Business interruptions can occur after an anticipated or unanticipated event that delays or disrupts a business’s normal operations. Natural disasters, fires, cyberattacks, or the loss of a critical supplier can halt operations for an extended period of time, leading to a cash-flow imbalance that could force a business to close for good.
In this article, we’ll discuss some ways to minimize business interruptions. Let’s get started!
If a fire causes the facility to be temporarily unusable, what would you do next? Ideally, you would move to a temporary location while your permanent place of business is being repaired. Yet, traditional commercial insurance doesn’t cover this move or a loss of income when a business must temporarily close.
With business interruption insurance, this setback can be minimized by simply adding this coverage to your commercial insurance policy.
If you’re an entrepreneur in Georgia, seeking insurance is mandatory to protect your business from different risks. Even if you run a business in a low-risk industry, the Peach State requires you to have some type of insurance policy.
If you’re looking for policies that can shield you from potential liabilities, you have come to the right place. Keep on reading to learn which policies can protect your company.
If you own a small business, chances are you keep a close eye on the cost of your business insurance. Getting the best coverage at the best rate may have even become a bit of a crusade. There are several ways to save money on business insurance, but there’s one method you may not have yet considered (and if you have, well, then you’re just ahead of the game.)
Ready?
It’s called a BOP, or business owner’s policy. We’ll explain what a BOP is, go over how it can save you money on your insurance, and let you know about a few things you should consider when buying business insurance.
A BOP includes several different coverages all bundled into one policy. They’re intended for small to medium-sized businesses.
BOPs typically include property insurance, general liability, and usually business interruption insurance. So, rather than getting each of these coverages separately, you can get them all from one place at the same time.
Convenient, right? But that’s not even the best part.
Here’s the best part:
A BOP can help you save money on your business insurance. But the question is, how?
The thing is that it’s usually less expensive to buy your coverages together instead of getting them separately. It’s kind of like going to a restaurant and ordering a dinner entrée instead of getting a whole bunch of sides and appetizers. You get the food you need both ways, but getting the entrée is probably less expensive.
Okay, that analogy was a bit corny. But you get the point.
Anyways, insurance companies love it when businesses get more than one line of coverage from them, so that’s why a BOP may be a good option when it comes to saving money on business insurance.
Now, keep in mind that not all businesses are eligible for business owner’s policies. Every insurer has different eligibility requirements, but across the board business owner’s policies are intended for small to medium-sized businesses. You have to have a certain amount of employees and make a certain amount of revenue or sales. But even if you can’t get a BOP, you can still save money by investigating a commercial package policy.
Anyways, it may seem like a better plan to shop for each type of coverage individually and choose the lowest price for each. But it’s definitely worth getting quotes for a business owner’s policy to compare prices. You have to find out what makes the most sense for your business.
Another thing to consider about BOPs:
You may need to think about adding coverages to your business owner’s policy to make sure your business is fully protected from all of the risks you face.
For example, you may want to add crime coverage to your BOP.
Now. That’s not all.
Your business may need to get separate policies entirely to cover other risks. Workers’ compensation insurance has to be purchased as a separate policy, not added to a BOP. Same thing with flood insurance.
Here’s the reason that we say all of this:
When you’re considering getting a BOP, it’s important that you consider all of the risks your business faces and the protection that the BOP offers. You may need to cover some gaps and make sure that your business is ready to handle anything that could come your way.
And, of course, you have to consider the costs of those additional coverages when you’re shopping for your business insurance.
So. That’s how a BOP can help you save money on your business insurance and some food for thought about extra coverages. When you’re getting business insurance, it’s important that you consult an insurance professional that you can trust. And we would love the opportunity to become that trusted advisor for your business.
We can help you get quotes for business insurance and make sure that you have the insurance you need to fully protect your business. All you have to do to get quotes or get in touch is fill out our quote form or give us a call.
