Insurance for law firms.

Lawyers professional liability, cyber and crime coverage for trust account wires, and a business owner’s policy, for solo practitioners and small firms.

What law firms usually carry

Lawyers professional liability
Cyber and funds transfer fraud
Crime, including trust accounts
Business owner’s policy
Employment practices liability
Workers’ comp
Hired and non-owned auto

Watch for these in a law firm’s malpractice policy

Defense inside the limitMost lawyers’ policies pay defense from the limit, so a long case can use up the money meant for a settlement. Some carriers sell defense outside it.
The hammer clauseIf you refuse a settlement the carrier recommends, many policies cap what they pay at that figure plus defense to date. A softer clause shares the extra cost instead of leaving it all to you.
Lateral hiresA lawyer who joins you brings past matters your policy may not cover. Ask about prior acts for new hires, or confirm their old firm’s tail.
Trust account wiresA fake payoff letter or spoofed email diverts a closing or settlement wire from your trust account. Malpractice policies often exclude it, and social engineering coverage is usually sublimited.
Board seats and side businessesClaims tied to serving as an officer or director of a client, or to a business you own part of, are usually excluded. Board seats need their own D&O.

What corporate clients and landlords ask law firms for

A minimum malpractice limitCorporate and insurance clients often set one in their outside counsel guidelines, and check it again at renewal.
Cyber coverageOutside counsel guidelines increasingly require cyber limits and a plan for telling the client about a breach.
Proof of coverageSome bar rules require you to tell clients if you carry no malpractice coverage, and many clients ask for your declarations page.
Lease requirementsOffice leases usually require general liability naming the landlord, and property coverage for your furniture and files.

Questions law firms ask

Straight answers.

The questions we hear most, answered plainly.

What happens to my coverage when I leave a firm?

Your old firm’s policy usually answers for work you did there, as long as the firm stays insured or buys a tail. Your new firm’s policy covers what you do next.

Are bar complaints covered?

Many malpractice policies pay to defend a disciplinary complaint, often under a small separate limit. Fines, sanctions, and returned fees are usually not covered.

Does the deductible apply to defense?

On most lawyers’ policies, yes, so you pay the first dollars of every claim, even one that goes nowhere. Some carriers cut the deductible when a claim settles early through mediation.

How is malpractice coverage for a law firm priced?

On the number of lawyers, your practice areas, your years in practice, and your claims. Real estate, estate planning, and plaintiff injury work usually rate higher than most.