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2026 PI Survey Questions
1.
Are you in a state that requires licensing?
Yes
No
2.
Are you licensed in more than one state?
1 State
2 - 5 States
6 - 10 States
11 - 15 States
16 or more States
3.
Do you operate in a state that requires continuing education?
N/A
5 - 10 CE Credits
11 - 20 CE Credits
21-30 CE Credits
31 or More CE Credits
4.
How long have you been a private investigator?
1 - 5 years
6 - 10 years
11 - 15 years
16 - 20 years
21 - 25 years
26 - 30 years
31 or more years
5.
What % of work is Desktop Investigations (research)?
None
Less than 25%
Less than 50%
More than 50%
100%
6.
What % of work are Field Investigations?
None
Less than 25%
Less than 50%
More than 50%
100%
7.
Do you use an online case management system?
Yes
No
8.
How many cases do you typically work per month?
1-10
11-20
21-30
31-40
41-50
51 or more
9.
Are you the owner of the PI company you work for?
Yes
No
10.
Do you have a dedicated Sales Team?
Yes
No
I wish I did
I do everything myself
11.
What is your biggest Challenge as Business Owner?
New client solicitation & client retention
Balancing work and business management
Report writing
Billing, collections, and payroll
Other (please specify)
12.
What is your yearly level of income from your PI employment?
Under $50,000
$51,000-$75,000
$76,000-$100,000
$101,000-$125,000
$126,000-$150,000
$151,000 or more
13.
Do you specialize in one type of case?
Criminal
Insurance
Legal/attorney
Domestic
Corporate
N/A
Other (please specify)
14.
Do you bill by the hour or by the job?
Hourly
By the job
Both
Contingency Fee (if allowed in your state)
15.
Do you charge the client an hourly rate of -
Unknown
$50-$75
$76-$100
$101-$125
$126-$150
$151-$200
Over $200
16.
What type of articles are you interested in learning about to improve your business/skill set?
Business management
Computer research trends
Case file review
Product/Database review
All of the above
17.
How many licensed PIs are there in your company?
1
2-3
4-10
11-20
21-30
31 or more
18.
Do you currently carry E&O Insurance for your Private Investigator firm?
Yes
No
I'm not sure
19.
If you do not currently carry E&O insurance, why not?
Too expensive
Not required by clients
Unaware of the benefits
Haven't had the time to research it
Other (please specify)
20.
Do you currently carry Cyber Insurance coverage?
Yes, a limited amount is included in my Professional Liability policy
Yes, a limited amount is included in my Professional Liability policy
No, I do not have any Cyber Insurance coverage
21.
Do you belong to your state association?
Yes
No
22.
Do you belong to a national or international PI association?
Yes
No
23.
If you do subcontract work for other PIs, do you offer a discounted
rate?
N/A
5%-10%
11%-20%
21%-30%
31%-40%
41%-50%
24.
What region of the U.S. are you in?
Northeast
Southeast
Northwest
Southwest
North Central
South Central
Other
25.
Approximately how much do you spend on marketing per month?
$0 – I do not currently spend money on marketing
$100 – $499
$500 – $999
$1,000 – $2,499
$2,500 – $4,999
$5,000 or more
26.
Do you have an outside marketing agency that you use for marketing your business?
Yes, I currently use a marketing agency
No, but I have in the past
No, I handle all marketing in-house
No, I do not actively market my business
27.
Do you accept payments from mobile apps like Zelle, Venmo, CashApp, or PayPal?
Yes, I regularly accept payments through mobile apps
Occasionally, depending on the client
No, but I am considering it
No, and I do not plan to accept mobile app payments
28.
Do you now or do you anticipate accepting Cryptocurrency payments (e.g., Bitcoin, Ethereum)?
Yes, I currently accept cryptocurrency payments
No, but I am considering it in the future
No, and I do not plan to accept cryptocurrency
Unsure / need more information before deciding
29.
Do you use an online case management system?
Yes
No
30.
Do you have a dedicated Sales Team?
Yes
No
I wish I did
I do everything myself