Life is full of unexpected surprises. As a business owner, you might dread a surprise that causes you to close temporarily. If you ever have to close your business because of a natural disaster or another interruption, it’s crucial that you get your business running as quickly as possible. Your reputation – not to mention your income – could suffer the longer you stay closed. But there’s business insurance that can help you in the event of a temporary closure – business interruption insurance. Let’s take a closer look at why your business may want to consider it.
Business interruption protects your business from closures resulting from things like natural disasters, equipment damage, and vandalism. The goal is to minimize the financial loss to your business if you have to shut down for a time due to a covered loss.
Business interruption insurance covers many different losses that result from having to close your doors. The specifics depend on your policy, which is why you need to make sure to go over the coverage offered very carefully.
If you’re temporarily closed due to a covered loss, business interruption insurance will provide you with the earnings that you would have made if your business were running normally. Lost revenue due to a forced closure is often devastating to small businesses, many of which never open their doors again after a disaster. Remember, property insurance only covers the cost of the physical things that were lost or damaged (the building and its contents.) It won’t help you out with your lost income. That’s why business interruption insurance an important thing to consider when you’re creating a disaster plan for your business.
If it’s not possible to use your premises to run your business, you may need to move to a temporary location to keep things rolling. Business interruption insurance may help you with the costs of relocating and your rent and moving costs may also be covered, depending on your coverage.
Your employees would greatly appreciate being paid during your business’s misadventure. Business interruption insurance may help you continue to pay your employees and ensure that they stay with your company by helping you out with payroll.
Business interruption insurance can be added to your property insurance or included with your business owner’s policy (BOP.) Keep in mind that these policies can be complicated, so you may want to enlist the help of a trusted, qualified insurance advisor to guide you through the process so you can rest assured that you have the insurance you need.
You should plan to get enough insurance to cover your business for a good amount of time. You don’t want to run out of insurance when you’re in need.
The price of the coverage varies from business to business since no two companies are exactly the same. Some of the factors that influence the cost of business interruption insurance are:
Since we don’t know what the future will bring, it’s important to make sure that you plan for a variety of disasters. It’s crucial that you have cash flowing in while your business is closed, and business interruption insurance can help with that. You can secure your business’s future by protecting it with the right business insurance. You might want to consider business interruption insurance to ensure a certain amount of continuity if you ever have to close your business for a short time.
Do you need some quotes for business insurance? We can help you with that. We know that you’d love to save some money on your rates, and we love to help business owners just like you do just that! All you have to do to get started with your quotes is fill out our online form or give us a call today. Our team of agents is here to help.
It’s no secret that business insurance can get pretty pricey. There are a lot of risks out there that need to be covered, and as a business owner, you might be anxious about the price tag of your insurance. While you know that you need to protect your business and you want to get some peace of mind, you might cringe at the thought of what it will cost – a normal reaction, by the way. However, there are a few things you can do to lower the seemingly astronomical cost of your insurance premium, and we’re prepared to share them.
Your deductible is the amount you agree to pay before the insurance company will step in to cover the remaining amount on the bill if you have a claim. For example, if you have a $1000 deductible and a $5000 claim, you would pay $1000 before the insurance company would pay the remaining $4000. A higher deductible means that you have a lower premium and vice versa, so by raising your deductible, you can lower your rates.
Now, you have to consider how much you’re actually able to comfortably pay in the event of a claim. You don’t want to raise it so high that it would be problematic to scrape together the money – you don’t want it to be a burden. So, you have to do a bit of a balancing act.
A BOP (business owner’s policy) combines several coverages into a convenient bundle. Sometimes it’s less expensive to purchase insurance this way rather than as separate coverages, so you might want to find out what a BOP covers and see if your business qualifies for one.
If your business qualifies for a BOP, you need to ask yourself if the policy fits your business. Are there coverages included that you don’t actually need? Will you need to add any extra coverages that aren’t included in the BOP? These are both important things to consider. For reference, a BOP typically includes general liability, business interruption, and property insurance.
