Bookkeepers' insurance

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Professional indemnity insurance for bookkeepers UK
Professional indemnity insurance for bookkeepers UK
Professional indemnity insurance for bookkeepers UK
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What is bookkeeper insurance?

Bookkeeper insurance isn’t one product; it’s a combination of products designed to protect you and your business against legal threats and other risks.

Professional indemnity insurance should be at the centre of any insurance for bookkeepers. The ICB (Institute of Certified Bookkeepers) suggests a minimum of £50,000 PI cover. If you meet clients face-to-face, you may also need public liability, and if your computer is essential to your work, you may want to add electronic business equipment.

Commercial legal expenses insurance is included as standard with every Suited policy.

How much does bookkeeper insurance cost?

Professional indemnity insurance for bookkeepers starts at £7.67 per month, and the cost increases based on the required insurance limits, business size, and claims history.

Self employed professional indemnity insurance
Professional indemnity

from £7.67 per month

Provides you with legal defence against claims of professional mistake or negligence causing a financial loss to your clients.

Up to £2,000,000 cover

Zero excess

Dedicated legal team

A+ insurer

Competitive prices

Core cover
Self employed professional indemnity insurance

Professional indemnity

from £8.89 per month

Provides you with legal defence against claims of professional mistake or negligence causing a financial loss to your clients.

Up to £2,000,000 cover

Zero excess

Dedicated legal team

A+ insurer

Competitive prices

Core cover
Self employed professional indemnity insurance

Professional indemnity

from £9.54 per month

Provides you with legal defence against claims of professional mistake or negligence causing a financial loss to your clients.

Up to £2,000,000 cover

Zero excess

Dedicated legal team

A+ insurer

Competitive prices

Core cover
Self employed professional indemnity insurance

Professional indemnity

from £20.41 per month

Provides you with legal defence against claims of professional mistake or negligence causing a financial loss to your clients.

Up to £2,000,000 cover

Zero excess

Dedicated legal team

A+ insurer

Competitive prices

Core cover
Self employed professional indemnity insurance

Professional indemnity

from £22.78 per month

Provides you with legal defence against claims of professional mistake or negligence causing a financial loss to your clients.

Up to £2,000,000 cover

Zero excess

Dedicated legal team

A+ insurer

Competitive prices

Core cover
Commercial legal expenses insurance.
Business legal protect

Cover of £100,000 commercial legal expenses included with your policy subscription.

Protects you and your business against a range of issues not typically covered by professional indemnity or public liability.

IR35 & HMRC investigations

Legal matters concerning your business

Negative PR (£25,000 cover)

Criminal prosecution

Compliance & regulation issues

Unpaid invoices (over £200)

Also includes free telephone advice & help from qualified professionals.

Tax and commercial legal advice

Counselling for you and your staff

Access to a legal template library

Identity theft assistance

Included
Self employed public liability insurance.
Public liability

from +£4.76 per month

Protects your business against claims of causing an accidental injury or property damage to either your clients or a third party.

Up to £2,000,000 cover including products liability

No excess

Expert legal team

A+ specialist insurers

Covers claims against your client caused by your business

Business equipment insurance.
Electronic business equipment

from +£7.00 per month

Pays for repair or replacement if your portable electronic equipment (and accessories) get damaged or lost.

Equipment up to £10,000 cover (£3,500 per item)

Accessories are included (£500 per item)

Hired equipment is covered

Worldwide - your devices are covered anywhere you are

Personal accident insurance.
Business owner protect

from +£10.07 per month

Reimburses your taxable business expenses while you’re recovering from a serious illness or injury.

Up to £2,000 a month

Up to 6 months following the first 30 days of illness

Any tax deductible expenses included

Receive a lump sump payout if you suffer an accident leaving you with partial or total disablement:

£5,000 lump sum

Fast customer service

Quick payout

Answer 4 questions then select the policies and limits you need.
Answer 4 questions then select the policies and limits you need.
What people say
2 March
Extremely impressed

Extremely impressed with the professional and supportive service I received.

Kellie Williams
on Google
16 February
Very efficient

After shopping around for business liability cover, I found suited, I had a few questions and Jana from suited was very efficient...

Chezza
on Trustpilot
14 February
Great!

The website is easy to use and the process is intuitive, clear and easy to follow.

Matt M
on Trustpilot
11 February

I was recommended Suited, because I’d been stalling. Simple to use website, offered clear, concise information and selection...

