When does a Business need Hired and Non Owned Auto Insurance?

Hired and Non Owned Auto Insurance is a type of insurance policy that many businesses need and far too many fail to secure. According to the International Risk Management Institute, Hired and Non Owned Auto Insurance is defined as; ‘an auto that is used in connection with the named insured’s business but that is not owned, leased, hired, rented, or borrowed by the named insured’. In layman’s terms this is an insurance policy for a business when an employee of that business uses a vehicle for business purposes that is not owned by that business. This could be an employee driving their personal car for business purposes or it could be an employee driving a rental car while travelling to a conference representing the business. The insurance policy will cover bodily injury and property damage to third parties damaged by an accident that is the fault of your employee. This policy can be purchased as a standalone policy or as an add on to your commercial auto or general liability insurance policies. Here are some things you need to know about this coverage if you own a small business and have employees who use vehicles the business does not own.

You can purchase it as a standalone policy, or you can add it on as a rider to your General Liability Insurance.

What exactly does Hired and Non Owned Auto Insurance Cover?

Hired and Non Owned Auto Insurance covers some damages for cars that employees of your business use but the business does not own those cars. These vehicles include rental vehicles, leased vehicles, and employee personal vehicles. The policy covers specifically the damage caused to third parties, but not always the damage to the vehicle your employee is driving.

Examples of when you need this coverage

You send an employee on an errand to pick up supplies in their own vehicle.
An employee rents a vehicle on a business trip.
You send a limo to the airport to pick up an important client.
An employee runs out to get coffee or pick up lunch for everyone in the office.

What is not covered under a Hired and Non Owned Auto Insurance Policy?

A Hired and Non Owned Auto Insurance Policy does not pay for physical damage to your employees vehicle. That damage would be covered by the employees personal auto insurance policy. It also will not pay for the repair of a rental vehicle that is damaged by in an accident that is caused by your employee. It does not cover accidents that occur during a commute to work, unless the employee is using a vehicle rented by the business. Another scenario that is not covered by a Hired and Non Owned Auto Insurance Policy is when an employee is running a personal errand during work hours, but they are not doing business operations.

What are the differences between Hired and Non Owned Vehicles

Hired Vehicles refer to car services like a taxi or limousine and rented vehicles your employees use for business purposes. Non Owned Vehicles refer to vehicles that are used by your employees that are not owned by the business. The most common example of this is an employee using their personal car for business related travel.

Small Business Insurance Jargon

Small Business Insurance Jargon you need to know as a business owner

Buying commercial insurance is something a small business owner has to do once a year. It is not something most business owners think about on a daily basis. When interacting with employees within the industry, there may be an awful lot of small business insurance jargon that is not exactly common knowledge to the general population. Here are ten terms to familiarize yourself with before your next renewal.

BOP

BOP Stands for Business Owner’s Package or Business Owner’s Policy. A BOP is a package of policies, sold in tandem for businesses in a certain industry or classification code. Because of historical claims records, insurance carriers know the common risks for certain businesses in certain industries and they have created packages of policies specific to that industry.

Experience Mod

The Experience Modification Rating is frequently referred to as the Mod or the Experience Mod. This rating is a formula that includes the businesses Employer’s FEIN by the rating bureau (NCCI or the State Bureau). The rating compares your loss data to other employers within the same class code of your business. The rating is expressed as a credit or debit on your policy.

Actual Cash Value

The current value of an insured piece of property. This is simply the appraisal value of a piece of property and does not include additional expenses related to a property loss.

Replacement Value

The value of purchasing a new property to replace a lost or damaged property,but it pays for the replacement at today’s value. Depending upon the language in the policy, a replacement value policy may include additional expenses like tear down and removal of debris, bringing the property up to current codes, and construction costs on the new property.

First Party

First Party Insurance Policies are policies that deal with the damages to you and your business. They may include damages like replacing a vehicle after a crash, replacing specialized equipment damaged during a storm, or even hiring a PR Firm to restore the reputation of your business after a data breach.

Third Party

A Third Party Insurance Policy deals with the liability your business faces relating to outside third parties that are damaged by the actions of your business. This may include repairing a broken window caused by the employee of a landscaping company or medical costs for someone slipping on their way to the bathroom in a restaurant.

