Enquire Business Insurance
Careers Liability
Protect Your Recruitment and Career Services
Covers a recruitment or placement business when a client or candidate alleges that its advice, screening, or placement caused them a financial loss.
03
Cover options
29
Underwriters
24/7
Claims support
Quick overview
It protects recruiters and career advisers against legal liability for negligence, error, or omission in recruiting, screening, or placing candidates — paying the legal defence and any compensation awarded.
Why it matters
Why Is It Important?
A claim can create legal expenses, financial losses, and reputational challenges for a business. Appropriate insurance helps provide financial protection against covered liabilities arising from professional services.
Your advice places people in jobs
Clients and candidates act on your screening, references, and recommendations. If a placement goes wrong and money is lost, the claim comes back to you.
A form of professional indemnity
Careers liability is professional indemnity written for the recruitment sector — the same errors-and-omissions cover, focused on placement and advice risk.
Who it's for
Who this cover is for
- Recruitment agencies
- Career consultants
- Placement agencies
- Employment service providers
- Other businesses providing career-related services
Cover options
Your cover options
Choose the option that matches your needs. Exact terms, limits, and extensions vary by insurer and policy.
01
Errors & Omissions
Covers liability for negligent advice, screening, or placement in the course of your work.
02
Defence Costs
Covers the legal cost of defending a claim, including one that does not succeed.
03
Damages
Covers compensation awarded against you or agreed in settlement, up to the indemnity limit.
Protection
What this cover protects against
What applies to your policy depends on the cover level you choose and any extensions added.
gpp_maybe
Negligent advice
A client or candidate relies on your recommendation and suffers a loss.
fact_check
Screening failures
References or checks not carried out to a proper standard.
person_off
Unsuitable placement
A candidate placed who was not qualified or suitable for the role.
lock
Confidentiality breach
Candidate or client information disclosed without authority.
balance
Defamation
A reference or statement about a candidate alleged to be defamatory.
Key benefits
What you get with the cover
Defence costs covered
Legal costs met even where the claim is groundless.
Client contract ready
Meets the professional indemnity conditions in recruitment framework agreements.
Confidentiality and defamation
Responds to data-protection and reference-related claims, not just placement errors.
Claims-made cover
Responds to claims first made during the policy period, within the retroactive date.
Exclusions
What's not covered
Dishonest, fraudulent, or deliberate acts
Disputes over your own fees or commissions
Claims or circumstances known before the policy started
Bodily injury and property damage (covered under public liability)
This is a general list. Your policy wording sets out the full exclusions that apply.
Getting covered
What you'll need
To take out cover
- Business registration documents
- Description of recruitment / career services
- Professional or regulatory registration where applicable
- Estimated annual turnover
- Number of employees
- Previous claims / insurance details where applicable
Requirements may vary depending on the insurer, type of cover, risk involved, and individual circumstances. Our team will advise you on the specific documents required for your policy.
Glossary
Common terms explained
Errors & Omissions
Negligent mistakes or omissions in your professional work that give rise to a claim.
Claims-Made Basis
Cover responds to claims first made against you during the policy period, regardless of when the work was done.
Retroactive Date
The earliest date of past work the policy will respond to.
Indemnity Limit
The maximum the insurer will pay for any one claim, or in total during the policy period.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
The essentials on careers liability — what it covers, what you'll need, and how claims work. More on the FAQ page.
See all FAQsHow is this different from professional indemnity?
It is professional indemnity, written for the recruitment sector — the cover is the same, focused on placement, screening, and advice risk.
Does it cover claims by candidates, not just clients?
Yes. A candidate who alleges a placement or a reference caused them a loss can bring a claim, and the policy responds.
Is a reference we gave covered?
Yes — defamation and confidentiality claims arising from references are covered, subject to the policy terms.
Flexible cover
Sized to your agency
The right indemnity limit depends on the roles you place, your fee income, and any client contract minimums. Our advisors set it and compare terms.
More Business Insurance Enquire 
Enquire Enquire
Related cover
Enquire Enquire Business Insurance
Goods in Transit (GIT)
Protect Your Goods While They Are on the Move
Enquire Business Insurance
Workplace Injury Cover (WIBA)
Protect Your Employees. Protect Your Business.
Ready When You Are
Why Arrange Careers Liability Through Cush?
We treat it as professional indemnity for recruiters — sizing the limit to the roles you place and checking it against your client contracts, with terms compared across trusted underwriters. Protect your career services and business with Cush Insurance Agency.