RIAI Information Session - Professional Indemnity: Insurance, Risk and Claims in Practice

The session will provide architects with an update on the current professional indemnity insurance landscape and highlight a range of practical issues affecting practice, risk management and insurance submissions.

The session will consider matters arising in the completion of proposal forms and submissions, as well as the role of record management, contract management, relevant legislative context, claims activity and dispute resolution in shaping professional indemnity exposure. It will offer practical legal and insurance insight into areas of recurring concern for architectural practices and support greater awareness of the wider issues influencing the insurance environment.

Bringing together expertise from legal practitioners working extensively in insurance, professional negligence and dispute resolution, the session is intended to help architects better understand current developments and reflect on how these issues may affect practice.

Course Aim

This session aims to help architects better understand the current professional indemnity insurance landscape, with practical insight into the legal, contractual and administrative issues that can affect insurance applications, risk management and claims exposure.

Who Should Attend

This session is intended for:

• Architects in practice
• Practice directors and associates
• Architects involved in risk, compliance or practice management
• Those responsible for insurance renewals, submissions and professional indemnity matters within practice.

Key Topics

• Current PII Market Update: Understanding the present insurance market for architects, including insurer perspectives, capacity, key trends and emerging pinch points.
• Completion of Proposal Forms / Submissions: Understanding the purpose of proposal forms and supporting submissions in the professional indemnity insurance process, including the type of information insurers may seek and why clarity, accuracy and completeness are important.
• Record Management: Exploring the role of effective record keeping in professional practice, including how project records can support good decision-making, reduce uncertainty and assist in the event of a complaint, dispute or claim.
• Contract Management: Reviewing how appointments, contracts and related documentation shape professional responsibilities and risk, and why careful management of contractual terms is an important part of practice.
• Consumer Insurance Contracts Act 2019 (CICA): Providing an introduction to the Consumer Insurance Contracts Act 2019 and its relevance to disclosure, insurance applications and the wider insurer-insured relationship, with particular consideration of its practical relevance in the context of professional indemnity insurance.
• Claims Activity and Related Developments: Providing an overview of current claims trends and related legal and insurance developments that may be contributing to the wider professional indemnity landscape for architects.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Develop a clearer understanding of current issues shaping the professional indemnity insurance landscape for architects
• Recognise the importance of proposal form completion and supporting submissions in the insurance process
• Identify how record management and contract management can influence risk exposure and claims handling
• Build awareness of the relevance of the Consumer Insurance Contracts Act 2019 in the context of insurance disclosure and practice
• Develop greater awareness of current claims trends and related legal and insurance considerations affecting practice

Assessment for Learning

Learning will be reinforced through an opening participant poll, a closing participant poll, live Q&A and short scenario-based reflective prompts during the session. These elements will help participants test their understanding of how insurance, appointments and emerging liabilities intersect in practice.

Teaching and Learning

Expert-led presentations supported by practice-based examples, legal and insurance commentary, live polling, discussion and final Q&A with participants. The session is designed to connect technical insurance issues to day-to-day architectural decision-making.

Speakers

Sinéad Ryan, Partner, Corrigan & Corrigan Solicitors

Sinéad Ryan is a Partner in Corrigan & Corrigan with over twenty years’ continuous experience in insurance-related litigation and dispute resolution. She advises on policy interpretation and cover, and has extensive experience in professional indemnity claims involving a wide range of professionals, including architects, engineers, solicitors, accountants, property managers and receivers. Her practice also includes claims relating to negligence, breach of contract, cyber, privacy, GDPR, defamation, and property damage.

Sinéad has experience across all major dispute resolution forums, including the High Court, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court, arbitration and mediation. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitration and serves as a committee member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Ireland Branch, including its Equality, Diversity and Inclusion subgroup.

Michael Corrigan, Partner, Corrigan & Corrigan Solicitors

Michael has over 40 years’ experience providing expert advice to insurance clients and is an accredited mediator. Michael is ranked in Band 1 by Chambers & Partners and was ranked in the top 10 of “lawyers shaping the insurance industry” by Business Today. Michael is the co-author of "Casebook of Irish Insurance Law" published by Oak Tree Press. He has written extensively on insurance litigation related topics, and lectures widely. Michael was the founding President (2019 - 2022) of the Forum of Insurance Lawyers Ireland (FOIL). He is an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute.

Michael Murphy, Partner, Holmes

Michael Murphy joined Holmes in 2009 and is a Partner specialising in professional negligence litigation and dispute resolution. He leads the firm’s Healthcare, Pharma and Lifescience group. Practising in the non-jury area, Michael works extensively in professional indemnity and has experience in negligence cases involving architects, engineers, solicitors, barristers and insurance brokers, as well as claims against directors and officers.

He has considerable experience in assessing liability and quantum issues and advises insurers on coverage matters, particularly in relation to regulated professions. His work includes advising on solicitors’ Minimum Terms and Conditions, surveyors’ RICS Minimum Terms and accountants’ CARB Minimum Approved Policy Wording. Michael acts for international and domestic insurers, loss adjusters, financial institutions, statutory bodies, construction companies, SMEs, large corporates and private clients.