E&O for (micro)consulting

[electricwire]

I'm a nanotechnology/semiconductor engineer who is interested in doing some low-committment, online consulting.

I would like to use services like Maven and Zintro to answer chem/materials/semiconductor questions online; I'll probably also toss in some technical writing.

I've been having a problem finding E&O insurance; the carriers that I've talked to so far either need detailed information about a business that hasn't started yet or don't insure engineers at all.

Can anyone recommend an insurance company for me? My home base is California.

 

[ZeroSeq]

I'm not sure the type of work you are describing would require you to purchase (very) expensive E&O insurance. Are you going to be providing services as a licensed professional engineer and will you be stamping your work?

 

[IRstuff]

Here's what the California PE Act has:
6701. Professional engineer defined
“Professional engineer,” within the meaning and intent of this act, refers to a person engaged in the professional practice of rendering service or creative work requiring education, training and experience in engineering sciences and the application of special knowledge of the mathematical, physical and engineering sciences in such professional or creative work as consultation, investigation, evaluation, planning or design of public or private utilities, structures, machines, processes, circuits, buildings, equipment or projects, and supervision of construction for the purpose of securing compliance with specifications and design for any such work

Since you're on our own, you would not be covered by the industrial exemption. Technically, you'd need a license, although it's unclear for what discipline, since there really isn't a semiconductor engineering PR license, but you might be covered by the electrical engineering discipline.

I would suggest talking to your local PE society, as well as a lawyer versed on the subject to determine what your risks are and whether you need to be licensed. The fact that you are aware of E&O insurance puts you out of the plausible deniability umbrella.

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[electricwire]

Semiconductor / process engineers don't fit into any of the Professional Engineer boxes. We're more like plasma chemists than chemical engineers - we deal with physics and chemistry on the micro-scale rather than sizing pipes, etc. We also don't supervise construction.

Let's put aside the word "engineer" for a second. How would a chemist get insurance for freelance work?

 

[tstructural]

Maybe that is what you need to start with. Remove the word 'engineer'. You aren't a licensed engineer and your type of work doesn't include engineering work and therefore do you even need E & O insurance?

 

[IRstuff]

If you read the California PE Act description of a professional engineer, it can be easily construed to include the OP, particularly " processes, circuits"

There are, obviously, loop holes that can be applied.
> Do not advertise your services to the general public, which should be easy, since your skills appear to be primarily for industrial concerns
> Do not use "engineer" or "engineering" to refer to yourself or your work products
> Only work for companies that fall under the industrial exemption, since the exemption also umbrellas consultants:

"6747. Exemption for industries
(a) This chapter, except for those provisions that apply to civil engineers and civil engineering, shall not apply to the performance of engineering work by a manufacturing, mining, public utility, research and development, or other industrial corporation, or by employees of that corporation, provided that work is in connection with, or incidental to, the products, systems, or services of that corporation or its affiliates.
(b) For purposes of this section, “employees” also includes consultants, temporary employees, contract employees, and those persons hired pursuant to third-party contracts.

TTFN
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