Land surveyor insurance

Professional insurance for land surveyors

Accuracy is key in your line of work. If mistakes are made and boundary lines crossed, your client could sue.

And accidents happen, even on a vacant lot. A passerby could trip over your tripod. Or you could scratch his truck with a survey rod.

You don’t need a compass to see which way this is pointing.

Protect your business from the cost of legal claims with insurance for land surveyors.

Insurance requirements for land surveyors

• Why do land surveyors need general liability insurance?

  Most of your work is on site. Which means you’re at risk of claims for property damage and bodily injury on a daily basis. To make matters worse, you can be sued even if you weren’t at fault. Medical care costs are on the up. And if a claim goes to court and gets drawn out, you’re looking at legal expenses of 5 or 6 figures. Without insurance, how will you cover that? General liability insurance protects your business from the financial damage caused by claims for:

  • Injury to a person
  • Damage to someone’s property
  • Personal injury (slander or libel)

  Even if a case is groundless a general liability policy can pay for medical bills, your legal fees and compensation, too, if you’re liable.

  Leaving you to focus on doing what you do best – running your business.

• What does general liability insurance for land surveyors cover?

  • Medical expenses — A client trips over your surveying equipment and cuts herself. It’s bad -- she needs stitches. Your policy can pay up to $5,000 for medical expenses caused by the accident regardless of fault.
  • Property damage — Your survey done, you’re returning to your truck when you knock over and shatter an artisan window. Visibly upset, the property owner demands you replace it, fast. General liability insurance can pay for its replacement plus the cost of speedy delivery.
  • Personal injury — One of your employees is on a job site. He’s talking to the contractor when he makes a not-so-nice remark about one of your mutual clients. It gets back to the client, who sues your business for slander. Your policy can pay your defense fees and hire an attorney to defend you.

• How much does general liability insurance cost for land surveyors?

  The cost of general liability policies for land surveyors varies, depending on:

  • The size of your business
  • The industry you’re in
  • Your payroll cost
  • Your annual income
  • The amount of coverage you need.

  The higher your coverage limit (the amount your insurer will pay for a single claim or all claims during the policy period) the more your policy costs. So choose your limit carefully.

  Just remember that lawyers’ fees, compensation and court costs can go through the roof. Try to imagine the worst-case scenario, then pick a figure you can realistically afford.

  And remember there are payment options available. So you can spread the cost of your policy to fit your budget.

• Why do land surveyors need professional liability insurance?

  Because you offer a professional service. And that means your clients can sue you if they think you made a mistake.

  Say your client took your advice on boundary lines and built a swimming pool in their yard. Their neighbor then claims it’s encroaching on their property. Moving a swimming pool will cost your client thousands of dollars. Who do you think will get the blame? You guessed it.

  Whether you incorrectly mapped boundary lines or not, your client could sue you to try to recover their loss. And if the case goes to court, you could be looking at costs of 5, sometimes 6 figures.

  Now you have to defend yourself – your reputation is on the line. But the thing is, claims like these don’t just cost you money, they take up your time. And that’s time better spent running your business.

  Even if a claim is groundless, professional liability insurance for land surveyors can hire you an attorney, pay your legal fees, and compensation, too. Leaving you to run your business, knowing you’ll still have one when it’s all over.

  Just so you know, professional liability insurance is also known as errors and omissions (or E&O for short). But what’s in a name? All that matters is the policy does the same thing – protects your name, your business, and your bottom line.

• What does professional liability insurance for land surveyors cover?

  • Claims made against you for professional negligence, whether you’re at fault, or not
  • Worldwide claims – so long as the claim is filed in the U.S., a U.S. Territory, or Canada
  • Claims arising from work you’ve done in the past
  • The cost of hiring an attorney
  • Your legal fees
  • Compensation payment, if you’re found at fault

• How much does professional liability insurance cost for land surveyors?

  Our professional liability policies are designed for small businesses and start-ups. So there’ll be a price to suit your pocket, and you can pay in quarterly instalments if it suits you better.

  As for the amount of coverage you need, it’s best to over-estimate. Think worst-case scenario, then pick a figure you can realistically afford.

What other kinds of insurance do land surveyors need?