App Developer Insurance in Washington State

App developers in Washington operate at the intersection of creativity and liability. Whether you build mobile apps for iOS and Android, progressive web applications, or custom enterprise software, every line of code you ship carries the potential for claims. When your app fails to perform as specified in a client contract — crashes on launch, loses user data, or misses a critical deadline — the client does not just file a support ticket. They file a lawsuit. Professional liability (E&O) insurance is the foundational coverage for any Washington app development business because breach-of-contract and negligence claims are the most common legal actions developers face.

The intellectual property landscape adds another layer of risk that many app developers underestimate. Using open-source libraries with incompatible licenses, incorporating stock assets without proper rights, or inadvertently replicating a competitor's patented functionality can all trigger IP infringement claims. In Washington's competitive tech corridor — from Seattle's startup scene to Bellevue's enterprise hub — IP disputes are common and expensive to defend. Even frivolous claims cost $50,000 or more in legal fees before they are resolved, and a judgment can be catastrophic for a small development shop.

Cyber liability is essential because app developers handle sensitive user data at every stage of the development lifecycle. Your development environments, staging servers, and production databases contain personally identifiable information, authentication credentials, and sometimes payment data. Washington's data breach notification law (RCW 19.255.010) requires you to notify affected individuals within 30 days of discovering a breach, and the costs of forensic investigation, legal counsel, notification, and credit monitoring add up fast. If your app collects data from users in other jurisdictions, you may also face obligations under CCPA, GDPR, or sector-specific regulations like HIPAA — each with its own penalties.

App store compliance creates yet another exposure that is unique to mobile developers. Apple and Google can pull your app for policy violations, and if a client has built their business around your app, the resulting downtime generates claims against you. Contract liability for missed milestones, scope disputes, and performance failures rounds out the risk profile. Washington app developers who operate without E&O and cyber coverage are betting their personal assets that nothing will go wrong — and in software development, something always goes wrong eventually.