A third of self-employed UK professionals do not know what professional indemnity insurance is, a study shows.
Business insurer www.constructaquote.com explained the product was designed to protect professionals against claims as a result of professional advice, design work or service given to clients.
A poll of 1,957 self-employed professionals aged 25 and over, from a wide range of industries, found 34% of respondents could not provide an accurate definition of the cover.
Of those, almost a fifth (19%) believed professional indemnity insurance was something business owners needed to focus on, while more than half (51%) did not attempt to provide a definition of the product.
The firm said of the 66% of respondents who provided a correct definition of the cover, under two-fifths (39%) said they had purchased professional indemnity insurance.
The professionals most likely to have purchased a policy for themselves were:
1. Accountants - 19%
2. Engineers - 14%
3. Contractors - 9%
4. Designers - 7%
5. Architects - 5%
Lyndon Wood, creator and owner of constructaquote.com, said: "While indemnity insurance is not always a legal requirement for those providing a professional or legal service, it is worrying that so many polled in our study were unaware of what it is. The benefits to those who take the time to invest in it can be invaluable should they face any unfortunate professional incidents."