Get property and liability coverage with business owners insurance.
Dual protection in a single business policy.
A Business Owners Policy (BOP) simplifies your risk management by combining commercial property and general liability insurance into one convenient package. While every industry faces its own specific challenges, certain foundational protections are necessary for almost every professional. By opting for a BOP, you establish a reliable safety net that protects the time, effort, and capital you have poured into your enterprise.
Why is business owners insurance essential?
Running a company requires navigating constant unpredictability, making risk an unavoidable part of the journey. Whether you are worried about physical damage to your office or a potential legal claim from a client, having the right coverage provides a crucial layer of stability. It enables you to prepare for the unexpected so you aren’t caught off guard by a sudden crisis. With the integrated protection of a BOP, you can minimize your primary vulnerabilities and stay focused on your future expansion.
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Business Owners Policy (BOP)
Risk Factor
As a business owner, you've worked hard to build a solid business. But what happens when the unexpected happens? Are you covered?
Solution
A business owners policy is uniquely designed to protect your most important assets, including your business, its continuation, your employees, and your way of life. Discuss the details of this coverage with your agent and ensure that you're protected.
Errors and Omissions Liability (E&O)
Risk Factor
If you perform services for others, you are at risk of not doing the work correctly (errors) or not doing it at all (omissions). Lawsuits can arise claiming the error or omission harmed your client and caused them a financial loss.
Solution
Errors and omissions liability insurance protects any business that gives advice, makes educated recommendations, designs solutions, or represents the needs of others. Ensure you have this important coverage if you perform services for clients.
Directors and Officers Liability Insurance (D&O)
Risk Factor
Directors and officers (such as board members) are exposed to increased risk factors and are held accountable for acts that claim negligence in the performance of their duties. Any resulting lawsuits are typically expensive to defend, resulting in potentially large settlements.
Solution
Obtain comprehensive coverage to protect senior individuals of your company. Directors and officers liability insurance provides coverage for the legal costs to defend a covered lawsuit and provides the money necessary for any settlement beyond the defense costs.
Commercial Umbrella
Risk Factor
What happens when your business faces a large liability loss that exceeds the basic limit of your standard policy?
Solution
A commercial umbrella policy provides high limits of insurance, typically between $2,000,000 and $10,000,000. Coverage is extended over your general liability insurance, workers' compensation, business auto, as well as directors and officers liability coverage. It provides a great safety net and helps ensure your business is well protected.
General Liability
Risk Factor
Businesses are susceptible to many risks, such as claims due to bodily injury, property damage, personal injury, and more.
Solution
General liability insurance is an absolute necessity for any business. It provides broad coverage when you are deemed responsible and liable, and will also pay to defend any covered lawsuit or action regardless of its merit.
Crime and Fidelity Bond
Risk Factor
What will you do if one of your trusted employees is found guilty of doing something dishonest?
Solution
Crime and fidelity coverage is designed to provide coverage for employee dishonesty, forgery and depository, theft, destruction and disappearance, and more. Discuss the details of this coverage with your agent to learn more.
Environmental Insurance
Risk Factor
Could your business cause damage to the environment? If so, are you covered?
Solution
Environmental insurance provides protection if an environmental catastrophe occurs.
Systems Breakdown
Risk Factor
With technology performing many tasks in today's world, a breakdown can cause a significant financial burden, including the cost to repair the equipment, the interruption of your business, as well as any lost income and extra expenses.
Solution
Comprehensive coverage provides protection against equipment mechanical breakdown. Discuss the details of what's covered with your insurance agent.
Workers' Compensation
Risk Factor
If one of your employees receives an injury or becomes ill due to a work-related occurrence, you are required by law to have the proper coverage in place.
Solution
Workers' compensation protects your employees should a job-related injury or sickness occur during the course of employment. This coverage is required by law, so be sure that you understand your obligations.
Business Auto Insurance
Risk Factor
An auto accident can cause bodily injury or property damage to others for which you are responsible, potentially putting your business in financial jeopardy.
