Hall & Company
Professional Liability Insurance
Friday, December 30, 2011
Monday, December 19, 2011
Friday, December 16, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
Friday, December 9, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Monday, December 5, 2011
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Monday, November 14, 2011
Friday, November 11, 2011
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Monday, November 7, 2011
Friday, November 4, 2011
Monday, October 24, 2011
Friday, October 14, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Friday, September 23, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Friday, September 2, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Friday, August 26, 2011
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
ACEC Offers LEED Green Associate Credential
In partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council, ACEC offers an online course for gaining essential knowledge of the sustainable building concepts that are fundamental to all LEED Rating Systems. This course is ideal for those seeking a more in-depth understanding of sustainability and green building concepts, and essential for those pursuing the Green Building Certification Institute’s (GBCI) LEED Green Associate professional credential (the third-party certification program and nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings).
Read More or Register Today
Read More or Register Today
Friday, August 19, 2011
Creating a Culture of Professional Liability Issues Awareness
The good news is that we don’t have to think about professional liability claims very often because, for the most part, claims are fairly rare. The bad news is that when a claim occurs, we have to think about it a lot. Almost always, when the claim occurs, part of our thinking includes what we could have done to prevent the claim.
John M. Lowe, Jr., P.E. firmly believes that having a frequent reminder about professional liability loss considerations can be very helpful in avoiding problems that we just don’t think about until there is a claim. John will be sending out a weekly e-mail series of brief professional liability loss prevention topics that you can share with your staff to raise the level of awareness to potential problems.
The first topic addresses the need to include a clear Scope of Work and Standard of Care in your contracts. It’s all about “expectation management” when it comes to contracting for professional services, which is why the Scope of Work and Standard of Care were chosen as the first topic. Many of the future topics will be focused on doing as much as we can to create and manage contracts that will result in clients having realistic expectations of what your services will provide. Please contact John if you would like to be added to this email list or receive a copy of the first topic.
To learn more about the background of John M. Lowe, Jr., P.E. and the services provided by Lowe Consulting, LLC, please follow this link.
Thank you John, for sharing this valuable information with our readers.
John M. Lowe, Jr., P.E. firmly believes that having a frequent reminder about professional liability loss considerations can be very helpful in avoiding problems that we just don’t think about until there is a claim. John will be sending out a weekly e-mail series of brief professional liability loss prevention topics that you can share with your staff to raise the level of awareness to potential problems.
The first topic addresses the need to include a clear Scope of Work and Standard of Care in your contracts. It’s all about “expectation management” when it comes to contracting for professional services, which is why the Scope of Work and Standard of Care were chosen as the first topic. Many of the future topics will be focused on doing as much as we can to create and manage contracts that will result in clients having realistic expectations of what your services will provide. Please contact John if you would like to be added to this email list or receive a copy of the first topic.
To learn more about the background of John M. Lowe, Jr., P.E. and the services provided by Lowe Consulting, LLC, please follow this link.
Thank you John, for sharing this valuable information with our readers.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Friday, August 12, 2011
Contract Clauses for Design Professionals Recorded Webinar is Now Available
Many of the participants who attended this webinar have commented “This is one of your best webinar presentations!” The recording of The Bright Gray Line: “Yes”, “Never”, and “Maybe” Contract Clauses for Design Professionals (and how to find the difference) is now available for viewing.
Let us know your thoughts on the webinar. Is there a professional liability insurance subject you would like us to cover?
Let us know your thoughts on the webinar. Is there a professional liability insurance subject you would like us to cover?
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Errors and Omissions Testimonial
We currently are the brokers for more than 3,800 architects, engineers, environmental consultants and land surveyors.
Let us show you how our focus meeting the design professional’s professional liability insurance needs can provide better coverage, lower premiums and quality service. We prioritize errors and omissions insurance (E&O) through an individual approach, because each client is unique. It's crucial to focus on the details of any liability scenario in order to yield ideal results balancing coverage with exposure. Paying more attention to the details means more relevant advice, and that means more intelligent premium
Check out what our clients are saying about Hall & Company's service.
Let us show you how our focus meeting the design professional’s professional liability insurance needs can provide better coverage, lower premiums and quality service. We prioritize errors and omissions insurance (E&O) through an individual approach, because each client is unique. It's crucial to focus on the details of any liability scenario in order to yield ideal results balancing coverage with exposure. Paying more attention to the details means more relevant advice, and that means more intelligent premium
Check out what our clients are saying about Hall & Company's service.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Summer 2011 Newsletter
Pacific Northwest Design Professional newsletter is provided to you by Skellenger Bender, please take a moment to review and learn the latest legal updates for Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Idaho.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Professional Liability Insurance Resources Featured Firm
Hall & Company is proud to announce their featured firm of the month for our AE Resources page, C. W. Felice, LLC.
