As an entrepreneur, it is vital to know what type of insurance is needed for a small business. The types of insurance a small business needs depends on factors such as size and industry. A small business owner needs to be aware of the different types of insurance available to be appropriately arranged. One can find this out by consulting insurance companies as well as an accounting firm that will help you budget accordingly.
Insurance is also a high cost, so owners need to buy adequate coverage without paying too much. Before running any small business, several types of insurance will need to be included in your startup budget. In case you are wondering what type of insurance is needed for a small business, here are some of the essential coverage that will benefit your small business:
Public Liability Insurance
Public liability insurance, also known as business public liability insurance or commercial public liability insurance, is a means by which a company can protect itself from claims made against it for injury to people and damage to property associated with its business activities.
To understand what type of insurance is needed for a small business, here is a scenario to assist you: for instance, if someone slips over in a supermarket aisle because there is water on the floor that has not been cleaned up properly, they may sue the supermarket for any injury caused. The same applies if a customer falls over in the street outside the business premises because of some obstruction, or someone trips on a kerbstone at a petrol station and breaks their leg. If there is no public liability insurance, then it is likely that the business concerned will have to pay out large amounts of money due to the claim.
The principles by which public liability insurance operates are very similar to those underlying standard commercial general liability insurance. However, there will be some differences between them. One example is that a business may not have to provide first-party medical payments coverage for its employees under a public liability policy but will need it as part of its general liability policy.
However, employers need to remember that public liability insurance can only cover a claim if a breach of statutory duty is involved. Therefore, an accident caused by a staff member who was speeding on their way to work would not be covered under public liability insurance, as this would not be considered negligence on the employer’s part.
It is also essential for employers to note that public liability insurance can only cover claims made against them by employees, customers, or members of the general public if one of their staff is injured. At the same time, under the influence of alcohol or drugs at work, it would not be acceptable for the employer to use public liability insurance to claim compensation for this loss.
Public liability insurance can also cover employers from claims made against them by their staff members, customers, or members of the general public if they cannot work because of an injury or illness sustained while on business property. This includes being unable to travel to and from work, attending training or meetings outside of regular business hours, and paying for treatment costs.
Suppose a staff member was injured while working for your company. In that case, public liability insurance could cover the cost of hiring temporary labor if it is required until they can return to work. It can also provide compensation for loss of income, as well as the cost of treatment expenses.
Public liability insurance would cover you for first-party property damage, including damage caused to your equipment or property. This can include replacing damaged office furniture, repairing any production machinery damaged in an accident, and replacing stolen office equipment such as computers, printers, and phones: you can easily file a fire damage insurance claim under this insurance policy.
Workers Compensation Coverage
Another tip to inform you about what type of insurance is needed for a small business is that your worker’s rights when it comes to compensation for injuries suffered at work are determined by the degree of control you have over their job. Suppose your employee is in a managerial or supervisory position and can exercise some discretion over their daily tasks. In that case, you will be held liable if you are injured on the job.
For example, if your local store manager has an accident while on business property, you can be held legally responsible for this. However, if your worker is in a non-managerial position and their tasks are defined precisely by you, they are considered to be working within the ordinary course of employment. In which case, compensation claims made against them for injuries suffered on the job will be covered by public liability insurance.
Your legal responsibility for their work-related injuries also extends to any activities they do outside of your employment, such as attending training sessions or social functions. It is important to include clauses within your staff member’s contract of employment that clearly define what you consider them to be doing in the ordinary course of employment. This is especially important if the business socializes together after office hours because it could be argued that you are responsible for activities outside these times.
Workers’ compensation insurance is designed to provide income benefits for workers who cannot work as a result of an occupation-related illness or injury. Worker’s compensation insurance is required by law in almost every state, and most employers are required to carry this form of coverage.
As the owner or manager of a company that employs workers, you can be held responsible for injuries sustained on the job by those employees with the help of a workers compensation lawyer. This is because you are the company representative responsible for reporting any accidents or injuries to the insurance company and thus can be held legally liable. And while some companies may feel that their employees will not sue them, there is no way of knowing this in advance.
Intellectual Property Insurance
When looking for what type of insurance is needed for a small business, it is essential to know that this is your ticket to business success. As the adage goes, it is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it for insurance coverage. And nowhere does this ring truer than in the world of intellectual property. Intellectual property insurance can help you protect your brand in ways that could be vital to your company’s future.
It is easy to assume that you cannot afford an intangible asset such as patent protection because you are a startup business. However, the expenses saved by not having to pay for legal counsel or services from a business attorney over time often exceed the costs of your premium payments. And paying for this valuable protection once can be significantly less than paying for your company’s protection after it has been stolen.
In the case of a patent infringement, you could be looking at possible legal action from an outside party that would require expensive litigation attorneys to defend your interests. When this happens, a single court battle can cost hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars, to protect your product. If you have the foresight to get a good policy started early, that single policy can easily cover all of your costs in this case.
