As you may expect, a business insurance policy is tailored more to the needs of businesses and designed to cover risks they may face on a day-to-day basis. It’s important to understand the differences between the various types of coverage (with all inclusions being subject to your insurer’s terms and conditions). Some of the main policies on offer include:
Public liability insurance
Public liability insurance can cover your business if a member of the public is injured or their property is damaged as a result of your business activity, subject to the terms and qualification criteria set by your insurer. Owners and operators can generally choose between claim limits of $5 million, $10 million or $20 million, though you may be able to access more in certain situations.
What it covers:
- Third-party personal injury claims
- Third-party property damage claims
- The legal costs of defending yourself
Product liability insurance
Product liability insurance may be able to offer your business protection against claims a product you supplied, whether manufactured by you or imported and sold, caused harm to a third party or damaged their property. You may find available claim limits similar to those offered under public liability insurance.
What it covers:
- Claims that a product you supplied caused sickness or injury
- Third-party property damage claims
- Legal fees to defend yourself against such claims
Professional indemnity insurance
Professional indemnity insurance can offer cover against claims the advice you gave or service you provided was negligent, sub-standard or caused loss or harm. It may also cover circumstances such as mistakes, incorrect diagnoses, miscalculations and breach of duty. Cover can start at $250,000 and may go up to $10 million (though more may be available by individual negotiation with some insurers).
What it covers:
- Payment of compensation
- Payment of damages
- Legal defence costs
- Cost of defending yourself during investigations
General business insurance
General business insurance is an insurance package which can offer coverage against other risks, such as those facing your physical business premises and assets. The coverage this type of insurance offers is broader than other, more specific types of insurance.
What it covers:
- Fires, storms, water damage
- Explosions and impacts
- Accidental damage
- Theft following forceable entry into a locked building
- Theft of equipment which is securely attached to a vehicle
Because this is a bundle, you may also be able to add policies such as public liability and professional indemnity cover into the one package with some insurers. Additionally, some of the other types of insurance which you may also be able to add to your general business insurance package include:
- Commercial property insurance (which may offer a higher level of protection for your business premises)
- Glass breakage (which is a common business insurance exclusion)
- Business interruption (which can cover your bills if you have to close your business while recovering from an insured event)
- Cyber liability insurance (which can protect you from many forms of cybercrime)
- Tax audit (which can cover some of your costs if you’re subject to an ATO audit)
- Management liability (which can offer cover to business owners and directors against claims of mismanagement)
Accident and sickness insurance
Accident and sickness insurance can cover self-employed individuals who are injured or suffer an illness which prevents them from working and earning a living. Unlike the other types of cover listed above, an accident and sickness insurance benefit is an ongoing payment worth up to 85% of your income (depending on your insurer’s terms and conditions) made over either one or two years (your chosen benefit period). You’ll also have to choose a waiting period to sit before your benefits commence, which generally ranges from seven to 28 days.
What it covers:
- Loss of income as a result of illness
- Loss of income as a result of an accident
- Optional extras including death and disablement benefits