The cornerstone of C. W. Felice, LLC service is the combination of leadership and technical expertise that allows them to anticipate, understand, and meet business demands with
practical solutions. Their expertise in engineering, management, and planning processes enables them to create innovative market-based strategies to expand service opportunities and improve effectiveness of business development activities.
On Tuesday, August 9, 2011, Dr. Felice who is the Managing Principal of C. W. Felice, LLC and Adjunct Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida will be presenting the webinar regarding Underground Construction Claims: Avoidance, Mitigation, and Management. Dr. Felice has more than 24 years of experience in delivering project and program management, construction engineering analysis and design, and construction claim avoidance and resolution services on multi-disciplinary above- and below-ground engineering projects. Dr. Felice has been recognized by invitations to the U. S. National Academy of Engineering, Symposium on Frontiers of Engineering, appointments to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council Committee on Geological and Geotechnical Engineering and as a member of the Committee on Underground Engineering for Sustainable Development.
Hall & Company is excited to be working in conjunction with C. W. Felice, LLC on their upcoming webinar regarding Underground Construction Claims this August. For more information about C. W. Felice, LLC and other Risk Management/Loss Prevention resources exclusively for the design industry, please visit http://www.hallandcompany.com/resources.php.
The cornerstone of C. W. Felice, LLC service is the combination of leadership and technical expertise that allows them to anticipate, understand, and meet business demands with
practical solutions. Their expertise in engineering, management, and planning processes enables them to create innovative market-based strategies to expand service opportunities and improve effectiveness of business development activities.
On Tuesday, August 9, 2011, Dr. Felice who is the Managing Principal of C. W. Felice, LLC and Adjunct Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida will be presenting the webinar regarding Underground Construction Claims: Avoidance, Mitigation, and Management. Dr. Felice has more than 24 years of experience in delivering project and program management, construction engineering analysis and design, and construction claim avoidance and resolution services on multi-disciplinary above- and below-ground engineering projects. Dr. Felice has been recognized by invitations to the U. S. National Academy of Engineering, Symposium on Frontiers of Engineering, appointments to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council Committee on Geological and Geotechnical Engineering and as a member of the Committee on Underground Engineering for Sustainable Development.
Hall & Company is excited to be working in conjunction with C. W. Felice, LLC on their upcoming webinar regarding Underground Construction Claims this August. For more information about C. W. Felice, LLC and other Risk Management/Loss Prevention resources exclusively for the design industry, please visit http://www.hallandcompany.com/resources.php.
Professional Liability Webinar August 9, 2011
Hall & Company invites all design professionals to participate in an online presentation on Tuesday, August 9, 2011 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM PDT regarding Underground Construction Claims: Avoidance, Mitigation, and Management. This event, presented by Dr. Conrad W. Felice, Ph.D., P.E., P.Eng., D. GE. of C. W. Felice LLC will discuss the following:
• Review of underground engineering and construction
• Understanding risk in underground projects
• Practices for managing risk and avoiding and mitigating claims
• Future and direction of the use of underground space
The management of underground risks is one of the highest liability areas in the design profession. The risk management practices in underground engineering are some of the most refined practices. From its inception the American Society of Foundation Engineers (ASFE) has set the standard for risk management.
Architects: Underground engineering requires approaches to contracting that deal with the fact that actual project conditions will not be discovered until construction. Architects face the same issue in renovation work and historical preservation. Architects can benefit from understanding how engineers deal with these risks.
Sign up today for this free presentation.
• Review of underground engineering and construction
• Understanding risk in underground projects
• Practices for managing risk and avoiding and mitigating claims
• Future and direction of the use of underground space
The management of underground risks is one of the highest liability areas in the design profession. The risk management practices in underground engineering are some of the most refined practices. From its inception the American Society of Foundation Engineers (ASFE) has set the standard for risk management.
Architects: Underground engineering requires approaches to contracting that deal with the fact that actual project conditions will not be discovered until construction. Architects face the same issue in renovation work and historical preservation. Architects can benefit from understanding how engineers deal with these risks.