Mokolada
on Trustpilot
12 December

Really fantastic service by the suited insure team! Always found the insurance side to be a bit confusing but the team took me...

Michael Ryan
on Google
15 September

A simple and flexible service for what I required. Great communication from start to finish.

Matthew Allen
on Google
1 August

I was looking for business insurance this easy to use and very well explained web site made the process simple and painless. Had a quote...

Piers Field
on Trustpilot
In detail

Why do bookkeepers need insurance?

Even if you are a careful bookkeeper, mistakes can still occur. However, if one of these mistakes leads to financial loss for your client or triggers an investigation by HMRC, you may be accused of negligence and you could be held accountable for legal expenses or losses. To safeguard yourself, it is crucial to have good bookkeeping insurance.

Accusations of costing your client money

As a bookkeeper, you handle your clients' finances. If a client believes your services cost them money, they may demand compensation.

Errors and omissions leading to your client getting fined

If a client feels they were fined due to your services, they may start proceedings against you.

Client injury during a face-to-face meeting

If you see clients face to face, there are always risks of trips, falls or property damage during meetings with you; this could result in legal proceedings against you.

Professional indemnity insurance for bookkeepers

Professional indemnity is a legal cover that protects a bookkeeping business against accusations of professional errors and mistakes by unhappy clients. 

Given the advisory nature of the bookkeeper profession, professional indemnity is the first insurance you should consider.

Learn more about the importance of bookkeeper insurance in our article: do bookkeepers need professional indemnity insurance?

What does professional indemnity insurance cover for bookkeepers?

Professional indemnity insurance provides financial protection and expert legal advice if you are in trouble with an unhappy client due to your bookkeeping activities.

Cover includes:

  • Making an error
  • Acting negligently
  • Giving the wrong advice or recommendation

For example, you may be asked to pay compensation because:

  • A client claims your professional advice led to a fine by HMRC
  • A client believes your miscalculations cost them money 
  • You shared confidential information about your client with an unauthorised party

Suited professional indemnity insurance covers up to £2 million, backed by quality insurers and a dedicated legal team to assist if a situation arises.

The legal team is there at the early stages of a possible conflict with a client. They will advise you on how to proceed and help stop the issue in its tracks or limit damage. If the situation escalates, the legal team will also defend your case. The insurers pay for all legal costs.

Suited professional indemnity insurance comes with a bolt-on in the form of £100,000 legal expenses cover; this is useful for situations such as tax disputes, damaging PR crises or some other commercial legal issue your business faces.

How much professional indemnity does a bookkeeper need?

When starting in the bookkeeping business, there is sometimes the temptation to keep costs down by not investing in adequate liability insurance for bookkeepers. However, the price of a good PI cover is surprisingly low compared to just one hour with a solicitor whose help you would need if a client threatens legal action.

Factors to consider:

  • The Institute of Certified Bookkeepers recommends cover of at least £50,000 or to select a limit which is at least a minimum of 2.5 times your annual turnover.
  • How many employees or subcontractors do you have? The possibility of a professional mistake increases every time you delegate work to another person.
  • How big is your most significant client account? Generally, the size of a client account goes hand in hand with its complexity and, therefore, the possible financial impact an error could cause.
  • How many clients do you have, and what is the combined size? Sometimes, the same error or an incorrect procedure can be applied multiple times, causing a portfolio-wide issue.
  • What is the most complex client account you look after, and what is the size of it? Complexity increases risk. If you specialise in more complex industries, ensure your insurance reflects this.

Switching your professional indemnity insurance

Typically, in the UK, if you cancel a professional indemnity policy, you can no longer claim against it.

Therefore, if you switch your bookkeeper insurance provider, be sure your new policy covers your past work; this is called “retroactive cover”.

Should I keep professional indemnity insurance if I take a break or retire from bookkeeping?

It’s wise to keep your professional indemnity if you’re taking a break or retiring from bookkeeping. Claims against professional misconduct can surface months or years after you delivered the work.

Remember: If you cancel your policy, your insurance coverage will end, including coverage for any previous work.

How long you keep your cover in place is up to you. Consider the type of bookkeeping you did and the likelihood that a client might bring a claim against you. 

