Legal liability exposures may represent the greatest threat to the financial health of professional engineers and engineering firms. In recent years, new forms of legal responsibility and exposure have been created by innovative plaintiff attorneys seeking financial remedies for clients who may have suffered an unanticipated financial loss. In addition, government agencies have expanded rules and regulations with new responsibilities for engineers and engineering firms, creating new exposures to legal liability that can result in financial loss.
The following resources have been developed by NSPE to assist professional engineers and engineering firms in managing many of the risks associated with engineering practice.
Insurance
Updated for 2009: Directory of Professional Liability Insurance Carriers
Assembled annually by the Professional Liability Committee of NSPE's Professional Engineers in Private Practice and the risk management committees of the American Institute of Architects and the American Council of Engineering Companies. >>
Professional Liability Survey Results
Each year the Professional Liability Committee of NSPE's Professional Engineers in Private Practice (in conjunction with the risk management committees of the American Institute of Architects and the American Council of Engineering Companies) conduct a survey and face-to-face interviews with representatives of insurance companies serving the A/E professional liability insurance market. The purpose of this activity is to identify carriers that meet the professional liability and risk management needs of design professionals and to gain general information about insurance trends.
The NSPE Commended Professional Liability Insurance Program
Since 1957, NSPE and the American Institute of Architects have "commended" the professional liability insurance program provided by CNA Insurance through underwriting administrator Victor O. Schinnerer Inc. >>
Disclosure of Professional Liability Insurance
NSPE Position Statement, approved by the NSPE Board of Directors - January 2006. >>
Insuring Technology Risks in a Professional Environment (PDF)
A white paper prepared by NSPE's Professional Liability Committee and Victor O. Schinnerer & Company Inc.
Client Expectations of Perfection (PDF)
A paper from the American Council of Engineering Companies >>
Document Retention
Document Retention Policy (Word document) - This document provides professional engineers and engineering firms with a draft in-house policy statement for the retention of documents with full consideration of the types of records to retain, document retention schedule and document destruction issues.
Document Retention Guidelines (PDF) - This document provides commentary based upon the results of a national survey of professional engineers and engineering firms on their in-house document retention procedures.
Government
NSPE Issue Briefs Related to Liability
Certificate of Merit >>
Engineers' Good Samaritan Laws >>
Joint & Several Liability >>
Other Liability Resources
'For the Client' Series >>
Liability of Employed Engineers >>
Providing Pro Bono Services as a Firm or as an Individual (PDF)
Significant Legal and Legislative Activities (PDF)
State-by-State Summary of Liability Laws Affecting the Practice of Engineering >>
White papers written by Kristin Ballobin 2008 Milton F. Lunch Research Fellow
Sustainable Design Risk Management >> (PDF)
New Standard Contracts for Integrated Project Delivery >> (PDF)