Medical Expense/Disability and Life Insurance
This is your employees ‘ ticket to success in the list of what type of insurance is needed for a small business. Medical expense insurance, also known as accident insurance or health insurance, is a type of coverage that you should procure for all your employees. This sort of protection helps to ensure that their medical costs are covered away from the workplace. Because it is less expensive than worker’s compensation insurance, medical expense insurance can be an affordable buy-in.
Many companies require medical insurance for their employees to protect themselves. As health care costs continue to rise, a company’s healthcare contributions can quickly eat into the bottom line and reduce profits. This is especially true in small businesses that have a restricted number of employees who use these benefits.
Moreover, there are only so many ways that a company can reduce its expenditures. It is far easier to get medical expense insurance for your employees than to cut back on their medical benefits.
Life Insurance
When budgeting, you need to know what type of insurance is needed for a small business. Life insurance is your company’s protection against the unexpected. Life insurance, also known as term life insurance or death insurance, protects your business in the event of an unfortunate accident resulting in a fatality. It is a sort of insurance that pays a lump sum to your business in the event of a covered individual’s death. At the same time, this is not a concern with young, single employees or those without families; older workers have dependents such as spouses and children can be held responsible if they suffer financially from their loss.
For this reason, it is essential to get life insurance for all employees who are older than your average worker and have dependents. If you do not, you could be sued if one of these employees dies unexpectedly. Many small business owners assume that they cannot afford life insurance, but the opposite is usually true. When compared to the protection afforded by this insurance, its costs are minimal. It is simply a matter of prioritizing your expenditures where they will do the best for your company.
Disability Insurance
Are you wondering what type of insurance is needed for small businesses? Consider getting disability insurance: this is your employees’ financial future. Disability insurance protects your business from one of the harshest realities known to individuals: the inability to work. This type of insurance helps to replace lost income if an employee cannot perform their job due to an illness or injury.
Disability insurance can come in several forms, but it usually provides some coverage for your employees while they are sick or injured. Depending on how many disabilities you have, this specific kind of insurance can be very affordable. Similarly, you will have to assess the productivity of your employees and how much work they can accomplish without being distracted or suffering great pain. Once you have decided on their value, you can then weigh that against the protection offered by this sort of insurance.
Employment Practices Liability Insurance
Also known as EPLI, it protects your business from claims that arise out of the workplace, whether legitimate or not. Employment-related lawsuits can be costly and time-consuming. It is best to be prepared in case an employee decides to take legal action. Employment practices liability insurance can help protect your business from costly lawsuits. The policy will defend you against claims you could not predict and reimbursements for judgments or settlements associated with covered claims.
Employment practices liability insurance may be optional in some states, but others make it mandatory. If you are doing business as a corporation, LLC, or partnership, EPLI will usually not be required. However, if you hire employees, then you must buy coverage. Another factor to consider is the size of your company. If you are a brand-new business with no employees, it may make sense to hold off on this coverage until you bring on staff. If you are an established business with one or several employees, EPLI should be considered an essential part of your business plan.
Cost is another essential factor to consider when looking for what type of insurance is needed for a small business: EPLI can be expensive, so you need to balance the risk of an employee lawsuit against the insurance price. Costs will vary depending on your state and other factors like your company’s size and claims history.
When claims arise, then business owners may need to hire lawyers. A good employment practices liability insurance policy should reimburse you for any attorney fees associated with an employee lawsuit.
Errors and Omissions (‘E&O’)
EandO, also known as professional liability insurance, protects businesses against claims for negligent servicing of clients (e.g., missed deadlines). If you are a lawyer, accountant, financial advisor, or another professional who regularly works with clients, EandO coverage is essential to your business plan.
When seeking details on what type of insurance is needed for a small business, you should note that EandO insurance depends on what type of professional. If you regularly work with clients, it should protect you against claims related to your business. Accountants, financial advisors, real estate agents, lawyers, and other types of professionals are the most likely candidates for this kind of insurance.
EandO insurance should take effect as soon as a client begins working with you. It protects you against claims during the entire time you are involved in your business, so even if a client leaves, your coverage will remain active. When you need to protect your business and your investments, insurance can seem like a financial burden.
There are many different policies to choose from including getting insurance coverage from a title insurance agency and different companies will offer very different quotes for the same coverage. Insurance firms also look into orthodontic insurance collections to benefit employees during orthodontic procedures. In the scenario of a theft, a theft attorney will help you file a claim as long as your business is insured: to protect your business and its projects, to include the business phone system installation project, to ensure you understand the various types of insurance that your business needs.
It may seem like insurance costs far outweigh the benefits it provides; both large and small businesses require at least some type of coverage. Whether your company is just starting or has been in operation for several years, you should discuss what types of policies would best suit your needs with an agent.