Sign up today for this free presentation.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Professional Liability insurance Claims
Although copyright claims are most often brought against architects, such claims can be made against other design professionals as well. Take, for instance, a civil engineer whoseservices included site layout and surveying work for a developer constructing a retail shopping center. The developer initially hired a surveying firm to perform the work, and then retained the civil engineer to survey the property and do site work. When the center was constructed, the initial surveying firm sued the developer and the civil engineer for copyright infringement. The civil engineer did admit that he may have seen the previous survey, but said that his work was significantly different from the claimant’s. The matter went to mediation where it was ultimately resolved. The civil engineer’s proportionate contribution to the settlement was $30,000. Legal fees of $12,000 were also incurred.
The full article, “It’s a Matter of Copyright – Design Professionals Should always Beware” by Ashley L. Hurd, CIC CRM, can be read on the resource section of Hall & Company’s website.
The full article, “It’s a Matter of Copyright – Design Professionals Should always Beware” by Ashley L. Hurd, CIC CRM, can be read on the resource section of Hall & Company’s website.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Professional Liability Insurance Webinars
Hall & Company has scheduled 5 more free educational webinars for you and your firm’s professional staff. The schedule of webinars is posted for you to review so you can set aside time to attend. You can also register online to receive the webinar announcements.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Design Professionals Contract Clauses
In spite of whether the client claims ownership of the drawings, the initial task for the design professional is to request permission from the client to contact and discuss the design with the prior design professional. In addition to this request, the contract with the client should address this matter clearly.
The contract should include clauses that:
1.describe how the drawings were obtained and given to the design professional;
2.provide a warranty from the client asserting that the drawings are indeed owned by the client, not subject to any copyright, or have been made available with a license from the copyright holder to use the drawings; and
3.contain a clause where the client agrees to defend, indemnify and hold harmless the design professional from any claims arising out of copyright infringement.
If the client declines either permission to contact the original design professional or agreement to the contract clauses, the design professional needs to candidly consider whether or not it is in his best interest to continue working with this client. Otherwise, considering that copyright ownership lasts at a minimum for a person’s lifetime plus an additional 70 years, the design professional could very well find himself defending a
copyright infringement lawsuit sometime in the future.
For more resource information on Professional Liability Insurance, please refer to Hall & Company’s Risk Management Library.
The contract should include clauses that:
1.describe how the drawings were obtained and given to the design professional;
2.provide a warranty from the client asserting that the drawings are indeed owned by the client, not subject to any copyright, or have been made available with a license from the copyright holder to use the drawings; and
3.contain a clause where the client agrees to defend, indemnify and hold harmless the design professional from any claims arising out of copyright infringement.
If the client declines either permission to contact the original design professional or agreement to the contract clauses, the design professional needs to candidly consider whether or not it is in his best interest to continue working with this client. Otherwise, considering that copyright ownership lasts at a minimum for a person’s lifetime plus an additional 70 years, the design professional could very well find himself defending a
copyright infringement lawsuit sometime in the future.
For more resource information on Professional Liability Insurance, please refer to Hall & Company’s Risk Management Library.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
It’s a Matter of Copyright
Architectural drawings are without a doubt copyrighted material; no matter whether there is a copyright stamp or not. Whereas the origin of the plans may not be apparent, one detail is clear: If the work is not of your original design and you work off them, you may well be positioning yourself for a copyright infringement claim in federal court.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Property & Casualty Insurance Coverage
A well designed PC coverage package for an A/E firms has a number of features, including:
• Blanket Waiver of Subrogation
• Blanket Additional Insureds with primary/noncontributory status
• Per Project Aggregates extend the GL limit to apply separately to each insured project
• Enhanced limits and features on property coverage – particularly for equipment used off premises
Katie Morris joined Hall & Company in 2011 with over 10 years Property & Casualty insurance experience, please contact her at (800) 597-2612 for more information.
• Blanket Waiver of Subrogation
• Blanket Additional Insureds with primary/noncontributory status
• Per Project Aggregates extend the GL limit to apply separately to each insured project
• Enhanced limits and features on property coverage – particularly for equipment used off premises
Katie Morris joined Hall & Company in 2011 with over 10 years Property & Casualty insurance experience, please contact her at (800) 597-2612 for more information.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Professional Liability Insurance Coverage
Travelers Insurance Company has designated Hall & Company
as the wholesale agent for Property & Casualty insurance coverage for any and all agencies that do not have a direct appointment with their company. As such we are the wholesale agent for about fifty retail agencies nationwide for the Traveler’s program.
as the wholesale agent for Property & Casualty insurance coverage for any and all agencies that do not have a direct appointment with their company. As such we are the wholesale agent for about fifty retail agencies nationwide for the Traveler’s program.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Why One Broker
As specialists in providing professional liability insurance to architects, engineers, land surveyors, and environmental consultants, a good number of our 3,000 customers purchase their PC coverages through their local agent or continue to purchase this coverage through the agent they had for their PLI coverage before they switched to us. We encourage our customers to let us quote their PC coverages concurrent with their PLI insurance renewal for a number of reasons, including:
• It allows a single point in time each year to make insurance purchase decisions.
