disputes after project failure or delay
Where responsibility is shared, claims can become complex. Good PI cover plus good documentation is the winning combination.
A customer alleged our design clarification caused a fit-up failure on site and demanded delay costs. Insure24 helped arrange PI cover that supported early legal advice and kept the dispute under control.
Director, Aluminium Fabrication & Installation BusinessWhat Insurers Look For When Quoting PI for Aluminium Manufacturers
PI is underwritten on the basis of what you do, who you do it for, and how you control professional risk. Strong information can improve both premium and insurer appetite, especially where contracts carry design responsibility.
Work Scope & Contract Profile
- Design role: build-to-print vs design-and-build vs design support
- Typical contract terms, liability caps and fitness for purpose wording
- Sectors supplied (construction, marine, automotive, OEM, etc.)
- Turnover split: design/spec activities vs pure manufacturing
- Largest contracts and any bespoke indemnities
PI can be structured to reflect the reality that only part of your work involves professional services — but it must be disclosed accurately.
Controls That Reduce PI Claims
- Clear contract review process and sign-off authority
- Drawing issue controls, revision tracking and document control
- Design checks/peer review for non-standard work
- Site survey procedures and measurement verification
- Written change control (emails, variation orders, approved notes)
- Records retention (drawings, emails, approvals, inspection sheets)
Many disputes become expensive because decisions aren’t documented. The best PI risk control is simple: put it in writing.
Typical PI Options for Aluminium Manufacturing Businesses
The right limit and structure depends on your contract profile and the realistic cost of a dispute. For some businesses PI is a tender requirement. For others it is a financial backstop to protect the balance sheet if a customer alleges your design input caused a project loss.
Essential PI (Build-to-Print + Minor Clarifications)
Best for: Mostly build-to-print workshops, limited advice, low design turnover
- PI limit sized to typical contract values
- Defence costs protection for disputes
- Retroactive cover aligned to your trading history (where possible)
Suitable where you mainly manufacture but occasionally clarify drawings, suggest fixes, or provide small design support.
PI for Design-and-Build / Specification Responsibility
Best for: Fabricators providing drawings/specs, architectural aluminium, engineered assemblies
- Higher limits and broader scope disclosure
- Contract review support and wording alignment
- Coverage tailored to professional services delivered
Designed for businesses where your drawings/specifications are central to the finished outcome and reliance is explicit.
Enhanced PI + Contractual Risk Planning
Best for: OEM suppliers, safety-critical work, complex projects, higher contract values
- Higher limits or layered programmes
- Jurisdiction/territory options for export supply
- Structured retroactive dates and continuity planning
Appropriate where a single allegation could trigger six-figure legal costs, expert fees, and settlement pressure.
PI for Multi-Site / Group Manufacturing
Best for: Multiple entities/sites with shared engineering and design resource
- Consistent cover across sites and contracts
- Clear insured entity structure and responsibility mapping
- Centralised claims and incident reporting approach
Helps avoid coverage gaps created by shared engineering teams, multiple trading names, or contract signatories.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Do aluminium manufacturers really need professional indemnity?
If you provide drawings, specifications, tolerances, CAD/CAM input, advice, measurements, or design changes — even occasionally — PI can be important.
Public/products liability is aimed at injury or property damage, whereas PI is aimed at allegations of professional negligence causing financial loss.
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What is the difference between PI and products liability?
Products liability is designed for third-party injury or third-party property damage caused by products you supply.
PI is designed for financial loss allegations arising from your advice, drawings, specifications, errors or omissions.
Some disputes involve both elements, so having the right mix matters.
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Does PI cover fitness for purpose clauses?
PI policies typically cover negligence, not every form of contractual liability. “Fitness for purpose” wording can increase exposure.
Some policies can respond where the allegation relates to negligence or breach of professional duty, but cover depends on the wording and the facts.
We’ll review your contract profile to structure PI appropriately.
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Is CAD/CAM programming treated as a professional service?
It can be. If your programming, drawing interpretation, or tooling path decisions are relied on by a customer (or form part of your deliverable),
allegations may be framed as professional negligence. This is especially relevant when you modify designs, optimise geometry, or take responsibility for outcomes.
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What limit of PI do aluminium manufacturers typically buy?
It depends on your contract values, client requirements and the realistic cost of a dispute. Many businesses start with limits aligned to
their largest projects or tender requirements, then adjust at renewal. We’ll recommend limits based on your risk profile.
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What information do you need to quote PI?
Usually: your turnover, a description of design/spec activities, sectors supplied, contract profile, largest contracts, claims history,
and your controls (revision management, sign-off, contract review). If you have example terms or purchase orders, they help.
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Does PI cover past work?
PI is generally claims-made and can include a retroactive date. If you maintain continuous cover, past work can be covered subject to the retroactive terms.
Gaps in cover can cause problems, so continuity matters — especially for manufacturers with long product lifecycles or contractual warranties.
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Can PI be combined with public/products liability?
Sometimes, depending on insurer appetite and your scope. Many aluminium manufacturers place PI separately because it’s underwritten differently.
Insure24 can advise whether a combined approach or separate placements will give you better coverage and pricing.