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A Small Business Guide to Property and Casualty InsuranceAuthor:
There are many challenges faced in running a small business. Many unacceptable risks that could seriously harm your business can be transferred to an insurance company. The key to minimizing the amount of risks is by making smart decisions regarding their small business insurance needs.
There are many challenges faced in running a small business. Many unacceptable risks that could seriously harm your business can be transferred to an insurance company. The key to minimizing the amount of risks is by making smart decisions regarding their small business insurance needs.
Why Is Property And Casualty Insurance Needed?
There are many reasons small businesses should obtain property and casualty insurance. They provide protection for small business owners and individuals from losses caused by legal liability and from damage or loss of property. If there was any property damage caused by theft or loss, this insurance would replace it. Insurance that covers property loss exposures covers the costs to replace or repair the property in the event of a covered loss. Property and casualty insurance also provides for lost income, covers liability for negligent acts, and provides coverage for automobiles, worker’s compensation and crime.
Insurance Policies
It is wise for a small business to purchase basic types of insurance. It makes good business sense and some are even required by law. Below are some of the different types of policies offered in New York State.
Monoline
These policies provide a single line of insurance such as liability insurance, auto, or fire.
Business Owner’s Policies (BOPs)
Some insurance companies bundle liability and property insurance together. This is commonly referred to as a package or business owner’s policy. These BOPs allows affordable premiums with broad coverage and are created by combining two or more monoline coverages.
Types of Small Business Insurance
Property Insurance
This type of insurance protects the contents of a small business against theft, fire or other danger. Since every business is different and requires varied amounts of coverage, it is important to know the level of insurance needed to replace or rebuild and what property to insure. The limitations or exclusions of the property insurance and other terms is also needed to be understood along with the difference between replacement cost, actual cash value, agreed amount and functional replacement cost.
Casualty Insurance – Also known as Liability Insurance
This type of insurance should protect small business assets in the event the owner or any other employees are negligent, cause property damage or bodily injury to others. Casualty insurance covers the cost of lawsuits caused by accidents that result in property damage or bodily injury, as well as other claims like false advertising, libel and slander. Casualty insurance will also pay the attorney fees and other costs associated with the defense of a lawsuit. There are some things that might not be protected with liability insurance including wrongful termination of employees, sexual harassment, non-performance of a contract, or race / gender lawsuits.
Business Interruption - or Business Income*
This insurance can provide the necessary funds needed to pay for lost business income and fixed expenses during the time period when a small business is not operational. Although property insurance will pay to cover the replacement of damaged or destroyed buildings or equipment, it will not cover the payment of continuing expenses (taxes & utilities) during the time period between when the damage occurred and the property is replaced.
Commercial Auto
A business-owned vehicle should be insured for physical damage and liability. Non-owned automobile coverage should also be obtained if a personal vehicle is used by an employees or owners on company business. This non-owned auto policy covers the small businesses liability for any damage that may occur from such usage. This type of policy could also cover rental cars if used on business travel.
Workers Compensation
This type of insurance covers workers against a job-related accident or disease. Worker’s Compensation pays for disability income benefits, medical bills, and death benefits to dependents of an employee whose death was job-related. The rates for this type of insurance is grossly dependent on the type of industry the business is in as there is more danger involved in certain fields than others.
Excess Liability – Also known as an “Umbrella Policy”
This type of insurance policy takes effect when the limit of the basic fundamental policy is reached. The amount of coverage extended with an excess liability policy should be based on the total value of a company’s assets.
Employment Practices Liability
This insurance protects a business if any employee sues for job discrimination, wrongful termination, or other claim accusing failure in the company’s employment practices.
Officer And Director’s Liability
This type of policy covers a liability if an officer or director of a corporation becomes personally accountable for their actions on behalf of the small business.
Office At Home
This coverage includes protection of office equipment and business liability if an employee or owner establishes an office in their home. This is not automatically included in a standard homeowner’s insurance policy.
Key Person
This type of insurance policy is needed if the owner or another individual within the company is so critical that the small business could not continue in the event of this person’s death. The key person policy can also provide cohesiveness in operations during a period of ownership transition that was caused by the incapacitation or death of a key employee or owner.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
AN NFIP provides protection from losses resulting from flooding if the property is in an area designated as a special flood hazard area that implements and enforces measures to reduce future flood risks. For the most part, this type of coverage is not provided in monoline of BOP policies. Click here for more information on flood insurance.
*Business income is the net income that would have been earned as well as continuing normal operating expenses incurred including payroll.
author: Jennifer-VanScoy
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