According to early June jobs statistics, the economy seems to be showing signs of growth in some industries (even though it is, obviously, still hurting in the majority of them). And, with small businesses showing the largest increases in new jobs created, this means that right now is the perfect time to reassess your liability insurance policy if you own a small business. The existing insurance coverage was probably about adequate for the quantity of employees, level of on-site foot traffic, etc. that were part and parcel in your business throughout the Great Recession of 2008-10, but it will no longer be adequate as you ramp things up in a period of growth.
Making the decision whether or not your insurance plan offers the appropriate levels of protection for your estimated growth involves a little guess work, but there are a few critical factors that, once reviewed, provide you with a reasonable idea of where your firm stands. If you plan on seeing a rise in exposure resulting from a change to any of these aspects which affect your company, then you might want to think about broadening your coverage:
Changes in Legislation
Due to the turbulent political and economic environment we live in, there is an ever-present prospect of huge changes in legislation that affect liability insurance for small business owners. Stay up-to-date with developments in legislation that have an effect on your organization, and figure out whether or not any of them raise your liability.
Number of Employees
Do you expect to grow your staffing as a result of an expansion in your business? If so, then this is a second change that will raise the level of liability coverage you will require. Many small businesses give very little consideration to how fluctuations in the size of their staff impact their liability, but exposures related to employees are a major factor in establishing your rates and insurance deductible.
New Products or Services
When a rejuvenated economic environment has prompted you to begin providing new products or services, make sure you review what these inclusions in your portfolio require, and be sure that they are not creating new liabilities outside of your existing policy. For instance, if you operate a small eatery and have chosen to start providing home delivery, make sure that your general liability insurance policy includes the appropriate coverage for employees and vehicles.
Enlarging Your Physical Premises
Another common change that businesses make as they expand in size is moving their operations to a larger property, or increasing their existing one. Even though all that added space offers more capacity for serving customers, storing merchandise, etc., it also adds a significant amount of liability. Make certain you take this into consideration, and modify your policy as necessary.
Some Final Thoughts
Unfortunately, general liability insurance for small business owners is not something that can always remain static during the entire life of a policy. As the business fluctuates, so will the liabilities it will encounter. By keeping cognizant of this simple fact, however, you’ll be able to modify your coverage to satisfy your evolving needs, and guarantee that your business will continue to develop and prosper for years to come.
If you’re considering buying general liability insurance for small business, or would simply like more information on the topic, be sure to follow Darin Mendanor’s regular postings to this site. Darin is a 15-year veteran of the insurance industry who has specialized in all forms of public liability insurance during his professional career.