Every imaginable risk that your business might encounter is covered by insurance. The cost and quantity of coverage on policies vary from insurer to insurer. With your insurance agent or broker, you should discuss the specifics of your company’s risks as well as the various types of insurance available. Your agency can help you determine which types of insurance are appropriate for you.
General Liability Insurance
Business owners get general liability insurance to cover expensive legal costs due to an accident or a mistake. These plans safeguard against compensation for bodily injuries, property damage, medical expenses, defamation, slander, the cost of defending claims, and settlement bonds or judgments required during an appeal procedure.
Product Liability Insurance
Manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers of a product may be held liable for its safety. Product liability insurance covers the financial costs associated with a defective product that causes injury or harm to people. The amount of coverage you need depends on the type of goods you sell or produce. A clothing business has far less risk than a small appliance shop, for example.
Professional Liability Insurance
Professional liability insurance is a form of coverage that protects your business against lawsuits and other claims related to the contents of its services. This sort of liability protection covers you if someone gets harmed while using one of your services. Depending on your job, you may be required by your state government to have this kind of policy. Physicians are obligated to acquire malpractice insurance in certain jurisdictions as a requirement of their profession.
Commercial Property Insurance
Property insurance covers all business property losses and damage caused by a variety of events such as fire, smoke, wind and hail storms, civil disobedience, and vandalism. “Property” is defined quite broadly, including missed earnings, business interruption, buildings, computers, company papers, and money.
Insurance for the property is typically divided into two categories: (1) all-risk insurance that covers a wide range of events and dangers, with the exception of those listed in the policy; (2) peril-specific insurance that protects you against losses caused by only the perils mentioned in the policy. Fire, flood, crime, and business interruption insurance are examples of peril-specific coverage. The most common form of property insurance is an all-risk policy, which protects you against hazards typical to small businesses. When there is a high risk of the calamity in a certain region, peril-specific coverage may be acquired. If you want to protect your business property, talk with your insurance agent or broker about the sort of commercial property insurance that is right for your small company.
Home-Based Business Insurance
According to popular belief, homeowners’ insurance does not usually cover business losses incurred at home. You may add riders to your homeowners’ policy to cover common business risks such as property damage depending on the dangers to your company. Homeowners’ policies, though, only go so far in protecting home-based businesses, and you may need to acquire extra coverage to protect yourself against other hazards such as general and professional liability.