EPLI

EPLI stands for Employment Practices Liability Insurance. This is an insurance policy that can protect your business when it faces a lawsuit related to hiring and firing of employees. In 2016, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, collected more than $482 million for victims of discrimination in private, federal and state and local government workplaces. The reason there is a need for this policy is that a lawsuit does not have to be founded to take up an enormous amount of time for you and your business to prove your innocence. An EPLI Policy can help your business stay afloat when you face one of these claims.

E&O

E&O stands for Errors and Omissions Insurance. It is also called Medical Malpractice in the Medical Profession. This policy protects the insured (you the business owner) against liability for committing an error or omission in performance of professional duties. This may include work done by an engineer or architect on a particular construction project. It may also include the work done by a doctor during surgery. Generally, such policies are designed to cover financial losses rather than liability for bodily injury (BI) and property damage (PD).

Hired and Non-owned Auto

Hired and Non-owned Auto Insurance Coverage is designed for businesses who have employees who use their personal vehicles for business purposes or employees who use rented vehicles. The time that these employees are using the vehicle for business purposes is a time when your business is liable for the damages that are caused to third parties as a result of an accident that is the fault of your employee. It is commonly added as an addition to a commercial auto policy, but if your business does not own any vehicles it can be sold as a stand alone policy.

Inland Marine

An Inland Marine Insurance Policy is a specialized form or property insurance that is often referred to as equipment coverage. The primary distinction between inland marine and other property insurance is the fact that inland marine is designed specifically for property which is likely to be moved or in transit. Landscaping companies that have equipment on a trailer is an example of this risk. Inland Marine may be needed for companies with highly specialized property that requires a unique valuation. A land surveyor who uses specialized surveying equipment may need this policy.

Commercial Auto and Inland Marine

Where does the grey area exist?

If you own a business and that business owns and operates vehicles, you need some form of Commercial Auto Insurance. If you rent vehicles or have employees use their personal vehicles for work purposes, you need to secure a hired and non-owned auto policy. If you have a trailer where you move specialized equipment to third party locations’ than you need an inland marine insurance policy. When you have a claim that involves a vehicle there becomes an issue of which policy kicks in to cover what is damaged. This is a time when partnering with an experienced independent insurance agent and purchasing all policies from one carrier can benefit your business immensely. Here are several tips to help you make sure all of your vehicles and equipment are properly insured.

First you need to know what exactly is covered under each policy.

Commercial Auto

A Commercial Auto Insurance Policy will cover vehicles your business owns that are used for business purposes. If you have a personal vehicle that you also use for business purposes, you still need to buy separate personal and commercial auto insurance policies for that vehicle. If you only have a personal policy and you use the vehicle for business purposes, the liability is taken on by the business. The personal auto policy will not cover the damage to third party vehicles that are damaged in an accident you cause. If you do use your personal vehicle for business purposes, it is important to speak long and honestly with your independent insurance agent about what exactly you use the vehicle for and how best to insure it.

Hired and Non-owned Auto

If you have employees who drive rented vehicles when they travel or who use their personal vehicle for business purposes, you have a need for a Hired and Non-Owned Auto Policy. This policy may be in place of a Commercial Auto Policy or in addition to it. When an accident occurs that is the fault of your employee, if they are in their personal car, the personal insurance policy will cover the damages to the employees vehicle. Now the property and bodily injury liability to third parties is the liability of the business. This is why you need to strongly consider this policy for your business. One accident that causes a car to be totaled and a third party to spend a week in the hospital can easily result in your business being responsible for tens of thousands of dollars. If you do not have the ability to cover these costs you need an insurance policy to protect your business.

Inland Marine

An Inland Marine Insurance Policy is a policy you would purchase in addition to a Commercial Auto Policy in order to protect specialized equipment that is commonly in transit. A common business who needs this coverage is a landscaping company. A Commercial Auto Policy will coverage the vehicle your business owns and operates. It will also cover your business for any liability you face to third parties damaged by an accident caused by your business. If you have specialized equipment that is transported on either a trailer connected to your vehicles or in the back of a truck, you need to purchase an Inland Marine Policy.

What can you do as a Business Owner?

