Business Insurance

What Is Business Insurance & Types?

Business insurance irrespective of the nature of business can cover a range of products that provide a financial cover for your business. A standard business insurance pack covers business liabilities and provides for a customized combination of different insurance policies that can meet to satisfy your operational requirements and reduce risk exposure associated with your business.

Types of business insurance:

• Public and products liability insurance
• Business property
• Business interruption insurance
• Equipment/ machinery breakdown
• Theft and property damage
• Glass cover
• Goods in transit
• Management liability
• Tax audit insurance
• Money and employee dishonesty

Why Business Insurance Is Needed?

No matter the nature and the size of your business, you are bound to be vulnerable to some occupation associated risks. A business insurance can help you protect from loss or damage to property, assets, cover your costs against business interruption, legal suits and cater to business liabilities for all insured events.

Who Needs Business Insurance?

Small, medium, or big, if you are a business owner you need to have business insurance under the law, in Australia. As a business owner and an investor, you would have put in a lot of hard work and money into starting and establishing your business. A business insurance policy helps you to safeguard and provide for any kind of loss/damage/replacement to your business assets, cover costs for any legal expenses or claims and ensure a smooth flow of business through income protection and liability coverage. The cost that you pay of not having a business insurance can be much expensive than taking a business insurance cover in the first place.

When To Take The Business Insurance?

Based on the State and territory laws of Australia you can take a business insurance policy abiding to the rules and regulatory requirements. Speak to our expert business insurance brokers who can help you review your business activities, risk exposure and tailor an insurance for your business accordingly.

Benefits Of Having The Insurance

Business insurance can be imperative to the success of your business. While risks are an intrinsic factor to any business situation, to have your business assessed, reviewed and be upgraded with a suitable business policy is the smartest way to be prepared and ready for any business scenario and keep your business smoothly running irrespective of events that may occur.

What Is Covered Under The Insurance?

1. Public and products liability insurance

Public and products liability insurance is the most common policy considered under business insurance. This covers for any kind of damage/loss/injury/illness to third party due to your business activity or due to the products (sale/supply/delivery) provided by your business. Public liability insurance is seen as a requirement for most business leases too

2. Business property

Business property insurance or commercial property insurance provides a cover for the content and stock of your property against fire, storm or other listed events when insured. A business insurance broker can help you understand the clauses under such a policy and the insured amount that you may benefit from.

3. Stock, products and asset insurance

Stock and assets insurance is a comprehensive insurance policy that caters to a range of aspects. If you have a business with a high investment value of stock, assets and products that you cannot suffer a loss of, then the following are to recommend for you to consider:

• Property insurance
• Theft & burglary
• Stock deterioration
• Electronic equipment breakdown
• Farm insurance
• In-transit goods
• Machinery breakdown
• Tax audit

4. Theft

Theft under business insurance, cover to the risk of your products or equipment getting stolen. Depending on the kind of stock or products you own or have in your shop/office, the probability of theft and the value of loss, an insurance cover should be considered. The amount of policy and the level of premiums is decided based on the above factors.

5. Transit cover

If you happen to be in the business of shipping goods or carry the import and export activities, or handle your customer goods as a service, then you can benefit from transit covers that provide for the goods safety/damage. However, in case of a courier business the transit cover insurance may come with a lot of conditions and exclusions to apply.

6. Glass cover

Depending on the level of risk to storms and vandalism, a glass cover insurance can be considered to cover for any accidental damage and for the period that the glass at your premises is getting replaced.

7. Equipment or machinery breakdown

Equipment or machinery breakdown insurance provides a cover for damage, repair and replacement of the machinery. If you own a business where machinery and equipment forms a part of the business activity then you can save money by providing a cover for such items. Stock deterioration is one more aspect under this insurance, where in your business falls under the food and hospitality sector. Plant and machinery insurance is also a type of insurance considered specific to this requirement, in case your business falls under the manufacturing sector.

8. Worker's compensation insurance

Any business owner with staff employees under you for business activities, should consider to have worker's compensation insurance. This will take care of any accidental loss/injury to your employees due to your business.

9. Trades insurance

If you are a trades person, a self-employed business person into carpentry, gardening, plumbing or any other, you will have options to get cover depending on the industry and the specific tools and processes you use for carrying out your business. You can tailor a business insurance policy depending on the size of operations, risks and the level of financial cover you may require.

10. Income protection insurance

If you are the business owner, contractor or a self-employed business person, you will not be able to have a cover as a staff member or employee under the worker's compensation insurance. An income protection insurance provides space and scope for business owners and contractors to have a cover for sickness, disability or injury and compensate for the period of loss of revenue until you recover. However, there are many types under these, and so one has to look into the specifics to make the best of coverage available.

11. Management liability insurance

Management liability insurance provides a cover against any illegal and unethical practice carried by the management and directors that has caused a loss to individuals or business entities. Our insurance brokers or an authorized insurer can help you with the packages available that cover the management liability insurance.

12. Cyber insurance

With technology taking a center stage in most of the business activities, cyber insurance cater to cover for data breaches and costs arising due to such an event. It can help you with claims and cover costs for any legal expenses as a result of cyber hacks.

13. Business interruption insurance

Business interruption insurance is one of the policies that fall under the comprehensive business insurance policy. This can come to help you with your cash flows and pay loans, bills and expenses after a major incident that has brought your business to ground. Apart from property and stock insurance that is mostly preferred by customers, this insurance which is almost overlooked for its benefits, can actually help to restart and sustain your business back to normalcy, after a major mishap.

14. Professional indemnity insurance

Professional indemnity insurance provides a cover for all the legal action taken against your for a faulty advice or for an unprofessional service that has lead to loss for an individual or a firm. Business who are in the field of giving professional service including but not limited to audit & accounting, medical services, legal services and the like.

15. Tax audit

A lot of businesses in Australia opt for the tax audit insurance. This can provide a cover for the costs audit preparations and accountancy.