How to Write a Disclaimer

A well written, comprehensive disclaimer is designed to protect both yourself and your customer. A disclaimer is essentially a legal statement that informs your customers of the terms and extent of your services or products. It protects you from legal prosecution should your customer misuse or misconstrue your product or service.

When to Use a Disclaimer

Your disclaimer may be used for your services, your labor, your return policy, your repair work, or your product. You may use a disclaimer to let your customers know of the dangers associated with your product or service, or that your customers shouldn’t replace your words or advice with a professional opinion. You may use a disclaimer to warn others not to copy your work, and you may use a disclaimer to ensure that your message is understood by the consumer. And that is just the beginning!

A disclaimer may specify the terms of the contract and it may also be used to prevent a risk of injury or harm to the consumer. For example, you may be interested in protecting the health and safety of your customer, as many customers may have difficulty evaluating subjective matters. In general, a good disclaimer gets your point across in a very clear, concise way.

Examples of Disclaimers

The information and data published on the website is strictly for informational purposes.

Any opinions or viewpoints that are published herein are directly from the contributing author and does not represent the philosophy or viewpoints of the company or organization.

The information contained on this website has not been reviewed by professionals with the knowledge required to validate that the data is accurate, complete, or reliable.

Steps on How to Write a Disclaimer

The following steps outline how to write a disclaimer:

Scan other similar products and services for their disclaimer. This is often a great way to get a good idea of what you want to say and how you want to say it.
If you need additional help or ideas, consider checking out the disclaimer templates available online. Most of the templates are available for free, although some have small fees associated with them. They can, however, help you get your point across.
Use simple, easy to understand wording, and keep the disclaimer short – usually just one to three sentences.
Get your disclaimer proofed by your attorney before forging ahead with it. Your attorney will be able to let you know if your disclaimer is worded properly, and if it will protect you legally.
Your disclaimer may release you from accepting any responsibility; it may let the user know that he or she is using your product or service at their own risk; it may disclaim all liability and responsibility on your part; it may allow you to reserve the right to alter, amend or change your information at any time; and it may enable you to reserve the right to discontinue or modify your services at any time. Ask yourself if your disclaimer covers any or all of these points.
Consider where you will use your disclaimer. Legal disclaimers may be used on emails, websites, products, service contracts, television ads, and other forms of advertising.

Learning how to write a disclaimer is not always a simple process. However, when you consider all of the potential liabilities your company may incur, taking the time to pen powerful disclaimers may protect your bottom line.