Partner with an independent insurance agent

Partnering with an independent insurance agent is always the best place to start when you are considering purchasing commercial insurance for your business. This is best for you because an independent agent is not restricted to one or a select few carriers. Typically an independent agent partners with anywhere from 10 to 40 carriers. They can use these relationships to force carriers to compete for your business. This will allow you to get better coverage at the lowest possible rate.

Talk with your agent extensively

No matter if you decide to partner with an independent or captive agent, you need to take the quoting process seriously. If you fail to disclose something to your agent or carrier during the quoting process, it can create an enormous headache for you at a later date. The work case scenario would be that your carrier drops you from coverage because of the failure to disclose something about your business. This can cause you and your agent to have to find a new carrier to cover your business mid term. If this process does not go smoothly it can cause you to have a lapse in coverage. Many carriers will not cover a business who has had a lapse in coverage and this may force you to have to buy some coverage’s from the state provider. The state provider is almost always more expensive than buying coverage out on the open market.

Express your comfort with risk to your agent

Insurance agents talk to many business owners throughout each work day. If they are a nationwide agency, they may speak with a restaurant owner from Los Angeles, a dairy farmer in Wisconsin and a commercial fisherman from New Orleans all before lunch. Each of these businesses faces enormously different risks and the people who own these businesses may have dramatically different expectations from their insurance agent. The only way to be for certain that your agent is looking for what is most important to you is to directly tell them. If you value price above all else, let them know. If you want to insure your business to the teeth, let them know this as well. The more you tell your insurance agent, the less likely you are to have problems with that agent.

Listen to your agents recommendations

Listening is a skill most people could do much better. Business owners especially are confident people. They would not have branched out on their own to start a business without confidence, but that confidence can be a hinderance if you think you know more about every aspect of your business than the experts you partner with. If you find an independent agent with whom you trust and you have a detailed conversation with them, they should be able to find the best package of coverages to fit the needs of your business. If you go through this process listen to the insurance professionals. They interact with business owners not only when selling them a policy, but also when they have to use that policy because something bad has happened to them. If you trust your agent, they should only offer a policy that you absolutely need. If they recommend it, it is more than likely in your best interest to listen to them.

Golf Courses

5 Types of Insurance Coverage all Golf Courses Need

The industry surrounding Golf Courses is a diverse industry. Some of the businesses serve very high end customers and professional tournaments. Other courses serve people with middle-class incomes in a rural setting. Some of the businesses do not have a full course and only offer a driving range putting green. Most of the businesses offer some form of lessons, food and beverage as well as retail offerings. Depending upon which type of golf course you own or operate, the type of insurance coverage you need may vary dramatically. Here are five coverages most golf courses need.

General Liability
Liquor Liability
Commercial Property
Hired and Non-Owned Auto
Workers Compensation

Golf Courses

General Liability Insurance

General Liability Insurance risks can be substantial due to both the number of visitors and the nature of the activity. Golf is a physical endeavor and not everyone who partakes in the activity is of the highest athletic ability, nor are many in the best physical condition. The safety of the customers is a major concern. Slips, trips, and falls are always are a concern; as are flying golf balls. Golf carts can overturn and that may cause additional risks. If you have employees that are interacting with children, it is important to conduct proper background checks on those employees.

Liquor Liability

Liquor Liability Insurance is commonly referred to as dramshop liability. Most golf courses sell and serve some types of alcohol and in most states this requires them to purchase some form of liquor liability insurance. There are many types of risks associated with alcohol use at a golf course. Those risks include selling to an intoxicated customer, contributing to the over-intoxication of a customer and serving alcohol to a minor. These and many other risks associated to alcohol consumption make liquor liability a necessary coverage for golf courses.

Commercial Property Insurance

Commercial Property Insurance Exposure might be minimal if limited to a clubhouse facility or a maintenance shed, but not all golf courses are this simple. Many golf courses offer retail, food and beverage, restaurant facilities and instruction. Many golf courses are located in remote areas. These locations add additional risks due to fires and how quick first responders can get to injured employees or customers.

Hired and Non-Owned Auto

If your business owns the vehicles employees are operating as part of their work, a commercial auto policy is necessary. Hired and Non-Owned Auto Liability Exposure is generally limited to employees using their own vehicle for running errands or when an employee is travelling for work and using a rented vehicle. If your employees partake in any of these actions your business needs Hired and Non-Owned Auto Insurance.

