Planned Cover was formed in 1974 when the Royal Australian Institute of Architects had the foresight to create a sustainable and reliable insurance facility for its members. At the time, the professional indemnity insurance market was volatile and rates and policies were inconsistent. With the continued support of the majority of Australia’s registered architects, the Architects Professional Indemnity Insurance Facility (the Facility) is now one of the longest running professional indemnity insurance facilities for any profession in Australia.
The main aim of the Facility is to provide professional indemnity insurance for architects on the best possible terms and at rates/premiums that are long term sustainable. Our specialist knowledge enables the business to have a thorough understanding of the profession and the insurance requirements architects need to operate commercially in the litigious construction environment.
Placing Professional Indemnity Insurance for architects has always been our core business and as a result we have expertise in not only the advice we provide to our architect clients but also in providing a professional indemnity insurance policy designed specifically to meet our client needs.
The Architects Facility is underwritten by AAI Limited trading as Vero Insurance.
Access to the Architects Facility is only via Planned Cover and therefore other general insurance brokers will not promote the Architects Facility as a placement option via their brokerage.
The Facility has remained exclusive to Planned Cover to ensure the brokers placing the business have a thorough understanding of the architectural profession.
Via our education division called informed by Planned Cover, we provide clients with an extensive risk management program. We firmly believe that our role is to assist clients in managing risk through both insurance and traditional risk management techniques. It is this philosophy and our extensive experience in professional indemnity insurance for design and construction professionals that has resulted in a risk management service which is unique within the industry.
Whilst it is in our interests to ensure our architect clients are not exposing themselves to risks that may impact on their practice commercially and their professional indemnity insurance policy, we also see our risk management services as an integral part of an architects’ business which will supplement the practices own professional development program.
When you utilise our risk management services there is no doubt that you increase your awareness of the risks you are exposed to which in turn will prompt you into implementing processes and procedures to control those risks. Having such internal procedures should lead to you improving your risk profile which should ultimately make your organisation more attractive to insure!
Risk Management Services available to clients:
Risk management seminars
Our risk managers present seminars either in-house for practices who have sufficient numbers of professional staff or group seminars are also provided to smaller practices regularly throughout Australia. Our seminars are constantly being updated and modified as we see new risk management and insurance issues developing.
Contract Reviews
Our in-house risk managers (who are also qualified solicitors) review consultancy agreements and other contractual documents (including certificates, waivers, licences, Deeds of Novation and releases) that regulate the relationships between design and construction professionals and their clients. The object of the contract review service is to identify clauses within contractual documents that raise insurance issues (potentially uninsured risks) and risk management issues. This service is intended to supplement qualified legal advice and to provide assistance to the architects’ legal advisors.
Online courses and face-to-face CPD events
informed also provides a range of online courses, webinars and in-person events to assist with your ongoing professional development (CPD). All courses and events are brought to you by our legally qualified Risk managers with the assistance of industry experienced guest speakers from time-to-time, and qualify for formal CPD hours.
Practice Guides
Practice Guides are an invaluable tool to help you understand complex situations you may come across in your day-to-day practice. With over 50 available to Planned Cover Professional Indemnity clients, they cover diverse topics including Project Management, BIM, Asbestos, Novation and Termination, Dispute Resolution, Limitation of Liability and much more.
Our regular newsletter provides concise and practical articles on current topics relevant to the insurance and construction industry as well as commentary on recent claims experiences. With articles written by our panel solicitors, risk managers, and claims managers these newsletters ensure that you are being updated regularly on current issues.
As an architectural client of ours, you are entitled to 15 minutes of free commercial legal advice from our panel solicitors. These solicitors also specialise in the architectural and construction industries and will be able to provide helpful consultation for any commercial issue you may face.
We appreciate that unfortunately claims are an increasingly common part of professional life for those who work in the highly litigious construction industry. Our in-house claims managers, who are also qualified solicitors, understand the commercial and personal pressures created by litigation and take a progressive and proactive approach to the management of claims from notification right through to litigated disputes. This means that when you notify a matter to us our staff will manage the claim and are easily accessible via a toll free number for you to consult with at any time. This also allows your account manager to remain involved in the handling of any claims you may have. We find that many of our clients tell us that it is our claims handling and the way in which we respond to your needs that is a vital and greatly appreciated service.
If you would like to speak to us about how we can help with your Professional Indemnity requirements, you can contact your nearest state representative:
Victoria
Laurence Gottlieb
laurenceg@plannedcover.com.au
03 8508 5410
New South Wales / Australian Capital Territory
Laurence Gottlieb
laurenceg@plannedcover.com.au
03 8508 5410
Queensland / Northern Territory
Marie Bailey
marieb@plannedcover.com.au
07 3017 1500
South Australia / Tasmania
Cos Cirocco
cosc@plannedcover.com.au
08 8363 7366
Western Australia
Kylie McGrath
kyliem@plannedcover.com.au
08 9261 1200
Account Manager - QLD/NT
National Business Manager - State Manager SA
State Manager - WA