Not like at the mall. We mean insurance shopping. If you’re making a big purchase, you compare prices and look at several stores to make sure you’re getting the best price, right? The same rule applies to business insurance. Comparing rates can help you be reassured that you’re getting the best price for your business insurance. You can go through a reputable, trustworthy broker to shop for insurance rates. Try to find an agent who’s familiar with your industry and the risks that you face. They’ll be better able to advise you about limits and coverages that you might need. That might include workers’ compensation insurance or employment practices liability insurance, but you may also need other coverages that are more specific to your industry.
Your insurance needs may change from one year to the next. To make sure that your insurance coverages still fit your business, you’ll have to review your policies carefully. This is also a good opportunity to see if there are any coverages that overlap or that you don’t need anymore. While you should never sacrifice coverage for the sake of saving cost, it can’t hurt to review your risks and your insurance needs.
By reducing risks, we mean doing a few things. You can take measures to increase security. Creating a business disaster plan is another way to reduce risks, as is improving safety – for clients and employees – at your workplace.
There are many advantages to undertaking a risk-reducing campaign.
First, lowering your risks can help you save because insurance companies quote based on the risks they see – the riskier your business, the higher your quote will be. By actively trying to reduce those risks, you could get a lower premium.
Second, lower risk means a lower chance of having a claim. Having claims makes your premium go up, so you can avoid that unpleasant occurrence by lowering your chances of having a claim in the first place.
Third, improving safety and reducing risks could qualify you for a discount on your insurance. It might seem expensive to install something like a security system, but with the insurance discount you now qualify for it could pay for itself very quickly. Be sure to ask your agent about steps you can take to lower your risk and qualify for discounts. Discounts shouldn’t be the only motivating factor though – remember what we said about lower claims meaning lower premiums? In the long run, improved safety and risk management pays off for everyone. Yes, insurance and risk management might seem expensive, but so are claims and lawsuits.
Business insurance is not cheap, but there are ways that your company can reduce your premium. You can raise your deductible, get a BOP, shop around, review your policies, and reduce risk by increasing safety. If you’re inclined to despair about your insurance rates, take a deep breath. Make a plan to implement some of the above strategies. You’ll feel better knowing that you’ve got the insurance situation under control.
Speaking of business insurance, do you want to implement Tip 3 and shop for your business insurance rates? We can help with that! Out agents would love to help you save money on your insurance. All you have to do to get in touch is fill out our business insurance quote form or give us a call today.
If you have a business, you know that you have quite a bit of risk. Maybe more than quite a bit. Yeah, probably more. Anyways, the problem with business insurance is that it can be hard to make heads or tails of it sometimes – it can be like a foreign language. To help you get more confident speaking “business insurance,” we have ten “phrases” that you should know. Okay, they’re more like facts, but we wanted to keep the analogy going.
A BOP, or business owner’s policy, can help small business owners get the coverage they need. It can basically smoosh general liability, property insurance, and business interruption insurance into a convenient, neatly-wrapped package. Different coverages can be added to a BOP to increase your business’s protection. However, there are a few qualifications your business has to meet before it’s BOP-worthy.
Certain businesses are required by law to carry workers’ compensation insurance – in fact, most are. Workers’ comp protects your employees if they get hurt on the job. It provides for medical payments and even reimburses the employee for a portion of their lost wages if they’re unable to work. Make sure that you have the workers’ comp coverage you need to be compliant with your state’s laws – and keep in mind that each state has different workers’ comp requirements. Workers’ comp is really important because your employees aren’t covered under general liability.
Your business has to purchase flood insurance as a separate policy because flooding is not covered under property insurance. If you’re worried that your business could someday end up underwater, you’ll have to go through an agent to get commercial flood insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program, or NFIP.
Property insurance can protect your building and business necessities (inventory, machinery, computers, etc.) against common perils, like fire. It helps you rebuild and repair your premises so that you can get your business started up again. Keep in mind that you need to be mindful of the perils covered by your property policy.
Your deductible is the amount that you agree to pay before the insurance company steps in to start covering expenses from a loss. If you select a higher deductible, your premiums may go down. It’s a bit of a balancing act – you want to make sure that your deductible isn’t so high that it would be hard to pay, but high enough that your premiums go down.
