PDI

10/16/2026

As more contractors take on design responsibility, the insurance conversation around those accounts may need to change.

Contractors are increasingly involved in design, whether they're managing it on their own projects or coordinating the work of design consultants. When errors, omissions, or faulty workmanship are alleged, professional liability questions can come up that a traditional construction coverage review may not address.

Before placing a policy, it helps to take a closer look at:
▪️ The professional services the contractor is responsible for
▪️ How subcontractors are involved in the work
▪️ What the contract requires
▪️ If faulty workmanship and rectification coverage is available?

It's a good time to ask whether your contractor accounts are performing or assuming professional services.

Learn more about Professional Design Insurance's coverage for contractors at www.pdiins.com/insurance/general-contractors.

10/16/2026

Not all professional liability insurance expertise is the same.

Architects, engineers, and other design professionals face risks that can be very different from those of other businesses. Working with an insurance specialist who understands the design industry can help when evaluating coverage, contracts, project requirements, and changing exposures.

PDI Insurance looks at some of the advantages of working with a specialist who understands the risks design professionals face.

https://www.pdiins.com/working-with-a-design-insurance-specialist/

PDI - Your Design Insurance Specialists. Wholesale brokers specializing in Professional Design Insurance. Architects & Engineers Insurance Wholesalers.

10/14/2026

Design disputes can become expensive long after the drawings are complete.

Engineering News-Record reports that a federal judge has awarded $3.3 million in damages involving alleged design errors on a hospital project. A related claim between the architect and structural engineer remains pending.

Cases like this are a useful reminder of the importance of clearly defined responsibilities, documentation, communication, and sound risk-management practices throughout a project.

ENR: Judge Hits HKS With $3.3M Hospital Design Error Damages

https://www.enr.com/articles/63946-judge-hits-hks-with-33m-hospital-design-error-damages

10/12/2026

Professional liability questions don't stop with architects and engineers.

Should a general contractor use its standard subcontract with a design professional? Can a contractor be added as an additional insured to a professional liability policy? When should a contractor consider its own professional liability coverage?

PDI Insurance answers some of the questions that commonly come up when contractors work with design professionals.

https://www.pdiins.com/general-contractor-insurance-faqs/

Some commonly asked questions about insurance and general contractors - from PDI, the leader in wholesale design professional insurance.

10/09/2026

Cutting construction-phase engineering services may save money upfront. But what can it cost later?

A recent ASCE Claim Reduction article looks at the importance of retaining the Engineer of Record during construction, when questions, substitutions, field conditions, and design interpretations can have significant consequences for a project.

It's a useful reminder that continuity between design and construction can play an important role in reducing misunderstandings, delays, and claims.

https://www.asce.org/publications-and-news/civil-engineering-source/article/2026/10/06/retaining-the-engineer-of-record-during-the-construction-phase-will-minimize-project-impacts

While construction costs are usually around 80% of the total design and construction budget, trying to save a portion of 2% of the budget while spending 80% for construction can actually cost clients more than the “savings.”

10/07/2026

What if a bridge could continuously tell engineers how it’s performing?

Engineers are using a digital twin and data from more than 100 sensors to monitor the structural health of Florida’s Sunshine Skyway Bridge.

The technology gives engineers another way to understand how a major structure is responding over time and could help inform maintenance decisions and extend its service life.

An interesting look at how monitoring technology is becoming part of modern infrastructure management from ASCE’s Civil Engineering:

https://www.asce.org/publications-and-news/civil-engineering-source/civil-engineering-magazine/issues/septemberoctober2026print

FastFloor is an all-steel, shop-fabricated, modular floor-framing method that integrates safety, serviceability, sustainability, and economy.

10/05/2026

Happy Monday!

10/02/2026

Defense and indemnification are both important parts of professional liability coverage, but they address two very different costs.

Defense costs are the expenses associated with responding to and defending a claim. Indemnification is the amount ultimately paid to resolve a covered claim through settlement or judgment.

Understanding the distinction — and how each can affect available policy limits — is important for architects, engineers, and other design professionals.

PDI Insurance takes a closer look:
https://www.pdiins.com/defense-vs-indemnification/

A look at defense vs indemnity from a design professionals point of view. From PDI - the leader in Architects & Engineers E&O.

10/01/2026

AI tools are becoming part of architectural and engineering workflows, and contract language is changing right alongside them.

Some agreements may now restrict or prohibit the use of AI in the design process. Others may create unclear responsibility for AI-assisted work, review requirements, or obligations that do not align neatly with professional liability coverage.

Before your design clients sign an agreement with AI-related provisions, take a closer look.

We help agents and design professionals review contract language that may conflict with coverage. Visit www.pdiins.com or call 317-570-6945 to start the conversation.

09/30/2026

Offsite construction continues to move further into the mainstream, and building codes are catching up.

The 2027 International Codes include new provisions designed to create a more consistent framework for reviewing and approving modular and offsite construction.

For architects, engineers, contractors, and manufacturers, greater consistency could help simplify one of the persistent challenges with offsite construction: navigating different approval and compliance requirements across jurisdictions.

Building Design+Construction takes a closer look:
https://www.bdcnetwork.com/building-sector-reports/modular-building/article/55402993/new-international-codes-poised-to-reduce-barriers-for-offsite-construction

The changes provide consistent compliance verification and approval processes across jurisdictions, giving regulators and inspectors a more consistent framework for reviewing ...