Management Consultant Insurance - What Do You Need?

Working as an independent management consultant can be a fantastic option for anybody in the consulting world looking to experience new industries, choose their own projects or gain flexibility in order to pursue other endeavours. That being said, if it’s your first time working as a freelancer you might not be aware of the new risks you’re exposed to when joining a business as an outsider.

This guide will cover everything you need to know about working insurance while freelance management consultant, from the types of insurance you’ll need to know about through to how much they cost and hopefully answer any questions you might have.

• Popular insurances for management consultants
• FAQ’s
• What insurances do you need to be a freelance management consultant?
  • How much is insurance for a management consultant?
• Where can I get management consultant insurance?

Popular Types of Insurance for a Management Consultant

As a management consultant, you’ll be exposed to a wide variety of risks and dangers on any given day. From protecting your client’s data to making sure you’re covered in the event of an accident, insurance is a great way to protect yourself from something going wrong.

Some coverages, such as Public Liability aren’t a legal requirement, but many employers won’t consider bringing you into their offices if you don’t have a policy. Employers' Liability, on the other hand, is a legal requirement in the UK if you hire any staff—including interns or temps, so keep this in mind if you’re going to bring anyone on board.

Management Consultant Insurance Examples

FAQ’s

What insurances do you need to be a freelance management consultant?

Public Liability is a must-have for most management consultants. Many clients will insist you have a policy before bringing you on board, but even if they don’t it’s still a good idea to hold a policy to protect you if something goes wrong. Considering the average Public Liability claim in 2019 was £13,500 it’s easy to see why most consultants won’t work without it.

If you hire any staff, whether they’re full-time, part-time, contractor or intern, you’re legally required to hold Employers’ Liability. The punishments for failing to do so are severe—up to £2,500 in fines for each day somebody works for you without a sufficient Employers’ Liability policy.

Professional Indemnity is a must-have in the management consulting world, especially so if you’re working as a freelancer or independent. Clients won’t always be happy with your work, and could sue you to cover the costs of any work that needs redoing or damages caused by your advice, which is where Professional Indemnity comes in.

If you’re working with the data of other businesses, perhaps keeping it on your personal computer or taking it home with you, then you’ll want to consider Cyber Security coverage. While you always try to be as safe as possible, cybercrime does happen and can be costly when it does—you can never be too safe online.

Finally, Personal Accident Insurance can help protect you if you’re unable to work due to injury or illness. It’s not mandatory, but is especially important to freelancers, who don’t have the income security of full-time employees.

How much does Management Consultant insurance cost?

The average cost for a full management consultants insurance policy, including £2M of Public Liability (PL), £2M of Professional Indemnity (PI) and £10M of Employers’ Liability (EL) is roughly £400 per year. For a policy of only £2M of Public Liability, annual cover starts from around £90 per year—about £30 less than the average cost of Public Liability insurance in the UK.

In a situation fairly unique to management consulting, adding Employers' Liability to your insurance package doesn't actually increase your annual cost by much. This is because many businesses, especially recruitment firms, will insist you hold a policy before allowing you work through them, as a way to "prove" you're an independent consultant and not a contracted employee, who would be exposed to different income tax regulations—however insurers clearly don't think you're ever likely to make a claim.

Where Can I Get Management Consultant Insurance?

You can compare Management Consulting Professional Indemnity insurance quotes here, but otherwise many of the UK’s leading insurers will happily put together a package to cover you for however much or little you require. A quick Google search for “Management Consultants Insurance” should yield the results you’re looking for.

More Information on Types of Management Consultants Insurance

Public Liability Insurance

Public Liability Insurance for management consultants will protect you if a third party (other consultants, general public, customers/clients) incurs damages or injury as a result of your work. It’ll pay out for any legal expenses you accrue during your defense and any compensation a court awards against you.

It typically comes in four levels, £1M, £2M, £5M or £10M. You’re unlikely to need more, but it can be available if you request.

Employers’ Liability Insurance

You must hold an Employers' Liability Insurance if you employ any staff. As a contractor, some businesses and recruitment firms may also require you to hold a policy in order to work with them in order to protect themselves if you’re unable to work or can’t complete the contract.

Employers’ Liability will protect you from claims made by staff that their work for you caused them to become unwell or if they were injured while at work. Like Public Liability, it’ll cover any legal expenses and compensation awarded.

Professional Indemnity Insurance

Professional Indemnity Insurance is generally considered a must-have in the management consulting industry. It’ll protect you against claims made by your customers who are unhappy with the service they received, or if they believe you were professionally negligent while working for them.

“Professional negligence” is a fairly broad term, but would include things such as producing a low-quality report or advising your customer to make a decision that ends up being wrong. Given that you’ll spend your day offering advice to your customers, it’s definitely well worth making sure you’re covered.

Cyber Security Insurance

More important than ever, Cyber Security Insurance Insurance will help protect you if your management of a customer’s data results in losses or damages. It’ll cover you both if a fraudster gets hold of your data or manages to trick you into parting with money on behalf of the business you’re working for—perhaps through a fraudulent expense claim.

Personal Accident Insurance

Personal Accident Insurance is applicable to anybody working as a freelancer/independent, not just management consultants. It’ll help cover you in the event that you’re unable to work due to injury or illness, and help you cover your bills and costs while you recover.

Management Consultant Salary UK

The average management consultant in the UK earns £44,894 per year. Consultants in London are by far the best off in the UK, earning £56,223 annually—almost £12,000 more than the rest of the country, and nearly double what the average consultant in Wales earns.

Earnings estimations were taken from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings