Locating and Securing a Policy Unlike general liability insurance, error insurance depends more on getting the right insurance provider. You already know what profession you are in and what need to be covered, generally. What you want to look for is the provider who is experienced at covering your business type specifically. Don't hire an attorney error insurer when your business is engineering studies and reviews. This trend, unfortunately, is a common mistake because many businesses tend to want to bundle their different insurance policies with the same provider for administrative ease. Additionally, many insurers offer cross- type insurance products when they know darn well they don't have the expertise in some areas. Once you have found a reliable error insurance provider, let them review your business risk for their perspective. They may very well find additional risks you didn't think of. Take it with an open mind rather than just assuming it's a push for additional sales (it is, but if you need the coverage then it was a good suggestion). Such advice should come with the expertise specific to your industry. The provider should be able to show this background references upon request. There are number of questions you want to make sure get answered as you're developing your professional error insurance policy with a provider. First, be clear what your professional services actually are. A lawyer could say she provides legal services. But there's a significant difference between a litigator lawyer and one who writes up real estate agreements all day long. The error insurance you want should be specific to your industry activity so you're not paying for coverage on risks you don't have in the first place. The agreement language should detail these covered activities (i.e. for the litigator it would be legal case law research and representation in court and proceedings, among other activities). Second, define the type of legal business entity your professional service is. Are you a sole proprietor or a partnership? Are you the only service provider or do you have ten assistant engineers working for you in your business? The type of company and size has an influence on your policy terms and details. Additionally, there are different legal responsibilities for management versus employees in regards to errors and omissions coverage. A particular area to note is that many error insurance policies by default don't cover independent contractors. If your business uses such services for lower operating costs, you own whatever the contractor does for someone in your name. Make sure your coverage includes such a risk if it is part of your business. Third, you may have a need for coverage of services between your business and related parties. This sort of situation typically happens in cross-business deals where different businesses work on the same service or product ultimately sold by one business. Real estate sales are common example with a builder, a broker, an escrow agent, and a title company involved. The customer could any of the businesses for the mistake of one. Using just a general error insurance policy in such a situation would leave a serious risk unprotected. Once you've connected with a provider, you need to fill out an application detailing in writing all that you need in a policy. The form also provides for all your business identification and payment agreements with the insurer. The insurer may also want to know your businesses finances and top management background to evaluate risks. Choosing the right plan