The building blocks of 3D printing insurance

Tuning into the latest business opportunities created by technology can bring new risks to your operations. The first step to avoiding them is knowing what they are; the second is preparing for them with insurance.  We outline how common insurance features of old can apply to the “young blood” of technical operations.

Product Liability
Claims which materialise from a product or component created by 3D printing can be covered under product liability. This insurance protection is pertinent to not just those who manufacture the product, but also third party businesses which handle or distribute it.

But as always, it’s important to read the small print as policy exclusions could come in between you and a successful claim. This might be the case if, for example, cyber-related losses were not included as part of your policy, but the defect was caused by a software error in the printing machine.

Intellectual Property
Intellectual property is not always included within a commercial general liability policy, so it’s a good idea to secure this cover in addition to your existing package. Not only will it cover defence costs if a third party were to sue you, it also gives you the option to pursue infringements of your own intellectual property.

Business interruption, environmental liability, equipment breakdown and cyber cover could all offer enhanced protection for your 3D printing process in addition to the two features above.

Equipment breakdown is not always standard cover, but is essential in avoiding big costs further down the line, while environmental liability shouldn’t exclude risks associated with your industry, such as disposal of materials.

Check over your policy to see what’s included in your current protection to make sure nothing important is missed off.

Whatever the nature of your organisation, get covered with NC insurance now.