Fore Street, Glasgow – Hypostyle Architects

RIAS Insurance Services

Standard 8 of the Architects Code: Standards of Code and Practice requires that:

Architects should not undertake professional work without adequate and appropriate professional indemnity insurance cover.

The Architects Registration Board (ARB) have confirmed that Architects need to be aware that the terms and conditions of PII policies differ, and it is therefore necessary that Architects make proper enquiry to satisfy themselves that the policy on offer matches all their requirements. The ARB have published their full guidelines, on their website.

Professional Indemnity Insurance for RIAS Members

RIAS Insurance Services was established in 1984 to provide Professional Indemnity Insurance to RIAS members. The two main reasons behind the decision to form the Schemes were:

to provide stability in a volatile insurance market and to put in place an enduring scheme for Professional Indemnity Insurance for Architects in Scotland at competitive premium rates; and
to promote the adoption of risk management techniques through education and the sharing of information which will enable members to be better placed to deal with the ever-changing legal and commercial issues which face them.

These issues remain equally valid today and it is testament to the efforts of all those involved over the years that the Scheme enjoys such continuing support from RIAS members.

Benefits

Small Practice Scheme

For those members declaring less than £100,000 fees then RIAS Insurance Services is usually able to offer participation on the Small Practice Scheme. There is a common renewal date of 1st July for all such policies, and Insurers will apply a pro-rata charge to those who join part way through the insurance year.

Main Scheme

The Main Scheme is designed to meet the specific insurance requirement of RIAS members declaring more than £100,000 fees, and in exceptional cases, RIAS members declaring less than £100,000 fees. You can select your own individual renewal date when you take out a Main Scheme policy. Premiums will be calculated by the Insurers upon receipt of the proposal form and any supplementary information required. Please contact RIAS Insurance Services for further information on the Main Scheme.

Security

All policies issued under the RIAS Insurance Services Schemes are insured by a panel of Insurers. For details of current participating insurers on the Schemes, please contact RIAS Insurance Services.

Instalments

Monthly premium payment instalments is available for RIAS members. Please contact RIAS Insurance Services for further information.

Collateral Warranties

Non-legal advice on documents such as Collateral Warranties, Duty of Care Agreements, Letters of Appointment or similar is provided by RIAS Insurance Services to Scheme members. The purpose of referring these documents is to ensure that you are not accepting obligations which are beyond the scope of the Policy cover.

Claims

In the event that an allegation of negligence is made against you then RIAS Insurance Services will help guide you through the claims process. This will usually entail liaising and negotiating with the Insurers, their appointed solicitor or loss consultant and the claimant's representatives. Should you have to notify a claim, potential claim or circumstance then please phone Susan Moore on 0131 311 4261.

Applications

If you require a quotation for Professional Indemnity Insurance please download and complete the 2018 RIAS Small Practice Proposal Form (New Business). For further details about the cover and limits, please contact Vivian Allison or Celia Bud.

RIAS Insurance Services is a trading name of Marsh Ltd. Marsh Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

For more details of the full range of services available from Marsh visit www.marsh.co.uk.