• It allows us to issue one comprehensive certificate of insurance each year at renewal to all of your clients that require a current certificate on file with them.
• Only one certificate is needed to represent all of your coverages on new project contracts that you enter into throughout the year.
• It allows us to provide more comprehensive contract reviews for our clients and verify that all of the project’s required coverages for both PC and PLI are in place.
• Some insurance companies offer discounts for having both their PL and PC coverage with them in-turn saving our clients even more on their insurance premiums.
Also our expertise as A/E insurance specialists provides us the experience to know the proper coverages and limits for our clients. We are able to write insurance in all 50 states (limited in Alaska and Hawaii). We have in-house underwriting authority so your quote turnaround time is quick. Architects, engineers, surveyors, and environmental consultants have unique requirements for PC coverages and we offer a number of companies with well designed coverage programs and competitive rates.
A well designed PC coverage package for an A/E firms has a number of features, including:
• Blanket Waiver of Subrogation
• Blanket Additional Insureds with primary/noncontributory status
• Per Project Aggregates extend the GL limit to apply separately to each insured project
• Enhanced limits and features on property coverage – particularly for equipment used off premises
Let us show you what we can do for you and how much easier it is to have your PLI and PC coverages with a firm that specializes in insuring design firms.
• It allows a single point in time each year to make insurance purchase decisions.
• It allows us to issue one comprehensive certificate of insurance each year at renewal to all of your clients that require a current certificate on file with them.
• Only one certificate is needed to represent all of your coverages on new project contracts that you enter into throughout the year.
• It allows us to provide more comprehensive contract reviews for our clients and verify that all of the project’s required coverages for both PC and PLI are in place.
• Some insurance companies offer discounts for having both their PL and PC coverage with them in-turn saving our clients even more on their insurance premiums.
Also our expertise as A/E insurance specialists provides us the experience to know the proper coverages and limits for our clients. We are able to write insurance in all 50 states (limited in Alaska and Hawaii). We have in-house underwriting authority so your quote turnaround time is quick. Architects, engineers, surveyors, and environmental consultants have unique requirements for PC coverages and we offer a number of companies with well designed coverage programs and competitive rates.
A well designed PC coverage package for an A/E firms has a number of features, including:
• Blanket Waiver of Subrogation
• Blanket Additional Insureds with primary/noncontributory status
• Per Project Aggregates extend the GL limit to apply separately to each insured project
• Enhanced limits and features on property coverage – particularly for equipment used off premises
Let us show you what we can do for you and how much easier it is to have your PLI and PC coverages with a firm that specializes in insuring design firms.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
It’s almost time!
In order to present the most current information in our presentation, we are inviting all Design Professionals to take part in a brief survey. The results of this survey will be presented during our presentation on Tuesday, June 14th. If you have not signed up for the webinar please do so now. This webinar is approved for CE Credit from AIA!
Take this survey now!
Take this survey now!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Professional Liability Insurance for Land Surveyors
Professional liability insurance (E&O Insurance) for Land Surveyors is the most important coverage a surveyor can purchase. Liability is as high as it has ever been, and the best surveys can have errors. There is also the risk that the client will disagree with you and you could end up having a judge decide your fate. A judge could side with the client; this is
where you will be very fortunate to have your professional liability insurance in place. Some of the many types of Survey work that needs professional liability insurance:
■ Boundary Surveys
■ Elevation or Floodplain Surveys
■ Geodetic Surveys
■ GIS and LIS Surveying and Mapping
■ Hydrographic and Underwater Surveys
■ Construction Staking
■ Mining and other Subsurface Surveys
■ Topographic Surveys
■ Subdivision Surveys
■ Route Surveys
■ Registered Land Surveys
■ Record or As-Built Surveys
■ Quantity Surveys
■ Site Plan Surveys
Always consult an expert before deciding what type and level of coverage is right for your firm.
