Frequently Ask Questions: Business Insurance

That’s easy! Just call us or click over to our Business Insurance quote page for a free Business Insurance quote.

No. We provide quotes for all our insurance products without obligation and absolutely free of charge.

Generally speaking, yes. Whether you’re truly liable for the claims against you or no, a Business Insurance Policy covers you for any damages awarded against you up to the policy limits. Business insurance also covers you in the event of an out-of-court settlement.

Some policies also cover the cost of hiring an attorney and other costs related to defending yourself in court. It’s important to note, however, that a standard business insurance policy won’t cover suits arising from discrimination or harassment. For these, you need an “Employment Practices Liability Policy.”

Specific Business Insurance products include:

• Commercial Auto
• Commercial property
• Small Business
• Property and Umbrella
• Worker’s compensation

Yes. Operating any kind of business—even a one-person operation—isn’t advisable.

The following isn’t an all-inclusive list, but provides a fair overview of coverages for which you can use Business Insurance. For specific questions regarding business coverages, contact our offices:

• Buildings and renovations
• Machinery
• Furniture
• Supplies
• Equipment
• Money
• Records and documents
• Automobiles, including passenger vehicles and industrial trucks
• Construction equipment
• Signs, fences, and other, similar items
• Intellectual properties (e.g., patents, trademarks, etc.)

Relying on your homeowner’s policy to cover losses to your home-office is a dicey proposition. Homeowner’s policies aren’t meant for this kind of coverage, and they generally cap property losses at specific amounts.

If you’ve made significant investments in computers, fax machines, telephones, file cabinets, etc., you could easily reach and exceed your homeowner’s limits in the event of an unforeseen catastrophe. Even if you’re a one-person business operating out of the home, it’s a good idea to have a separate Business Insurance policy. Plus, your Homeowner’s policy won’t provide any business liability coverage.

A Business Owners Policy (BOP) is a type of specialized policy for small-to-medium-sized businesses combining different coverages into a single policy. Sometimes referred to as a small business package insurance policy, BOPs can significantly reduce premiums. Call or email us today to find out if your business qualifies for a BOP.

This depends on the size and type of your business. If you own your business as a sole proprietor, you and your spouse can be named as primary beneficiaries. If your company is a corporation, officers, directors, and others associated with the company can also be named as beneficiaries. It’s important to note, however, that BOP coverage only applies to business-related activities.

Generally speaking, the following types of businesses are best suited for Small Business Package Insurance:

• Accountants
• Repair shops
• Bakeries
• Dentists
• Physicians
• Funeral homes
• Hair salons/Nail Salons
• Laundry mats
• Dry cleaners
• Law firms
• Locksmiths
• Print shops
• Shoe, watch, clock, and jewelry repair shops

Larger businesses with risks that are beyond the coverages provided by Small Business Package Insurance don’t qualify for BOPs. To find out if your business is eligible, call our office today.

Business Umbrella Insurance is a type of supplemental coverage that begins providing reimbursement when you reach the payout limits of standard Business Insurance policies. Business Umbrella Insurance works similarly to Personal Umbrella Insurance in that it reimburses you in the event that other policies aren’t sufficient to cover your losses.

Umbrella Insurance provides supplementary coverage to standard policies in the event of:

• Business-related personal-injury or property-damage claims arising from negligence by you or anyone legally representing your business
• Business-related personal-injury or property-damage claims arising from an accident caused by hazards on your property
• Business-related liability claims against you for events occurring on or off your property
• Business-related liability claims against you related to an accident in a company-owned vehicle
• Business-related liability claims against you for slander, libel, wrongful eviction, and/or false arrest

Business Umbrella Insurance can also cover legal costs associated with defending yourself in court.

Because each business and circumstance is different, it’s impossible to provide a one-size-fits-all estimate regarding how much coverage businesses should carry. That said, the typical Umbrella policy provides reimbursement for between $1 and $10 million in liability damages.

Worker’s Compensation Insurance protects your business if an employee suffers job-related injury or illness. It covers medical expenses and lost wages for sick or injured workers. If you don’t have workers’ compensation insurance, your business might be obligated to cover those expenses.

In most states, all of a business’s regular employees must be covered by some form of workers’ compensation. Depending on what state you do business in, failure to provide workers’ compensation to applicable employees can result in significant fines, prohibition from public-works jobs, and other, potentially crippling penalties.