Dear ARIDO Member,

We are writing today to notify you of a newly available extension to your Errors & Omissions (“E&O”) Liability Insurance coverage regarding the structural design services provided by BCIN holders. 

Your Current Policy Terms:

• PROLINK’s current E&O Liability Insurance plan covers allegations of errors, omissions, and negligence that fall within your scope of services as an Interior Designer, as defined by Interior Designers of Canada (IDC) and all associated provincial bodies, including ARIDO.
• Since PROLINK's policy is designed to extend to Interior Designers across Canada, the defined scope of services refers to a standard set of interior design services that can be legally carried out in all provinces, regardless of jurisdiction.
• However, the structural design services provided by Interior Designers vary by jurisdiction, including the ability to design the building itself for Small Commercial Buildings or Houses. 

• In Ontario, the BCIN Small Building and House designations allow the BCIN holder to submit both the design of the interior of a Small Building or Single-Family Dwelling AND the design of the building itself for permit. 
• This permit privilege does not apply to BCIN Large and Large Commercial Buildings, nor does it exist in other Canadian jurisdictions. 
• As a result, coverage for this additional scope of service is not included in our standard E&O Liability Insurance Policy.

How can you secure coverage?

• To close this gap in coverage, we have negotiated with the program insurer and secured an extension to the E&O Liability Insurance policy for all ARIDO members who: 
  1. Hold BCIN Small Building and/or House designations; and 
  2. Offer services that include both the design of the building interior and the design of the building itself.  

• This new extension is optional and will not be required as a mandatory coverage for all ARIDO and IDC members. However, we recommend this coverage extension if you: (1) currently hold BCIN Small and House designations; and (2) offer design services for the building itself, in addition to the building interior.

• Additionally, this new extension is separate from the existing E&O Liability Insurance national premium pool and will not impact: 
  • Availability: Interior Designers who do not provide structural design services in Ontario or in other jurisdictions can still access the standard E&O Liability Insurance policy. 
  • Claims: The new extension will not expose the current policy to structural design claims. 
  • Cost: The new extension will not affect the cost of E&O Liability Insurance policy for Interior Designers across Canada who do not purchase the coverage extension. 

Next Steps:

If you are interested in this coverage extension, please read the FAQs below to first determine if it is required for your practice. Depending on the design services you offer and how you run your practice, you may or may not need the new extension.

If you have any further questions or concerns on how to obtain this coverage extension, please connect with:

• Sandie Harris, Team Lead at [email protected] or 647-977-9546; or
• Zachary Cranny, Senior Account Manager at [email protected] or 647-660-2970.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. How do I know if I need this coverage extension?
We recommend this coverage extension if you: (1) currently hold BCIN Small and House designations; and (2) offer design services for the building itself, in addition to the building interior. If you provide design services for the building itself, you take on full responsibility for any design work or drawings that you sign off on with your BCIN permit. 

2. I always hire a structural engineer or an architect for anything outside the scope of interior design services. Do I still need this coverage extension?
You do not need to purchase the coverage extension if: (1) your scope of services is limited to the design of the building interior for Small Buildings and/or Houses; and (2) you hire other consultants, like engineers or architects, to carry out work related to the design of the building itself. 

If you hire a BCIN holder (e.g. an engineer or an architect), these practitioners are required to sign off on their design work. As a result, they take full responsibility for any work of theirs that contributes to the design and permit package. If you are named in a lawsuit related to the design work of an architect or engineer, your standard E&O Liability Insurance coverage will apply; the coverage extension is not required here. 

3. I only practice in Large or Complex Buildings. Will the coverage extension apply to me?
No, it does not. Where the design for the interior of a building in Large Buildings legally requires an architect or engineer (i.e., fire safety or structural); you are required to hire them legally for that scope of work in which case they will assume liability for their portion of the work.

4. I’ve been offering services that include the building design for both Small Buildings and Houses. I was under the impression that my existing insurance covered that. Will my past projects be covered?
The insurer for the PROLINK plan has confirmed that they will cover all past projects prior to obtaining the extended coverage for ARIDO Members already covered under the PROLINK E&O Liability plan for 2022 and where they obtain the extended coverage by December 31, 2022. However, coverage of past projects will not apply to ARIDO members seeking to purchase E&O Liability with PROLINK for their first time through the PROLINK plan.

5. How are “interior design services” defined under the E&O Liability Insurance policy?
Under the E&O Liability Insurance policy, the definition of “Professional Services” is aligned with the definition of "Interior Designer" set by the IDC and all associated provincial bodies at the time the PROLINK policy was first established in September 2012.

While this definition does not include structural design services, it does include a detailed list of covered interior design services. ARIDO members are encouraged to review their E&O Liability Insurance policy for additional clarity on their existing coverage and the specific definition of “Professional Services.”

6. How are “structural design services” defined under this coverage extension? 
Under the coverage extension, the definition of “Professional Services” specifically references coverage for interior design services provided by ARIDO members who hold the BCIN Small and/or House designations. The definition of “structural design services” specifically includes any construction documents prepared by Interior Designers adhering to regional building and fire codes, municipal codes, and any other jurisdictional statutes, regulations, and guidelines. 

7. I work in provinces outside Ontario. Does the coverage extension cover me for work in other jurisdictions?
Currently, this coverage extension is only available to members practicing in Ontario. However, PROLINK will soon be entering discussions with other provincial jurisdictions to better understand what allowances, if any, exist related to the design of Small Buildings and/or Single-Family Dwellings.