New Zealand work may be comparatively straightforward for some Australian engineering firms, but it should still be checked rather than assumed to be covered.
Consider:
- whether the Australian PI policy includes New Zealand within its territorial and jurisdictional limits
- the governing law and dispute forum in the contract
- whether local professional registration or recognition is required for the work
- project values and required PI limits
- whether the engineer is working through an Australian entity or a New Zealand office or subsidiary
Engineering New Zealand administers Chartered Professional Engineer registration and also supports international engineering registers. Membership, CPEng registration and any occupation-specific licensing requirements should be considered separately.
An Australian engineer undertaking occasional New Zealand work may not need a separate local insurance program, but permanent operations or local entities can raise different issues.
The proposed engagement should still be disclosed to the insurer where it is new or material to the business.
For current information on Chartered Professional Engineer registration, see Engineering New Zealand’s CPEng guidance.
