Company insurance is intended to safeguard the financial assets of a business owner and is a necessary investment for an art classes business.
This article will discuss the primary insurance coverage for art classes firms, general liability insurance, as well as additional policies that are appropriate for this industry.
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.
Example 1: One of your pupils misses a wet floor sign after you’ve just cleaned it. She stumbles and falls, breaking her arm. She sues your firm, alleging that you caused her injuries. Your general liability coverage will cover the expense of your legal defence, including any settlement if you settle out of court.
Example 2: A visitor comes to your workshop to see the work of your pupils. He stumbles while going up a small flight of stairs, shattering his wrist. He requests that your company pay for his medical care. This is most likely covered by your general liability coverage.
Example 3: One of your rivals accuses you of slandering them in your most recent marketing effort, and you must defend yourself legally. Your general liability insurance will cover your legal expenses, including any settlement.
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.
The typical art lesson company in the United States costs $300-600 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.
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 art instruction firms should have include:
You’ve spent a lot of money on art materials and equipment. If they were damaged in a fire, storm, or other unforeseen incident, they would be expensive to repair. A commercial property insurance coverage can provide you with the financial assistance you need to replace your supplies and equipment so you can go back to business.
Your courses must match your high standards, but there is no assurance that one of your pupils will not judge that you have caused injury via your teaching. Professional liability insurance for teachers may be customised to protect against negligence claims resulting from errors or failure to perform. If you were sued, your coverage would cover the cost of your legal defence.
In addition to the insurance listed above, your art classes company may need other forms of coverage based on particular elements 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.
If you have employees, your state will almost certainly need you to get workers’ compensation insurance. Your workers will have coverage for medical expenditures incurred as a result of work-related injuries with this insurance. It will also assist in covering missed income as they recuperate.
Commercial car insurance is required if you use a vehicle mainly for business purposes, such as picking up art supplies, teaching at student homes, and other work-related duties. If you cause an accident, it will pay for the damages caused by the accident as well as medical care for anybody who is wounded.
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 eliminate unneeded variables from routine activities and establish a secure, consistent environment in which to do business.
If your company is an LLC, you should check into LLC insurance.