Public liability insurance for bookkeepers

It’s less common these days for bookkeepers to meet their clients face to face, but if you still work in a more personal way, you may wish to consider public liability.  ‍

Public liability cover protects bookkeepers and businesses against silly accidents like a spilt coffee over a client’s expensive laptop or a client slipping on a wet floor. The cost of injury compensation plus associated legal fees can quickly run into thousands, if not more.

What does public liability insurance cover?

Public liability insurance responds to legal accusations of causing an accidental injury or property damage. 

In the work environment of a bookkeeper, this is generally a low risk but still worth considering if you have regular face-to-face contact with your clients and third parties during your day.

Cover includes:

  • accidental injury or death
  • accidental property damage

For example: 

Someone may claim compensation because during a business meeting with you:

  • They had a trip or fall at your home or business premises. 
  • By accident, you knocked over your client's expensive laptop.
  • You failed to warn someone coming to your premises that there’s a step to mind, and they sprained their ankle.

Other insurance bookkeepers buy

If you work as a bookkeeper, the insurance coverage you require will vary based on your individual situation. Are you financially capable of replacing your computer equipment in case it gets lost, damaged, or stolen? Can you handle a legal conflict if it arises? Will you be able to pay for your business expenses if you fall ill?

Commercial legal expenses insurance

Most commercial legal expenses insurance will protect bookkeepers against various tax and legal issues you may encounter due to your profession, which are not covered by professional indemnity or public liability.

At Suited, we combined £100,000 of commercial legal expenses insurance with helplines and other tools to better assist bookkeepers in dealing with these issues. We call this Business Legal Protect, and it’s part of your subscription.

Business Legal Protect offers qualified advice and assistance with:

  • Legal and accountancy matters concerning your business
  • Criminal prosecution
  • Compliance & regulation issues
  • Unpaid invoices (over £200)

For example:

  • HMRC flags you for an IR35 investigation
  • You need legal help chasing a major unpaid invoice
  • You need guidance on compliance issues for your business

Business equipment insurance

Accounting and bookkeeping are undergoing a tech revolution, which means the investment in electronic equipment has increased, and shoeboxes have been finally thrown out.

Suppose you have spent a considerable amount on your electronic equipment. In that case, you may like to protect it by having electronic business equipment insurance that would pay for the cost of damage or replacement.

Shopping for bookkeeper insurance

Whether you decide to use Suited for your bookkeeper insurance or not, it is important to remember the following:

Cheap bookkeeping insurance

Don't just settle for cheap bookkeeping insurance. Consider the level of after-sales service provided, which may be subpar. Ensure that you can easily reach your insurance provider when needed. At Suited, we offer multiple contact options and strive to provide prompt responses.

The reputation of the insurer is important

When it comes to insurance, it's crucial to have reliable coverage at crucial moments. At Suited, we only work with financially secure insurers who have an A+ rating, ensuring a solid payout reputation.

Many providers charge fees to amend or cancel 

Beware of low initial prices that may conceal extra charges for monthly payments, policy amendments, or cancellations. Unlike other providers, Suited does not impose any additional fees, and you can cancel anytime without incurring any further costs.

Some policy wordings are restrictive or have a high excess

Be cautious of providers that offer tempting prices at the expense of adequate coverage. Suited offers both professional indemnity and public liability policies with no excess fees.

In this section
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FAQs

Common questions

Is professional indemnity insurance for bookkeepers compulsory?

Professional indemnity insurance for bookkeepers isn't compulsory but your customers or the association you are a member of may be expecting you to have PI cover in place.

Will the work of my employees be covered by Suited professional indemnity insurance?

Yes, any work by bonafide employees of your business is covered.

What is the difference between bookkeeping and accountancy?

A bookkeeper keeps track of receipts, invoices and any other financial transactions. An accountant can provide the same service but in addition offers financial advice.

How is the cost of professional indemnity insurance calculated?

At Suited we only take into account your annual turnover, that's it. We do not charge per person.

Answer 4 questions then select the policies and limits you need.
Answer 4 questions then select the policies and limits you need.
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Bookkeepers professional indemnity insurance
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Go retroactive

Include retroactive cover to insure previous work.

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Holiday mode

Pay less when not working by hibernating your PI cover.

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No problem, Suited uses a simple subscription model making it easy to walk away.

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If you call to cancel within the first 2 weeks we’ll give you a full refund.

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No longer need us? Cancel anytime, no more to pay.

* 14 day promise is not available online, please speak to a member of staff. Not available if you have reported a claim.

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