Article by Keystone

Every business, whether it is big or small, wants to survive, sustain and make profits. But business of any type or size is unpredictable and may get into losses due to unwanted or unexpected circumstances like natural calamities, fire, theft or other riots. It is very difficult for businesses to protect their occupation or business if they face adverse situations with their meager budgets. Many businesses perish as they fail to cover these losses. So, it is very important for small businesses to have a risk management system for their business to protect themselves against unforeseen losses.

Insurance, considered as a critical part of the risk management system is the only way for businesses to protect themselves. Today, there are many types of insurance policies, of which Liability Insurance is considered to be the best one for small businesses as it provides compensation for the fines associated with liability cases.

It covers following risks:Liability insurance protects a small business from loss or damage to the maximum extent. Business liability insurance options are very useful for small businesses as they cover the business property, claims for injuries by employees and visitors, employee compensation and many more. Some of the common types of liability insurance for small businesses and their coverage are explained below in detail.

Business property insuranceBusiness Property Insurance, as the name itself indicates covers the business property of the small business. Its coverage includes the building or buildings in which you do business, carpeting, curtains, outdoor signs, property of others etc. If you choose a right business insurance property, it covers all the important equipment such as computers, machinery, supplies, stock etc.

Professional indemnity insuranceProfessional Indemnity Insurance, also called as Professional Liability Insurance or Errors and Omissions’ liability insurance, is an extremely important consideration for small professional businesses that are in service industry. They are exposed to a wide range of claims that may include areas such as errors, omissions, professional neglect, falsehood, breach of confidentiality etc. This insurance protects businesses from the claims made by clients against the delivery of poor service. This type of insurance is generally purchased by professionals such as a doctors, lawyers, engineers, architects, brokers, financial advisers, accountants, consultants, building contractors, and attorneys etc. who run their own business.

Product insuranceProduct insurance or Product Liability Insurance protects the business owners from the lawsuits filed against them for manufacturing or producing defective products. This type of insurance is very useful for small scale manufacturers or importers. This liability insurance protects small businesses in case a person is injured or died using a product manufactured or developed by the business.

Employment practices liability coverageEmployment Practices Liability Insurance covers small businesses against claims by employees or business associates when their legal rights are violated. This insurance policy protects employers against breach of employment contract, deprivation of career opportunity, discrimination, mismanagement of employee benefit plans, negligent evaluation, sexual harassment, wrongful discipline or termination etc.

Excess liability coverageExcess Liability Insurance, also called as Umbrella Liability Insurance or Commercial umbrella insurance provides additional protection to any of several other policies that a small business might hold. It protects businesses when an accident or similar claim exceeds the amount of their existing liability coverage, which may include medical costs or other claim payments.

Workers’ compensation insuranceWhen an employee gets injured at the workplace, it is the employer who is responsible for the payment of medical bills. Sometimes these medical bills may run into thousands of dollars, which can be very burdensome for the small business owners to pay. The workers’ compensation insurance kicks in during these kinds of situations. The workers’ compensation policy provides wage replacement, medical, and rehabilitation benefits to the employees who get injured on the job.

Other insuranceApart from the above mentioned insurance policies, there are many other insurance policies that help small businesses such as: • Auto Insurance – to cover the company vehicles, • Health Insurance – to protect employees when they are sick, • Crime Insurance – to protect business against employee fraud, • Key Employee Insurance – to protect small business against the loss of their key employee etc.

All businesses may not need the same type of insurance. In order to determine a perfect liability coverage for your business, you need to carefully consider all your needs and risks involved in your business. With a good insurance policy, small business owners can have peace of mind and focus on their business knowing that their business is well protected.

About the Author

Keystone Insurance Group is Ireland’s premier supplier of public liability insurance and business insurance solutions to Irish industry. We offer a broad range of builders insurance, construction insurance, and business liability insurance products. Our public liability insurance Ireland and business insurance Ireland products offer great value to contractors and general business customers. Our experienced and professional team quickly arranges quotes for all classes of business insurance.