{"id":22,"date":"2017-05-12T15:20:00","date_gmt":"2017-05-12T15:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.insurancebee.com\/blog\/?p=22"},"modified":"2021-05-27T09:54:27","modified_gmt":"2021-05-27T09:54:27","slug":"do-it-consultants-need-errors-and-omissions-insurance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.insurancebee.com\/blog\/do-it-consultants-need-errors-and-omissions-insurance","title":{"rendered":"Errors and Omissions for IT"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Errors<\/p>\n

A while back, if you asked someone what they did for a living and they said \u2018I\u2019m in IT\u2019, you\u2019d know what they meant. Something to do with computers, basically.<\/p>\n

Ask that same person today and you\u2019ll probably get a very different answer.<\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019m an app-developer\u2019, they might tell you. Or, \u2018I\u2019m a website designer\u2019. They might even say, \u2018I\u2019m a google analytics and SEO consultant specializing in social media and online PR\u2019.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s because these days, there really isn\u2019t any such thing as an \u2018IT guy\u2019.\u00a0 As the industry\u2019s developed (with dizzying speed) it\u2019s become more specialized. With the knock-on effect that the skills needed to understand and apply that technology have become more specialized, too.<\/p>\n

Same industry, different risks<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Sure, any two consultants might be considered IT people. And both might work with technology. But the risks they face could be completely different.<\/p>\n

For example, a website developer\u2019s more likely to face claims for copyright and intellectual property infringement.\u00a0 A software consultant, on the other hand, is more at risk of breach of contract claims.<\/p>\n

Two roles, both IT-related, two specific areas of cover needed.<\/p>\n

Errors and omissions for IT and technology<\/h2>\n

Thankfully, most decent insurers are aware of this. So they designed errors and omissions (professional liability) policies<\/a> which cater specifically for the kind of claims most tech-folk face.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s still worth having a good, hard think about the kind of work you do and checking that the coverage you have is the coverage you need.<\/p>\n

Check the small print<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Already have an errors and omissions policy in place? Great! But do check the wording is IT-specific, not miscellaneous, or general.<\/p>\n

You want to make sure your policy includes cover for claims arising from:<\/p>\n