where you will be very fortunate to have your professional liability insurance in place. Some of the many types of Survey work that needs professional liability insurance:
■ Boundary Surveys
■ Elevation or Floodplain Surveys
■ Geodetic Surveys
■ GIS and LIS Surveying and Mapping
■ Hydrographic and Underwater Surveys
■ Construction Staking
■ Mining and other Subsurface Surveys
■ Topographic Surveys
■ Subdivision Surveys
■ Route Surveys
■ Registered Land Surveys
■ Record or As-Built Surveys
■ Quantity Surveys
■ Site Plan Surveys
Always consult an expert before deciding what type and level of coverage is right for your firm.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Do You Need Professional Liability Insurance
Professional liability insurance covers errors and omissions made or alleged in your practice of professional services. Professional liability insurance is a must for all types of design firms, including engineers, architects, environmental consultants, land surveyors, construction managers and design build/firms. To read the details of Understanding Professional Liability Insurance please go to Hall & Company’s publication section.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Contract Clauses for Design Professionals
Hall & Company invites you and your staff to participate in an online presentation: The Bright Gray Line: "Yes", "Never", and "Maybe" Contract Clauses for Design Professionals (and how to find the difference). Presented by David Ericksen, President of Severson & Werson, this presentation will highlight the most challenging contract clauses and our approach to evaluating, negotiating, and managing those clauses for successful projects. Specifically, we will apply our time-tested negotiation and management model to some of the most challenging clauses such as indemnity, the standard of care, code compliance, document ownership, and others. 
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Special Offer for Environmental Consultants
We have a special offer exclusively for Environmental Consultants this month. Go online to register by June 3rd and not only will you have the opportunity to save on your professional liability insurance, you also be entered into a drawing to win the new 32GB Apple iPad with Wi-Fi, valued at $599.
See the details and register at: http://www.hallandcompany.com/contest.php
See the details and register at: http://www.hallandcompany.com/contest.php
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Professional Liability Insurance
Professional Liability Insurance is so important for Architects, Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Landscape Architects to have in place before they start a project. Please contact Hall & Company with any insurance questions you may have. 800-583-0379 http://www.hallandcompany.com
Friday, April 8, 2011
Steps to Effective Risk Management
Nothing is more important to the long-term success and survival of any design professional than consistent and effective risk management and loss prevention. Risk management is both a part of the client service and a key to economic survival. When properly performed, risk management and loss prevention not only prevent and control losses and claims, but also develop more business, more profit, and better client relationships.
Realization of these objectives may be approached as a sequential seven-step process.
Selection of Projects, Clients, and Teams
Risk Identification & Analysis
Appropriate Contractual Agreements
Performance Consistent with Applicable Standards of Care and Agreements
Communication
Documentation
Project Closeout
For the critical details of each step please see our resources library.
Realization of these objectives may be approached as a sequential seven-step process.
Selection of Projects, Clients, and Teams
Risk Identification & Analysis
Appropriate Contractual Agreements
Performance Consistent with Applicable Standards of Care and Agreements
Communication
Documentation
Project Closeout
For the critical details of each step please see our resources library.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Where Is The Value In Value Engineering?
In this present environment of belt-tightening, the phrase “value engineering”
has become synonymous with “cost cutting”. This trend is problematic from a
risk management perspective because it shifts the pure intent of value
engineering and puts into practice a less judicious methodology focused more
on saving money than optimizing the project.
http://www.hallandcompany.com/documents/2010ValueInValueEngineering.pdf
has become synonymous with “cost cutting”. This trend is problematic from a
risk management perspective because it shifts the pure intent of value
engineering and puts into practice a less judicious methodology focused more
on saving money than optimizing the project.
http://www.hallandcompany.com/documents/2010ValueInValueEngineering.pdf
Monday, January 24, 2011
Hall & Company's 2010 Christmas card
It's that time again...Hall & Company's 2010 Christmas card is now available online. http://www.hallandcompany.com/xmas2010.php Find out what the staff of Hall & Company built for 2010.
Happy Holidays!
Michael J Hall & Company
Happy Holidays!
Michael J Hall & Company
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
A Design Professional's Law Clinic
Hall & Company invites you and your staff to participate in an online presentation regarding A Design Professionals Law Clinic. This event, presented by Michael Corso, Esquire of Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A. will discuss the following topics:
• Statutes of Limitations and of Repose
• Tort and Contract Law
• Determination of Negligence and Liability
• Contract and Strategic Considerations
• Project documents and Administration
• And more…
Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/651722505
• Statutes of Limitations and of Repose
• Tort and Contract Law
• Determination of Negligence and Liability
• Contract and Strategic Considerations
• Project documents and Administration
• And more…
Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/651722505
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)