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Solicitors’ Professional Indemnity insurance
Join 2,000+ law firms covered through us
Trusted protection for your legal services
Professional indemnity insurance (PII) for solicitors provides protection if you're accused of negligence in your work. Anyone offering regulated legal services, whether individuals or firms, must have this type of insurance.
Whatever your specialism, PII offers important reassurance you'll be covered for the financial fallout if a client or third party takes action against you.
Choosing a responsive, experienced broker with decades of industry knowledge can make all the difference. We know your industry inside out. And we're proud that 93% of our solicitor clients have chosen to stay with us, year on year.*
What does professional indemnity insurance cover?
If a client takes action against you for alleged mistakes in your legal services, PII pays legal costs and any damages that may result.
Mistakes can take the form of negligence, misrepresentation, defamation, breaches of confidentiality, data loss, or intellectual property infringements. So that might be, for example, will drafting errors, a missed limitation deadline, or procedural errors.
Insurers write solicitors’ PII on a claims-made basis, which means the cover is for the period when the claim is made, rather than when the alleged negligence happened. This is because claims for losses can happen years after you provide services.
Why solicitors choose us
More choice
With access to exclusive facilities, a wide range of A-rated insurers – and competitive rates.Low excesses and extended policy periods available
We also offer optional cover top-ups.Dedicated claims support
In-house team offering expert notification guidance and claims advocacy.Risk management support
We can assist your risk and compliance teams, offering feedback on current trends and issues.Regional offices
So we can connect with you in person and understand how you operate and manage risk.Regular insights
Sharing updates on legal and regulatory changes and claims trends relevant to you.
Quality cover, wide market access
We offer one of the most extensive selections of insurance providers available through one broker.
To further increase capacity and choice, we have access to exclusive professional indemnity insurance facilities for solicitors.
We only offer cover underwritten by A-rated insurers so you can rest assured they’re financially strong, with an excellent ability to pay claims.
Your team has added assurance and value to our business, effectively securing us a 17% rate reduction this year. They are highly professional and really nice guys.
Law firms face niche risks that call for specialist insurance
We can also protect your firm with our exclusive, easy-to-manage office combined insurance, developed specifically for the legal sector.
Do you need to use a broker?
Almost all law firms use a broker to find and renew their PII. Specialist brokers can save you time and effort by seeking the right cover at a competitive price, from several providers. A good broker also:
- Provides wide market access to a number of insurers (with us, this includes those exclusive to Howden)
- Offers expert advice and support and is easy to contact
- Advocates for you if a claim is made against you, providing support throughout the claims process
- Offers risk management services to help reduce your premium and risk of claims
- Specialises in your industry, building cover around your firm’s needs and risks
News and insights
Latest PII market report
The solicitors’ PII market continued to favour buyers during the 1 October 2025 renewal season, with strong insurer appetite and additional capacity helping deliver smoother outcomes for many firms. Our latest report highlights the key trends behind this shift and offers our view on how the market is likely to develop through the 1 April 2026 renewal and the rest of the year.
- The state of the market at the 1 October 2025 renewal season
- Key factors driving the current softening trend
- Our predictions for how the market is likely to develop during 2026
What our legal clients say
It’s reassuring to have Howden in our corner for PII brokerage. They bring the strength and scale of a large provider but with brokers who really take an interest in our business and are willing to invest time to build the relationship.
The team are always available to provide insights and guidance when we need them and are refreshingly straightforward to work with.
My firm has been a client of Howden Group for more than 5 years, and I would recommend them unreservedly. Professional indemnity insurance is a necessary evil with which no law firm wishes to deal, but Howden makes the process as painless as possible.
My senior account executive has taken the time and trouble to get to know my firm over the years, which means that now the renewal process is not just a paper exercise.
Like most managing directors of a law firm I am courted by other insurance brokers on a regular basis, however the service that I receive from Howden means I have no intention of moving my business away from them.
We have worked with Howden for many years and the reason we continue to do so is simple: relationships. Not only those with our Howden contacts, but those that they encourage and help us to build with our insurers.
By helping us to show insurers who we are and what we stand for, Howden has ensured that we have never wanted for underwriters wishing to join or stay on our programme and at competitive premiums.
We have been using Howden now for a number of years for our professional indemnity insurance requirements and I can honestly say that the nature of the relationship that we have forged over the years, simply means that we would not use anyone else.
Whilst the fantastically supportive, personal service and highly competitive pricing are key factors for us, the real reason we use Howden is for peace of mind as we know that they will secure the right policy for our needs and offer a straightforward and stress-free renewal process, every time!
I can (and do) recommend Howden as a broker for our professional indemnity insurance.
We continue to be impressed, as always, with the support and work from our account handler in once again securing a very good premium for the cover we need.
He has a wealth of knowledge of our sector in particular, and has consistently secured very good premiums for the cover we need.
Claims team, here to help
A streamlined and efficient claims process means everything when you’re defending yourself against accusations.
We have one of the largest in-house claims teams in the PII market. That’s more than 40 experienced lawyers and senior claims specialists on hand to advise and support you on notifications and claims.
We'll be by your side throughout, keeping you updated and working towards a quick resolution wherever possible.
Solicitors' PII FAQs
In England and Wales, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) sets out the minimum level of cover for law firms. This starts at £2m for sole practitioners and partnerships, and £3m for limited companies and LLPs. This must also include run-off cover lasting six years, to protect against the cost of claims after a law firm has closed (or after retirement).
But this is just a minimum. Under the SRA Indemnity Insurance Rules, a firm must have adequate and appropriate cover for the practice’s specific needs and risks.
When assessing these, consider your typical contract and transaction values, and past and current contentious work, for example. Also consider the likely maximum value of a single claim, including the risk of several claims being aggregated together.
We can help you decide how much cover your law firm needs, including advice on top-up (excess layer) cover, if you need a higher level of indemnity.
Insurers take lots of factors into account when calculating a PII quote, based on the risks you are exposed to and your firm’s characteristics.
When deciding what premium to charge, insurers consider, among other things:
- Your total fee income
- The categories of work you take on
- Your claims history
- The number of employees and partners at your firm
It’s key to prepare early for your policy renewal. This includes having robust, documented risk management strategies in place. That way you’ll be ready to provide the information underwriters might ask you for.
Your broker can help with this and answer your questions about the cost of your solicitors' PII (with us, it's all part of the service).
Start the work well ahead of your renewal date. This includes getting key information together, including your claims history and current risk management practices.
Set time aside to complete your proposal form, so that it’s accurate and detailed. Include any changes since your last renewal, such as partner changes at your firm or risk management procedures you’ve put in place. For example, include any updated staff training or new compliance systems.
If you arrange cover through us, we’ll be in touch well ahead of renewal to help get your firm ready and shown in the best light to insurers. We’re also on hand at any time to answer any questions you might have.
As well as solicitors’ PII, we can advise on insurance across all types of business risks affecting your firm, including:
- Cyber insurance
- Directors’ & officers’ (D&O)
- Office insurance
- Employee benefits
- Transactional diligence
- Private client
- Litigation funding and insurance
If you’re interested in any of these types of cover, just ask.
