Insurance requirements for Building Designers vary between Australian states and territories and can depend on the type of registration, licence and work being undertaken.

Victoria #

Registered Building Designers in Victoria are required to hold Professional Indemnity Insurance.

The Building and Plumbing Commission requires relevant registered practitioners to provide evidence of Professional Indemnity Insurance.

For Building Designers, the current minimum limit is generally:

• $1.5 million, or
• $1 million where defence costs are exclusive of, or in addition to, the limit of indemnity.

Queensland #

Building Design contractor licence holders in Queensland are generally required to demonstrate that they hold Professional Indemnity Insurance.

The QBCC Professional Indemnity requirements apply to Building Design licence classes, although exemptions may be available in limited circumstances where the QBCC’s requirements are satisfied.

New South Wales #

In New South Wales, individuals registered as Design Practitioners under the Design and Building Practitioners scheme must ensure their regulated design work is indemnified under an appropriate Professional Indemnity policy.

Not every person providing Building Design services automatically falls within the same registration category, so the requirement depends on the work being undertaken and the practitioner’s registration.

Other requirements #

Even where legislation does not prescribe a specific Professional Indemnity limit, insurance may still be required by:

• Clients
• Principal contractors
• Government bodies
• Professional associations
• Project contracts

You can also read our detailed state-based Building Designer insurance requirements.

If you are unsure what requirements apply to you, contact our team and we can help identify the insurance requirements relevant to your business.