Solution
Business auto insurance provides coverage for vehicles owned or leased by a commercial enterprise and provides coverage for bodily injury, property damage, and other coverages, and includes both comprehensive and collision coverage.
Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI)
Risk Factor
On average, it's estimated that three out of five businesses will be sued by their employees. While there is nothing you can do to prevent someone from filing a lawsuit, there is something you can do to limit the costs of defending a legal claim.
Solution
Obtain employment practices liability insurance to protect your business and its directors, officers, and employees from alleged employment-related acts such as wrongful termination, failure to promote, discrimination, and sexual harassment.
Cyber Liability
Risk Factor
The Internet has spun a whole new web of liability exposures. E-commerce, social networking, cloud storage, and other technologies bring great benefits to large and small businesses alike. But with these benefits also come challenges, including protection of privacy, data, and financial information of your customers.
Solution
Cyber liability coverage covers unauthorized access to electronic data or software within your network. It also provides coverage for spreading a virus, computer theft, extortion, or any unintentional act, mistake, error, or omission made by an employee. This coverage is quickly becoming more and more important as you embrace technology to help run your businesses.
Business Income
Risk Factor
What would you do if a fire impacted the operation of your business? Or what if a pipe leak caused a system outage or extended downtime? These and other events can destroy your ability to serve clients and bring in revenue, which can have a major long-term impact on the viability of your business.
Solution
Business income insurance compensates you for lost income if the business cannot operate as normal due to damage that is covered under your commercial property insurance policy, such as fire or water damage. Business interruption insurance covers the revenue you would have earned, based on your financial records, had the incident not occurred. The policy also covers operating expenses, like electricity, that continue even though business activities have come to a temporary halt.
Commercial Property
Risk Factor
Your business property is a significant financial investment. What if something happens to it?
Solution
Commercial property insurance can help protect the property your business owns or leases, including things like equipment, inventory, furniture, and fixtures. Whether you own your building or lease your workspace, commercial property insurance can be purchased separately or can be combined with other necessary coverage to protect your business’ physical assets.
Shielding your physical assets.
The first core element of a BOP is property insurance, which covers your physical building, vital equipment, and commercial vehicles. In addition to hardware and furniture, this coverage often compensates for lost revenue if your operations are forced to stop. This is a fundamental requirement because it defends both your tangible assets and your ongoing cash flow. When tailoring your policy, it is wise to identify which specific environmental or physical hazards pose the biggest threat to your workspace and inventory.
This is vital coverage because it helps safeguard your company’s property, equipment, and earnings. For example, here are several coverages to evaluate within your business owners insurance plan:
- Accidental Damage
- Fire
- Flood
- Loss of Income
- Property Loss/Damage
- Theft
Securing liability defense for your brand.
The second major pillar of a BOP is business liability insurance, which covers claims involving third-party injuries or damage to another person’s property. This serves as an essential defense during your everyday interactions with the public. Keep in mind, however, that standard liability typically does not cover “errors and omissions” related to professional advice. This component is a vital part of your strategy, especially if you regularly host customers at your location or handle their property.
Customized coverage for your unique venture.
Choosing a Business Owners Policy allows you to handle various risks through a single provider, greatly lowering your administrative workload. These policies are typically adjusted to fit your specific operational requirements, with costs based on your individual risk factors. Generally, bundling these coverages is more budget-friendly than buying separate property and liability policies. The liability portion of your insurance is particularly important if:
- You visit clients at their locations or they visit yours.
- You have direct access to a client’s tools or equipment.
- There is a possibility of causing injury or property damage during your work.
Understanding your unique business needs.
Finding a Business Owners Policy that aligns with your goals is a smart move for any entrepreneur. It helps preserve your company’s reputation, income, and physical assets. With this shield in place, you can spend less time worrying about daily liabilities and more time building your legacy.
If you operate a business, consider the long-term advantages of a Business Owners Policy. Reach out to us today to discuss your specific needs and explore your coverage options.
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