What is Civil Liability?

Civil liability is the legal responsibility for a payment to an aggrieved third party, due to the violation of a civil law, tort, or a breach of contract. 

Civil liability differs from criminal liability in that violations of tort or contract terms do not subject the responsible party to punishment for a crime, although civil liability can also include punitive monetary damages or other forms of court enforcement. 

In terms of professional indemnity insurance, a 'civil liability' wording is the widest available form of cover and wider than the usual 'negligence' or 'errors and omissions' wordings. This wording will cover situations where a policyholder may be held liable for a loss, without having being found to be negligent. 

For more information or a discussion with one of our experts, please call 0345 251 4000.