Workers Compensation Insurance

Workers Compensation Insurance Risks can be high for golf courses. If the golf course has employees who do its own grounds maintenance and chemical applications, it can cause the amount of injuries to rise. Other employees face normal slips, falls, strains, sprains and being hit by errant golf balls or equipment.

Golf Courses Insurance Needs

Restaurant Insurance

3 tips to find the best Restaurant Insurance.

How much insurance do I really need? What are the correct types of insurance for my restaurant? What types of restaurant insurance can I do without? What is the bare minimum I can get away with for restaurant insurance? These are all very common question that insurance agents get asked when a restaurant owner is looking to protect their business for the first time or a seasoned business owner is looking to renew their coverage. The answer to this question is like many things; ‘It depends’. There are many variables that go in to owning and operating a restaurant and those variables bring on many risks. Not every business owner is comfortable with the same amount of risk. Depending upon how much risk you are willing to take, here are 3 tips to help you make sure you are purchasing the amount restaurant insurance.

Are you classified correctly?

First off, the small business owner needs to make sure their business is classified properly. This applies for both workers compensation and general liability insurance. Each state has their own governing body for these coverages. The best way to determine if you are properly classified is to ask for help from an experienced independent insurance agent. When talking with your agent, it is crucially important to be honest with them. This is important for the time you are open, how much and what types of alcohol you serve and what exactly your employees do. Restaurants are classified different based upon the risks they face. Being properly classified can save your business immensely.

Pay as you go option

Workers comp coverage is required by state law in 48 out of 50 states. getting this coverage in place is an enormous cost. Pay as you go workers’ compensation is s a great option for seasonal or cash strapped businesses. Pay as you go workers’ compensation allows a business to pay premium based upon the amount of payroll as opposed to an estimate of the monthly payroll. For many businesses they can get coverage in place for as little as a few hundred dollars.

Determine the proper type of Commercial Auto Insurance

Many business owners do not think they need any type of commercial auto insurance. Just because your business does not own vehicles, doe snot mean you do not need to secure some form of commercial auto insurance. If you do own vehicles that are going to be used for business purposes you most definitely need commercial auto insurance coverage. Also, if you have employees who use their own vehicles for business purposes than the business is liable for all accidents. Hired and Non-Owned Auto Coverage is a policy that kicks in when your employees use their own vehicle or a rented vehicle not owned by the company. Regardless of how small the activity may seem, when the employee is using any vehicle to do business activity you are liable.

5 Tips about Insurance for Restaurant Owners.

Florist

How much insurance does a small Florist really need?

Here are 6 Insurance Policies every Floral Business should consider

How much and what types of insurance coverage a florist needs really depends on the size, type and scope of the business. If the florist only sells flowers at one location, it may not need all of the coverages discussed in this blog post. If the florist business designs flower arrangements or provides delivery service it opens up your business to an enormous amount of additional risk. Here are 6 insurance coverage’s all floral businesses should strongly consider securing.

General Liability

General Liability Insurance will protect your business from property damage and bodily injury claims of third parties. Third parties can be anyone not associated with your business that is harmed by the actions of your businesses operations. Included in this group of people can be customers, vendors delivering products to your facility or even a plumber who comes to work on your toilet.

Professional Liability

If you are designing floral arrangements for special occasions like weddings, funerals, Valentines Day or Christmas; you can be sued if the designs are not up to the expectations of the customer. The lawsuits do not have to be founded to cost your business immensely in legal fees and reputation management. A Professional Liability Insurance Policy will help your business withstand the costs to defend your self in court and for missed time at work spent defending you and your business.

Commercial Auto/Hired and Non-owned Auto

If your business uses vehicles as a part of normal business operations than you need to secure one or both of these coverages. If the business owns a vehicle and that is the only vehicle used for business purposes than a commercial auto policy should suffice your business, but if you have employees who use their own vehicle or rented vehciles for any part of their job than you need to secure the addition of hired and non-owned auto coverage.

Commercial Property

A commercial property insurance policy is needed if your business owns and operates any property as a part of your operations, no matter the size. It is different than a traditional home owners policy. Commercial property policies are sold on a replacement cost or on an actual value basis. It is usually best to purchase a replacement cost policy. This type of policy will cover the cost to tear down, haul off and replace the property that is damage. An actual value policy will pay you an agreed upon value of what the property is worth. In most cases this will not pay the entire amount to make your business whole again.

