Company insurance is intended to safeguard the financial assets of a firm owner and is a vital investment for a boat winterization business.
This article will discuss the primary insurance coverage for boat winterization firms, general liability insurance, as well as additional policies that are appropriate for this industry.
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Boat Winterization Companies Need General Liability Insurance
Every firm, regardless of sector, has risks that should be insured. General liability insurance is the most frequent and comprehensive form of coverage that company owners purchase.
General liability insurance covers the following risks:
Physical harm
Damage to property
Medical expenses
Legal defence and decision
Personal and commercial harm
While general liability insurance is not legally needed for companies, operating without it is exceedingly dangerous. If your company is sued, you might face costs in the hundreds of thousands of dollars (or more). The only way to avoid this sort of catastrophe from destroying your organisation is to have an adequate general liability insurance coverage in place to assist pay for these losses.
GENERAL LIABILITY INSURANCE MAY COVER COMMON SITUATIONS FOR A BOAT WINTERIZATION BUSINESS
Example 1: While visiting your firm, an employee inadvertently knocks a customer down. In the fall, the customer fractures his arm and asks that you pay for his medical care. The wounded client’s medical expenditures would be covered by general liability insurance.
Example 2: An employee stumbles while transporting supplies around your building, loses control of the dolly, and bangs into a client’s fancy automobile. The client’s car repair expenses would be covered by general liability insurance.
Example 3: While winterizing a client’s yacht, she stumbles over a box of cleaning supplies, falls to the ground, and sues your company. Your legal defence and any needed settlement would be covered by general liability insurance.
Of course, this is not an entire list of risks covered by a general liability insurance policy, and certain situations may result in a specific peril not being covered. To minimise coverage gaps, it’s always better to speak with your agent about the terms of your policy.
General Liability Insurance Cost
Boat winterization companies in America typically pay between $400 and $1,100 per year for $1 million in general liability insurance.
The cost of your coverage will be determined by a number of variables. Among them are your:
Location
Deductible
Employees’ number
Per-occurrence restriction
The overall aggregate limit
You may be able to get general liability insurance at a lower cost if you buy it as part of a business owner’s policy (BOP) rather than as a separate policy. A business interruption policy (BOP) is a more complete option that covers numerous types of coverage, such as business interruption and property insurance.
Other Types of Boat Winterization Coverage Required by Businesses
While general liability insurance is the most crucial, there are various different types of coverage to be aware of. Other forms of insurance that all boat winterization firms should have include:
Insurance for Professional Liability
While you work hard to winterize your clients’ boats to the best of your abilities, errors are inevitable. If one of your customers sues your company for negligence due to mistakes, professional liability insurance will pay your legal bills as well as any needed compensation.
Insurance for Commercial Property
You spent a lot of money on the goods and equipment you’ll need to winterize your customers’ boats. Commercial property insurance would cover the expense of repairing or replacing your business-related property in the case of a fire, theft, or natural catastrophe. This covers structural damage to your building as well as company equipment and supplies stored there.
Types of Insurance That Some Boat Winterization Companies May Require
In addition to the insurance listed above, your boat winterization company may need other forms of coverage based on particular features of your activities. Some of them may not apply to you, so be sure to ask your agent whether policies are appropriate for your company.
Insurance for Workers’ Compensation
Workers’ compensation insurance is required in most states for both part-time and full-time employees. This coverage covers your workers if they are hurt at work or get sick as a result of a workplace accident. It covers not just an employee’s medical expenditures and missed pay if they need time off to recuperate, but also any disability or death benefits resulting from a work-related accident.
Umbrella Insurance for Businesses
While most claims are covered by your general liability insurance policy, certain incidents or lawsuits may be so severe that they threaten to deplete the limits of your main coverage. Commercial umbrella insurance protects you from having to pay for legal expenses and awarded damages that exceed the limits of your main policy out of pocket.
Additional Security Measures for Your Company
Although investing in company insurance is simple (and necessary), it should not be your first line of defence. Yes, insurance will reimburse your company for cash losses incurred as a result of an occurrence, but it is much preferable to avoid losses altogether.
With this in mind, here are a few steps you can take to better secure your company:
Make use of legally binding contracts and other business agreements. (We provide free templates for several of the most often used legal forms.)
To safeguard your personal assets, form a limited liability company (LLC) or a corporation. (To discover how to incorporate an LLC or company in your state, see our step-by-step tutorials.)
Keep your company licences up to date.
Streamline the internal procedures of your company. This will remove unnecessary variables from common tasks and create a safe, consistent environment for conducting business.
If your business is an LLC, look into LLC Insurance.