Insurance Guide

Business Insurance

Business insurance, like many types of expenditure, is one of those items that business owners typically do not like to pay. You must remember that sufficient insurance can be as critical to the success of your business as a good product or service. Without proper insurance you could lose all the money, time and effort you put into your company. The types and amounts of coverage you purchase must be evaluated on a cost – benefit basis like any other commodity that you purchase. Your insurance broker can help you review the amount of coverage your business requires. Usually you will want to insure against risks that could have significant detrimental impact on your business. This normally would include items such as fire, storm damage, theft, employers, public liability and products liability. Depending on the nature and size of your business it is often a good idea to self-insure for all or a portion of certain losses. Often raising the deductible (excess) can have a very favourable impact on the policy premium. The administrative cost to the insurance company to process small claims is quite high; consequently, the rates typically go down substantially if they are relieved of this expense by insuring losses in excess of a sizeable deductible amount. An insurance broker can provide you with comparative costs for various types of cover and varying degrees of deductible amounts.

Required Policies

The insurance cover required by law is employers’ liability and third party motor insurance. Your insurance broker can explain the required cover and help you purchase the correct policy. You must be aware that the terms of your building, office lease or mortgage may require you to carry certain kinds of insurance cover in specified minimum amounts. If you have leased equipment or have borrowed money from a bank or other lenders, there will usually be insurance requirements in the agreement relating to these transactions. There are many other types of policies that you may wish to consider. Specific cover is provided by each policy and a qualified insurance broker can explain the related costs in-depth.

Some types of insurance cover that you should consider for your business are listed below.

Public Liability – this will protect you from any liabilities to a third party (other than your employees) for bodily injury or loss/damage to their property that may occur during the normal operation of your business.
Employers’ Liability – if you are a limited company or employ anyone outside your immediate family, you are required by law to purchase employers’ liability insurance. This insurance offers you protection for any liability arising from injury or illness sustained by employees whilst they are working for you.
Professional Indemnity - often referred to as professional liability insurance or PI insurance, this covers legal costs and expenses incurred in your defence, as well as any damages or costs that may be awarded, if you are alleged to have provided inadequate advice, services or designs that cause your client to lose money.
Business contents - protects the possessions and equipment in your work premises. A typical business contents insurance policy will cover damage or loss to furniture, tools and equipment as a result of a fire, flood or theft.
Products Liability – this will protect you from any liabilities to a third party (other than your employees) for bodily injury or damage to their property that may occur from the products you have sold or supplied.

Keyman Insurance

Keyman insurance is a type of insurance policy that a company can take out on the life of an important employee or founder. In the context of a tech company, keyman insurance can be especially important because the loss of a key employee can have a significant impact on the company's operations and financial health.

In a tech company, there are often individuals who play a critical role in the company's success. For example, the CEO or a top software developer may have unique skills, knowledge, and experience that are difficult to replace. If one of these key employees were to die unexpectedly, it could cause a major disruption to the company's operations, and potentially even lead to the company's failure.

Keyman insurance can also help mitigate the financial risk associated with the loss of a key employee. With keyman insurance, the company takes out a policy on the life of the employee, and in the event of their unexpected death, the company receives a payout. This payout can be used to cover the costs associated with finding and training a replacement, as well as any other expenses incurred as a result of the employee's loss.

In addition to providing financial protection, keyman insurance can also be an important factor in attracting and retaining top talent. Knowing that their employer has taken steps to protect their family and the company in the event of their unexpected death can provide employees with peace of mind and make them more likely to stay with the company for the long term.

In conclusion, keyman insurance is an important consideration for any tech company that relies on its employees for its success. By providing financial protection and peace of mind, keyman insurance can help ensure that the company is able to continue operating smoothly in the event of the unexpected loss of a key member of the team.