--- title: Insurance Blog | DESIGNPRO Insurance Group (A Wichert Insurance Agency) in Westerville, Ohio description: Read the DESIGNPRO Insurance Group blog for local, interesting and up-to-date insurance news. --- # INDUSTRY RESOURCES FOR ARCHITECTS & ENGINEERS ## from DESIGNPRO Insurance Group [Building Blocks](/blog) [Continiuing Ed](/continuing-education) [Industry Events](/events) [Videos](/videos) ## Building Blocks: DESIGNPRO Insurance Group Blog Building Blocks is our comprehensive resource library designed specifically for architects, engineers, and design professionals navigating today's complex practice environment. Each article addresses critical aspects of professional practice—from contract negotiation and risk management to client relationships and project delivery—providing actionable insights that help protect your practice while enhancing your professional success. Whether you're a seasoned practitioner looking to stay current with industry best practices or an emerging professional building your knowledge foundation, these posts offer practical guidance on the business and legal considerations that impact every design project. Written by our Risk Manager, Eric Pempus Esq. FAIA, NCARB, each article draws from extensive experience in both legal practice and architectural profession to address topics ranging from leadership strategies and professional associations to technical documentation and moral rights—all with the real-world challenges of design practice in mind. [**Contingency Funds in the Design Professions & the Construction Industry** — December 2024 — In the design professions and the construction industry unexpected costs in a project seem inevitable. A certain level of ambiguity, defects and errors or omissions should be anticipated, and in fact, are normal. This is true in every project, be it new construction but especially… — Mar 31](/blog/2026/contingency-funds-in-the-design-professions-the-construction-industry) [**Force Majeure in the Design & Construction Industry** — A force majeure clause is a contractual provision that excuses one or both parties from fulfilling in whole or part obligations when unforeseeable, uncontrollable events—such as natural disasters, war, or pandemics, acts of God, etc. It essentially makes performance impossible, or at least very… — Mar 9](/blog/2026/force-majeure-in-the-design-construction-industry) [**Don’t Call Yourself an “Expert” Architect or Engineer** — Should they do so, they would raise their standard of care when providing their professional services. In those cases, especially when they are in a dispute (such as in litigation), the expectation is that their practice of architecture or engineering is error free, amounting to perfection. Just… — Feb 1](/blog/2026/dont-call-yourself-an-expert-architect-or-engineer) [**Contract Language "Including but not Limited to" and "Including Without Limitation"** — In most legal and other contexts, the phrases **"including but not limited to"** and **"including without limitation"** generally mean the same thing. Both are used to ensure a list of items is understood as illustrative and not exhaustive. The purpose of both phrases is to prevent a narrow interpretation… — Jan 7](/blog/2026/contractlanguageincluding-but-not-limited-to-and-including-without-limitation) [**A/Es Should Not Use the Word “Complete” in Their Contracts with Their Clients?** — In architects’ and engineers’ (A/Es) contracts with their clients (project owners), it is commonplace for the word “complete” (or its derivatives) to be used in the terms and conditions. In these owner driven projects, these types of contracts are routinely prepared by the A/Es’ clients (actually… — Dec 17, 2025](/blog/2025/a-es-should-not-use-the-word-complete-in-their-contracts-with-their-clients) [**The “Art” & “Science” of Preparing a Design & Construction Project Description** — A project description is not an artistic statement; it’s a focused account of what a project entails. To nail this down, specificity is key. Address the crucial questions: where, what, why, when, and how. For example, the American Institute of Architects’ model agreement contains an architect’s… — Nov 18, 2025](/blog/2025/the-art-science-of-preparing-a-design-construction-project-description) [**A Phrase that Every Design Professional Understands, We Hope – “Means & Methods”** — The entire phrase - “The Architect shall not have control over, charge of, or responsibility for the construction means, methods, techniques, sequences or procedures, or for safety precautions and programs in connection with the Work.” In the design professions, the phrase is abbreviated to “means… — Oct 1, 2025](/blog/2025/a-phrase-that-every-design-professional-understands-we-hope-means-methods) [**Phishing Emails, Ransomware, and Liability: A Business Owner’s Cyber Checklist** — Cyber threats have become an everyday risk for businesses of all sizes, not just large corporations. In fact, small and mid-sized businesses are increasingly targeted by cybercriminals because they often lack dedicated security infrastructure. Phishing emails, ransomware attacks, and data breaches… — Sep 17, 2025](/blog/2025/phishing-emails-ransomware-and-liability-a-business-owners-cyber-checklist) [**Should a Prime Professional (A/E) Limit the Liability of their Consultants?** — Before we answer the question, to start with, a Limitation of Liability (LOL) contract clause can go something like this. — _The Design Professional’s total aggregate liability for any and all damage from any and all causes including but not limited to its breach of contract, error, omission,…_ — Sep 1, 2025](/blog/2025/should-a-prime-professional-a-e-limit-the-liability-of-their-consultants) * * * - [1](/blog.md) - [2](/blog.md/page-2) - [3](/blog.md/page-3)