Protection when a client claims damages from you
It covers claims linked to your services: error, omission, negligence, delay or contested advice, depending on the contract.
Depending on the trade, clients or mandates
It is not mandatory for all self-employed people, but it may be for certain regulated professions or required in contracts.
Without professional liability, it is often your personal assets
In a sole proprietorship, a claim can directly affect your personal assets if you are not properly covered.
Self-employed professional liability priorities
Often the most critical policy for self-employed status.
- Parameter Sum insured Realistic limit
- Base Service error Loss caused to the client
The limit must fit client risk, not the catalogue minimum.
What is professional liability for self-employed people for?
An advice error, a missed deadline, a poorly executed service or a planning defect can create a major claim. Professional liability responds when your activity causes damage to a client, partner or other third party.
The most sensitive point is often pure financial loss: a financial loss without prior bodily injury or material damage. This is typically the risk of consultants, fiduciaries, architects, engineers, developers, therapists and self-employed people who sell expertise.
Professional liability works in two stages
The value of the contract is not only the indemnity: it is also defence, legal costs and clarity of the activities actually covered.
When professional liability becomes essential
It is especially useful as soon as your clients depend on your advice, deliverables or decisions. Doctors, lawyers, architects, fiduciaries and certain regulated professions may be required to have it. For others, tenders and client contracts often impose a minimum guarantee amount.
If you work as a sole proprietorship, the border between activity and personal assets is thin. Adapted liability cover also protects your ability to continue after a claim.
Consulting / fiduciary
Advice error, incomplete declaration or contested recommendation: pure financial loss must be clearly covered.
IT / digital
A delivered bug, missed deadline or security flaw can trigger a claim. Also check the cyber component.
Health / therapy
Health professions often have specific requirements. Declared activities and exclusions matter a lot.
Crafts / technical trades
Work at the client's premises, entrusted goods and material damage often require a combination of professional and business liability.
Common pitfalls
Mistakes are rarely visible when taking out the policy. They appear when a client formalises a claim.
You already have liability cover: what should you check?
Contrôlez les activités déclarées, le plafond, la franchise, les préjudices financiers purs, la rétroactivité, les sous-traitants et les exigences de vos contrats clients. Coordonnez ensuite avec la protection juridique et le reste de votre protection d’activité.
We adapt professional liability to your real trade
We analyse your services, client contracts, ceilings and exclusions. Then we compare policies to protect your liability without paying for useless covers.
Complete your self-employed protection
These pages detail the covers that most often frame coherent professional liability.
Take out professional liability Insure my activity View legal protection