Inland Marine

If you own any specialized equipment or equipment that is designed to be in transport frequently, you have a need for Inland Marine Coverage. A commercial property will cover your facility. A commercial auto policy will cover your vehicles. If you have specialized equipment you use to design and maintain the arrangements or an attachment to your vehicle like a trailer it will not be covered by either of these policies. This is where an inland marine policy can be added to cover this specific equipment. Taking additional time with your agent to explain all the details of your business can make sure you secure all of the policies your business needs.

Workers Compensation

Workers Compensation Insurance is required by law for most businesses in 48 out of 50 states. The system is managed by the individual states, so it is important for you to check with the proper state governing agency to ensure you are compliant with your states laws and regulations. Even if there is an exclusion for your business to not carry the coverage, it is usually in your best interest to still secure workers comp coverage. This insurance policy will protect your business from being sued for most injuries that occur as a part of normal business operations. It also provides medical coverage and reimbursement of some lost wages for workers injured as a part of normal business operations.

Real Estate Insurance Needs

5 Types of insurance every Real Estate Agency should have.

Real Estate Agencies take on a unique set of risks compared to other traditional businesses. Many businesses, like a restaurant for example, have a brick and mortar location where a majority or all of the business takes place. Real Estate Agencies, while most do have a physical address, have a majority of their work taking place at a third party location. These locations frequently are at the property they are helping to sell. For this reason, real estates agencies have to secure a unique group of coverages in order to adequately protect their business. Here are 5 recommended coverages most real estate agencies should secure.

General Liability Coverage
Errors and Omissions (Professional Liability)
Property Insurance
Hired and Non-Owned Auto
Workers’ Compensation Insurance

General Liability Insurance

For most real estate agencies, the risks related to general liability coverage are often minimal. This is primarily due to not much business occurring at the physical location. A majority of their work is done over the phone, by electronic mail or at a third party location. Off-Premises risks can be extensive for this industry. That is true whether you are dealing with the selling of properties or rental properties. These risks typically arise from sales visits, inspections, open-houses and similar work done at the customers’ home or other buildings. In some cases, there is an agent representing both the buyer and the seller. Any damage that occurs during joint operations, like an open-house, can cause a dispute between all parties involved. Monitoring of keys is another risk that must be dealt with carefully. Documenting every time, you access a facility is highly recommended to limit the risk you face regarding access to the facility.

Errors and Omissions Coverage (Professional Liability)

Exposure associated with errors and omissions (E&O) may be the most significant risk a real estate agency faces. This is because a majority of the work you do is highly specialized and you are giving advice. If you give the wrong advice, it can cause the business to be liable to the client in the future. To limit these risks the agency can make sure all employees have the proper credentials, experience and has the proper ratio of professional employees to clerical employees. Thorough background checks are essential to limit E&O Claims.

Commercial Property Insurance

If your agency owns physical property, you need to secure Commercial Property Insurance. There are two ways these policies are sold. They are sold on a replacement base or on an agreed upon value of the property. In most cases, it is better to secure a policy at replacement level. This will include the cost to tear down the facility, remove all debris and build a new facility. If your policy is an agreed upon value it typically does not include these additional costs.

Commercial Auto/Hired and Non-Owned Auto Coverage

If you own vehicles for your employees to use when they are away from the office than you need to secure a Commercial Auto Policy. Most real estate agencies do not own vehicles specifically for company use, but they do have agents who use their personal cars for business purposes. When these employees are using their personal vehicles for business purposes the business is liable for any accidents that may occur. The business is not liable for the damage to the employee’s car. This is covered by the employee’s personal auto insurance policy. The business is liable for damage to the car and any bodily injuries that may occur to third parties. A Hired and Non-Owned Auto Insurance Policy will take care of most liability a business faces resulting from accidents that occur when employees drive their personal cars or rented vehicles for business purposes.

