Excess Layer Insurance
Excess layer insurance is an insurance policy designed to provide a higher level of insurance cover over and above the limit of indemnity provided by the primary professional indemnity insurance policy. For over a decade we have provided a full advisory service and a range of options, so please contact us to discuss your requirements.
- Competitive premiums
- Cover up to £50 million
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- No pushy salespeople - just insurance experts to answer your questions
- Dedicated PI insurance team
- 'A' rated insurance companies
Guide to Excess Layer Insurance
- What is excess layer insurance?
- How does it work?
- What does it cost?
- How the premium is calculated
- Buying a policy
What is excess layer insurance?
An excess layer insurance policy is an insurance policy which is added when the primary Insurer has reached the maximum limit up to which they can offer cover. The maximum limit will vary between insurers but for professional indemnity insurance it is normally up to £ 5 million or £ 10 million for a primary policy.
When is an excess layer policy required?
Inevitably, some firms will require more cover than their insurance company is able to provide. This is usually due to two reasons:
- An important client insists that the firm provides a specified amount of cover, giving them comfort they will not be under-insured if they ever needed to claim against them.
- The firm is involved in very large projects or areas of high risk where it feels that more PI cover is necessary to adequately protect the business.
This is where excess layer Insurance steps in. Additional 'layers' of cover which are purchased separately and sit on top of the underlying ‘primary’ policy.
For example, ABC Insurance Company provides the firm (the insured) with its main PI insurance policy for claims of up to £ 5 million. But the firm (the insured) has a large client who insists they carry PI insurance of £ 10 million. Their broker can then provide a separate excess layer policy with a different insurance company for an additional £ 5 million cover. The two policies combined are then providing the required £ 10 million cover.
This is common practice in the PI insurance market and enables firms to purchase almost any level of cover that they, or their client, requires.
How does it work?
The excess layer policy is only triggered if a major claim occurs which exceeds the amount of cover provided by the main PI policy. In practice, ABC Insurance Company will deal with all claims up to the first £ 5 million but if a claim occurs which exceeds the £ 5 million, then the insurance company covering the excess layer will pay the balance.
Some larger professional services firms such as solicitors and accountants may buy cover of £ 100 million or more. This could see at least 20 different insurance companies or more participating somewhere in the programme, depending on which layer they insure.
How much does it cost?
The cost of excess layer insurance is surprisingly modest compared to the primary PI insurance policy. In fact, it can be just a fraction of the cost of the primary policy.
This is because most claims will fall to the primary insurance policy and excess layer policies are rarely called on unless an exceptionally large claim occurs. This level of low risk is reflected in the cost of the excess layer insurance.
For a competitive quotation, please complete a Quote Request form or call us on 0345 251 4000 and we'll be pleased to help.
The cost or rate reduces as the level of cover increases so an upper level of excess layer will cost less than the lower level.
How is the premium is calculated?
Typically, an excess layer underwriter will first look at the usual risk information included on the proposer's PI proposal form together with the premium being charged for the primary insurance policy. They will then decide what they feel is an adequate premium for the level of excess layer they are being asked to provide.
This is done by using a combination of their own company ‘book rate’, some discussion with the broker and their own commercial judgement of the risk.
Buying a policy
This insurance is complex and you’ll need to purchase via a broker to access the correct insurance markets and ensure the policy/s fits seamlessly to your primary policy. For more information or a discussion with one of our experts call us on 0345 251 4000.
DISCLAIMER This guidance note is intended for information purposes only. It is not and does not purport to be legal advice or specific insurance advice. Whilst all care has been taken to ensure its accuracy at the time of writing it is not to be regarded as a substitute for specific advice. If you require specific advice, please contact your brokers or call us on 0345 251 4000. This guidance note shall not be reproduced in any form without our prior permission. © All copyright is owned by Professional Indemnity Insurance Brokers Ltd.