“I signed it – so am I covered now?” The answer: it depends on what the contract says about the start of cover. This isn't nitpicking: a loss that happens before the start of cover isn't covered – and when work is starting, when you're switching insurers, or against a tender deadline, even days can matter. This article sets the rules of the start of cover straight.
- Cover is live from the start of cover set out in the contract – which isn't necessarily the day you signed.
- The start can be a specified date, a point after the offer is accepted, or tied to payment of the premium – depending on the terms.
- For claims-made cover, the retroactive date matters alongside the start date – the two are separate concepts.
The typical start-date patterns
Policy terms typically follow one of these patterns: cover begins on the date named in the contract (the most common – the date reads directly off the policy); from a set point after the offer is signed or the insurer's acceptance; or, in some arrangements, tied to payment of the first premium. The exact rule always lives in the specific terms – checking it is one of the things to verify when the policy arrives (checklist).
Start date and retroactive date: two separate clocks
For claims-made professional indemnity cover, two dates sit side by side. The start of cover: from when the contract accepts claim notifications. The retroactive date: how far back the cover reaches for claims arising from earlier work. On a first-ever policy, the two typically coincide – which is why the period before that first policy remains permanently uncovered (what happens without cover); when switching insurers, though, they separate: the goal is to carry the old retroactive date over alongside the new start date (the key article, switching).
Three situations where the days matter
Starting work: if a client only allows work to begin once cover is certified, the start of cover needs to be aligned to that start date – planned backward, with lead times built in (binding cover). Tenders: the tender documents may require cover to be certified as of a specific date – here, the start date is a compliance question (the tender article). Switching: even a single day's gap between the old policy ending and the new one starting is a risk – a seamless join is the basic rule of an orderly switch.
The practical routine
At binding, always note three dates for yourself: when cover becomes live (the start of cover), how far back it reaches (the retroactive date, if relevant), and when it expires or renews (the anniversary – the routine article). Knowing these three dates is the backbone of your insurance calendar. If your current policy doesn't make them clear: I can help with this in a free consultation.
Example: the Monday start
A contractor signs a new order on Friday and wants to start on Monday – the client ties handover of the site to certified cover. The contractor realizes on Thursday that cover isn't sorted yet. The good news: with an orderly process, even this timeline can typically be held – offer, binding, start of cover set for Monday, certificate issued. The bad news: all of it compressed, with room for error, and not achievable under every arrangement. The lesson isn't miracle speed, it's sequencing: for anyone who starts the insurance process in parallel with negotiating the order, a Monday start is routine; for anyone who starts after signing the contract, it's a gamble. Insurance is part of project preparation – not a task for the last Friday.
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