A Guide to Business Insurance
The law obliges entrepreneurs to take out certain types of business insurance. Other forms of insurance are optional, but entrepreneurs may find them useful depending on their circumstances.
Employers’ Liability Compulsory Insurance
Employers must have employers’ liability compulsory insurance. The Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 demands this.The insurance helps pay compensation claims from employees who suffer injuries at work. There are exemptions and conditions. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) can give further advice.
Motor Vehicles
Business vehicles must have insurance. The minimum is third-party cover. This pays for injuries and property damage.Other motor vehicle policies are third party, fire and theft, and comprehensive. A lot of businesses have comprehensive cover. This pays for repairs to a business vehicle when there’s an accident.
Private Cars
Some staff use their own cars for business use. If so, employers must check that the policies include business use.Professional Indemnity
Some professions must have professional indemnity insurance. These professions include accountants, financial advisers, insurance brokers, solicitors and architects.The purpose of the insurance is to cover third party loss, damage or injury as a result of professional negligence.
Premises
Insurance for premises is not mandatory. But taking out such insurance makes sense.Premises insurance covers the cost of rebuilding after a fire, flood or other form of damage. Entrepreneurs who rent or lease a property may not need such insurance: the landlord may pay it. The landlord will not pay for contents insurance, however. An entrepreneur has to arrange this separately.
Plant and Equipment
Plant and equipment insurance is not compulsory. It’s useful, however, to cover the costs arising from fire, vandalism and floods.There are two types of plant and equipment insurance: new for old, and indemnity. With new for old, an insurer pays for a new piece of plant or equipment to replace something that has become unusable. With indemnity, the insurer allows for wear and tear. In other words, the settlement is lower than the amount an entrepreneur receives with a new for old policy.
Public Liability
Public liability insurance is not a legal requirement. Many businesses nonetheless take out a public liability policy.Public liability insurance pays out when business activity leads to members of the public suffering property damage, injury or death. The insurance also covers a business’ legal fees.
Without public liability insurance, an injury to a member of the public can bankrupt a small company.