Workers’ Compensation Coverage

Workers’ Compensation Insurance is required by law in 48 out of 50 states. Each state has their own rules and regulations regarding the administration of this system. Each state has their own exceptions for some small or family owned businesses. Workers Comp is similar to general liability, except that it covers employees and not third parties. When an employee is hurt on the job, work comp coverage will cover some of their lost wages (typically 60%) and medical costs incurred as a result of the injury.

My employees drive their own car for work, do I really need separate Commercial Auto Coverage for their Cars?

Won’t their personal insurance plans cover any wrecks they have?

The answer to this question is yes and no. Like most things in life it depends. If your employees drive their personal cars for business operations, you do not necessarily need a full commercial auto insurance policy. There is another policy that will cover just this situation. The coverage is called Hired and Non-Owned Auto Coverage. This coverage is specifically for businesses who have employees who either use their personal car for work or drive a rented car at some time for business purposes.

Commercial Auto Insurance

Hired and Non-Owned Auto Liability covers bodily injury and property damage caused by a vehicle you hire (including rented or borrowed vehicles) or caused by non-owned vehicles of your employees. In most cases it does not pay for the physical damage to the vehicle itself; that’s covered by the owner’s insurance. Although this option is available on some policies.

Whether you realize it or not, as a business owner, you at least occasionally find yourself in situations where this coverage is needed. Errands and rental situations always come up. Just a few examples of when there is a need for this coverage include: When you send an employee to pick up lunch, renting a car while on a business trip, to impress a client, you send a limo to pick them up, or an employee runs to pick up office supplies at the local Sam’s club.

So the answer to the original question: Won’t their personal insurance plans cover any wrecks they have? It may cover damage to their vehicle, but in most cases it will not cover any liability to the other person who’s may be injured or whose car has been damaged. The reason for this is because the only reason the employee is driving at the time of the wreck is because of the directions of the business. Had the person not been working there is no reason to believe the person would have been behind the wheel at that place in time. For that reason, the liability is the responsibility of the business and not the individual employee. This is why it is important to have the right form of commercial auto insurance.

For this reason, it is crucial to secure hired and non-owned auto coverage for your business. Not just a commercial auto insurance policy. It can be added to most business owner’s policies for a minimal amount. No matter what the amount of the premium, it will most certainly be less than the damage to your business if an accident happens and you are not covered. Uncovered losses involving a vehicle are the types of losses that some businesses are not able to survive.

5 Types of Insurance every Daycare Center needs.

Finding good daycare is an enormous concern for families with children under the age of 5. Compared to the previous generation there is an extremely large amount of families who now have both parents in the work force. ‘According to the group Child Care Aware, about 11 million children under age 5 spend an average of 35 hours a week in child care’. Because of this fact, the day care industry has exploded. With this explosion has come many new businesses needing help with their liability needs. There are many things that can put a day care center at risk. Here is a list of the 5 most common coverages a day care center should secure.

✓ General Liability Insurance
✓ Hired and Non-Owned Auto
✓ Workers Compensation Insurance
✓ Business Income with Extra Expense
✓ Commercial Crime / Employee Dishonesty

General Liability Insurance

GL Insurance is required by law in most states. Many business owners unfortunately think this coverage is all encompassing and it is not. It is the baseline for coverage for your daycare business. It will cover your businesses liability for normal bodily injuries from things like slips and falls. It can also cover property damage that occurs to third parties on your property.

Hired and Non-Owned Auto Coverage

If your business owns and uses vehicles as a part of your business you will need commercial auto coverage, but if you have employees who use their personal vehicle or rented cars you will need to secure Hired and Non-Owned Auto Coverage. This will cover the liability your business faces as a result of any accidents you or your employees are in while on company time.

Workers’ Compensation Insurance

Workers Comp is another coverage that is required by law in nearly every state in the country. It is similar to General Liability except it deals with bodily injuries to your employees. When an employee is injured on the because of normal business practices work comp coverage will cover a portion of their salary and any medical costs as a result of the injury. Each state has their own laws governing how to administer workers’ compensation coverage. For this reason, it is important for you and a key employee to know the process to properly help your injured employee get the care they need and get back on the job quickly. Your carrier can help you with this both before you have an injured employee and when a claim occurs.

