Audit insurance?

[Theo]

Recently my accountant has written to me offering audit insurance.

I'm not really sure what to do about this. I was under the impression that accountants take out insurance to cover their extra costs involved with audits. The cost of their premium for this insurance is a business expense built into the fee clients are charged for services rendered.

IOW, accountants insure themselves for any extra costs (up to a limit) associated with audits, and the premium for this insurance is paid for by clients.

Yet the letter I received offers me insurance to cover my extra costs involved with audits. But aren't my extra costs just their extra costs passed on, and if my understanding above is correct, their extra costs are already covered under their own insurance?

I did a search for previous posts on this topic and interestingly enough a respected accountant in these parts made more than one post where he states that audit insurance is a rip-off by accountants. Some other negative views turned up as well.

Anyone else get an audit insurance offer letter? Anyone have audit insurance?

Thanks for comments..

 

[evand]

Throw the letter in the bin. I've had a few of them.

It's just accountants using audits as another profit centre in their business.

 

[coastymike]

Recognise that the costs of audit are probably not covered in your fee engagement (in most cases) and any costs associated with an audit are then borne by the client and not the insurance company.

Cost vs benefit. Plain and simple. If you don't want it throw it in the bin like Evan suggested. If you do want it take it up. Noone is forcing you into it.

 

[Theo]

Thanks for the replies. Just found another thread about this from earlier in the month...