Professional Liability Insurance
What Is a Retroactive Date on a Professional Liability Policy?
The retroactive date is the earliest date of work covered by your claims-made policy. Claims from work done before this date are excluded — even if the claim is filed while your policy is active.
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What is a retroactive date on a professional liability policy?
Because professional liability is claims-made, coverage depends on both when the claim is filed AND when the work was done. The retroactive date creates the ‘how far back’ boundary.
When you first buy PL, your retroactive date is typically the policy start date — only future work is covered. As you renew continuously with the same carrier, the retroactive date stays fixed while your policy period advances — creating an ever-growing window of covered work.
Never let your PL policy lapse. A lapse can reset your retroactive date to the current date, stripping coverage for all prior work. Continuous renewal is critical to protecting your retroactive date.
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