If you have a claim, the insurance company might see you as more of a risk. And that’s not good because the more of a risk you are, the higher your premiums could be. That’s why it’s so important for your business to commit to quality, safety, security, and workplace policies.
General liability protects your business against claims (true or untrue) that it caused someone bodily harm, property damage, or advertising injury. Basically, that means any claims that you broke their stuff, you broke them, or you slandered them in some way. General liability is crucial because people are clumsy. Accidents happen. You don’t want anyone to hold it against you.
Umbrella insurance protects your business from the whopper claims. It’s basically extra liability insurance that kicks in when the limit on the other, underlying policy runs out. Okay, you may still be scratching your head, and that’s okay because we have an example.
Let’s create a business. We’re going to say that they have $1 million of general liability. Now, let’s give them $1 million of umbrella insurance. Okay, here’s the fun part – let’s give them a $1.8 million claim. The general liability would kick in first and cover its $1 million before tapping out. But…that leaves $800,000 for our hypothetical business to pay. But don’t worry – their hypothetical umbrella insurance would swoop in and take care of the remaining $800,000. The day is saved!
The types of business insurance and limits that you need depend on several different factors – for example, your business’s size, the type of work that you do, and the business’s location. When getting insurance, it’s important that you work with an agent that will help you identify your risks and build an insurance plan that’s tailored to your business. We can help you do that here at Atlanta Insurance.
Risk management is basically the process of scrutinizing your business for risks and taking steps to, well, manage them. It means implementing strategies to reduce or eliminate risks before they have the opportunity to hurt you. Risk management considers the losses that you’re vulnerable to and the likelihood that those losses will occur. Strategies for risk management include increasing safety and buying insurance.
These ten facts are only the tip of the glacier when it comes to business insurance, but it’s not so scary, right? There’s a lot to learn about commercial insurance, and that’s why it’s important to find out new stuff. Knowledge is power – someone smart said that once. It’s also important to find an insurance partner that you can trust, and that’s where we come in. We would love the opportunity to earn your business and become that trusted advisor, and we’ll start by getting you free quotes on your business insurance. To get started with your quotes, all you have to do is fill out our online quote form or give us a call today.
We recently talked about the magic that is a business owner’s policy (aka BOP) and how they make insurance wonderfully convenient for businesses. But it’s important to note that there are some things that simply aren’t covered in a business owner’s policy. BOPs (catchy nickname, right?) typically cover general liability, commercial property, and business interruption insurance. However, the risks covered by the three types of insurance bundled into a BOP may not be enough to fully cover your business. There are lots of other disasters out there. To help you ensure that your business is fully insured, we’re going to go over some coverages and losses that aren’t bundled into a BOP.
There are some coverages that you would purchase as separate policies for your business. Here are some coverages that you might want (or need) to get for your business.
Workers’ comp insurance is essential for businesses. It protects your employees if they get hurt or get sick because of their jobs. It can provide them with medical payments so that they can get back on their feet. It also reimburses them for a portion of the wages that they lost while they weren’t able to work if they’re medically approved to take time off. Depending on your business and state, you might be required to carry workers’ comp insurance.
These coverages can be procured separately if you want your employees to be able to get health insurance through their jobs.
Professional liability can help you if you’re in a business where you offer advice and then politely ask for money. If a customer accuses you of negligence, giving bad advice, or not acting in good faith, they might sue you, professional liability insurance can help you cover the costs of the lawsuit.
BOPs can bundle more than general liability, property, and business interruption insurance. There are other types of insurance that can be added to a BOP policy if you so choose. Some of those coverages are…
Crime coverage includes protection for a variety of theft that your business could face, including employee theft and commercial burglaries. Usually, you can add between $1,000 and $5,000 of coverage to your policy.