Business Income with Extra Expense Coverage

Business Income with Extra Expense Coverage is a type of commercial property insurance that covers the loss of income suffered when damage is caused to the property by a covered loss and it causes a slowdown or suspension of business operations. Coverage applies to loss suffered during the time required to repair or replace the damaged property and may extend to apply to loss suffered after completion of repairs for a specified number of days. Expense Coverage is an additional type of commercial property insurance that pays for additional costs in excess of normal operating expenses. These are normally expenses that an organization incurs to continue operations while its property is being repaired or replaced because of damage from a covered loss. Extra expense coverage can be purchased in addition to or instead of business income coverage, depending on the needs of the organization.

Commercial Crime / Employee Dishonesty

Commercial Crime Insurance is a type of insurance that is designed to help businesses deal with crimes committed by their employees. This type of coverage typically covers several different types of crimes, such as: employee dishonesty; forgery or alteration; computer fraud; funds transfer fraud; kidnap, ransom, extortion; and money orders and counterfeit money coverage. Employee Dishonesty Insurance is an additional coverage for employee theft of money, securities, or property. This type of coverage is written with a per loss limit, a per employee limit, or a per position limit. This is important to speak with your agent about what types of activities your employees partake in. They can help you determine what type and how much risk you actually face.

Garage Liability Insurance vs. Garage Keepers Coverage

The difference between Garage Liability Insurance Coverage and Garage Keepers Coverage is the difference between Liability Insurance and Physical Damage Insurance. The first covers the insured’s liability for operations and autos. The second covers damage to a customer’s vehicle. All businesses with garage risks need both coverages to properly insure their loss exposures.

A typical garage business has an auto exposure, both owned, non-owned and hired. These businesses also have risks related to premises/operations, contractual and products/completed operations exposures. Rather than writing two separate policies, the Garage Policy allows a business to combine the coverages into one all encompassing Insurance Policy. A Garage Policy is a combination Business Auto Coverage form and a Commercial General Liability Coverage form. Garage liability insurance is an absolute necessity for the owner of a car dealership, a local mechanic, a tire dealer or a company doing oil changes. These policies are for employers who make a living working on cars. These programs can also apply to companies installing stereos or satellite radios. Business owners should not make the mistake of believing Garage Liability Insurance covers the loss of a customer’s auto while in your care. A separate Garage Keeper’s Policy or an addendum to the garage (service center) policy already in place must be added.

Garage Keeper’s Coverage

Under the Garage Keeper’s Coverage, there are two options for the auto service operator to consider. One is called direct excess coverage. This policy pays up to the value of the destroyed vehicle above the owner’s coverage. The other type of coverage is direct primary coverage, where the service owner’s carrier shares the loss with the car owner’s insurer.

Garage Liability Insurance

If you own or operate a business that has a repair center and the repair center has a fleet of tow trucks or dispatched repair vehicles, those assets are covered under Garage Liability Insurance. However, if the customer car is sitting outside waiting for service, or inside on a lift, they are not covered. This is the reason why you need a keeper clause for the protection of your business. Please note that most Garagekeeper’s Policies excludes loss to non-factory installed sound equipment.

Garage Liability Insurance providers may become extremely discriminatory regarding the requirements for getting the insurance, such as strict loss prevention or risk management efforts by the auto service owner. To cut costs and keep premiums lower, indemnity companies are often refusing to underwrite such things as wind and hail damage for company and customer vehicles. Tolerance by insurers for multiple incidents at a garage is limited. These are things a business owner should keep in mind when purchasing insurance. Partnering with an experienced independent insurance agent is the best way to determine how your business should best proceed when purchasing this type of insurance coverage.

Make sure every employee and officer of the company is on the policy. Coverage is usually only afforded to the locations and drivers listed on the coverage. Employees that get a DUI or go over their point allowances may be excluded from driving privileges and non-company drivers need to be discussed with the agent.

Getting and keeping garage liability insurance can be daunting. Proper night lighting, well landscaped grounds, well maintained signage and windows as well as a freshly painted exterior as well as clean floors and bathrooms inside can make or break a policy being approved.

My Insurance Question is a creation of The Insurance Shop LLC. The Insurance Shop was formed in 2005 and over the course of a decade and a half they have developed relationships with more then two dozen carriers. Those carriers allow their agents to get the best value on commercial insurance for many different industries. If you are ready for a new look at your coverage, give us a call at 800-800-4864.