With how dependent businesses are on technology and computers, data breaches are a very real risk. That’s why it’s important to protect your business from cyber risks. Adding data breach coverage to your BOP will help your business with the costs of…
It’s important to make sure that you understand exactly what your BOP will and won’t cover. If there are any areas of risk that are not included in your BOP, you need to fill your coverage gaps. Disasters have a nasty habit of striking those areas that aren’t protected by insurance. Don’t underestimate the power of Murphy’s Law – whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. You don’t want to fall prey to a loss that isn’t covered, so review your insurance carefully and bolster any areas that are missing coverage.
Do you need to get some business insurance? We’d love to help you out with that! We can help you identify the risks that your business faces and build an insurance plan to protect you from them. We can get you some business insurance quotes for free. All you have to do to get started on your quotes is fill out our online quote form or give us a call today.
Have you ever seen one of those commercials for a hair care product that claims it’s shampoo and conditioner, all in one? Believe it or not, there’s an almost-equivalent for small-to-medium sized businesses when it comes to business insurance. It’s called a business owner’s policy, but since no cool coverage is complete without a nickname or acronym, it’s called a BOP. Basically, a BOP is handy to have because it combines several coverages into one convenient policy. You can get the coverage you need for your business in a simple, neat package – and it’s way better than 2-in-1 shampoo/conditioner.
Let’s dig deeper into this insurance mystery.
There are three main coverages that a BOP can bundle together for your insurance convenience. Those coverages are…
What it does: Commercial property covers losses that happen because of common perils, like fire. It can cover you for your office equipment, furniture, inventory, machinery, raw materials, computers and other such essential business items. Plus, you know, the building itself.
What it does: General liability is your “slip-and-fall” insurance. It covers your legal responsibility if your business causes harm to someone else, up to your policy’s limit. It will usually cover attorney fees for defending your business in court and the medical fees of anyone to whom your business caused bodily harm. It can also help in the event of a property damage claim.
What it does: Business interruption puts lost income back in your business’s pocket if you get hurt by a covered disaster that causes you to close temporarily. While property insurance helps you rebuild your business, BII helps you make sure that there’s still money in the bank when you have your grand reopening. It reimburses you for lost income.
Together, these coverages form the foundation of a small business insurance plan. Of course, they don’t cover every disaster or loss that could befall your business, so you may have to consider getting additional coverages if necessary.
Now, not every business is a candidate for a BOP. As we said before, BOPs are most appropriate for small to mid-sized businesses. Apart from that, there are a few checkmarks your business may need to meet before being stamped for BOP approval.
Aside from these basic qualifications, there are a few other things that a carrier will consider before declaring you BOP-worthy. You may or may not be BOP-able depending on your type of business, the size of your main location, your revenue, and the class of business you are. It might seem like a lot of hoops to jump through, but it’s all in the interest of making that your business has the coverage you need.
The premiums for BOPs depend, of course, on a few things. Your business’s eligibility factors play a part in your insurance rates. The financial stability of your business does, too. The building itself also gets considered, as do security features and fire hazards. The general rule of thumb for insurance is the more risk you have, the higher your rates. Insurance companies are highly allergic to risk, remember.
Pro tip: You might qualify for a discount if you have a security system. However, there are a few things you should know before hiring a company to install a commercial security system.
While insurance rates vary from business to business, the bottom line is that it’s important to make sure that you have enough coverage for your business and that there are no gaps in your insurance. That might mean adding some extra coverage to a business owner’s policy or forgoing a BOP entirely in favor of getting bigger policies.
BOPs are great when it comes to protecting small businesses. If you’re BOP-able, you get to enjoy commercial property, general liability, and business interruption insurance all bundled into one convenient policy. It is, however, important to consider that you may need to add coverages to your business owner’s policy. If you think your business might be a candidate for a BOP, congratulations! Insurance just got a whole lot easier.
Want to get a free quote on your business insurance? BOP or no BOP, we’d love to help you find the insurance your business needs to protect it from the risks you face every day. We’d love to help you save on said insurance, too. To reach one of our friendly agent-folk, all you have to do is fill out our online quote form or give us a call today. Then we can help you get started with getting your insurance!