Company insurance is intended to safeguard the financial assets of a business owner and is a necessary investment for a contact centre.
This article will discuss the primary insurance coverage for contact centres, general liability insurance, as well as additional policies that are appropriate for this industry.
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Call Center 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.
COMMON SITUATIONS FOR WHICH GENERAL LIABILITY INSURANCE MAY PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR A CALL CENTER
Example 1: A customer calls your contact centre. He stumbles over a box left on the sidewalk on his way to the bathroom. He fractures his wrist and requests that you cover the cost of his medical care. This is most likely covered by your general liability insurance.
Example 2: One of your rivals has assessed that your most recent marketing effort has slandered his company. You are very positive that you did not commit libel, but you are aware that you will need the services of an attorney to defend your company. Your legal defence expenditures will be covered by your general liability insurance coverage.
Example 3: A contact centre visitor is walking in from the parking lot when she stumbles on some ice and fractures her hip. She sues your company, saying that you should have maintained the area clear of ice. Your general liability insurance will cover your legal bills, as well as the cost of a settlement if one is necessary.
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
In the United States, contact centres pay between $400 and $700 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 Coverage Call Centers Require
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 contact centres should have are as follows:
Insurance for Workers’ Compensation
When you have employees, you must obtain workers’ compensation insurance to cover them if they are harmed while doing job-related activities. If you are an employer, your state most certainly requires you to have workers’ compensation insurance. As long as you have a policy in place, your workers may get medical care for work-related injuries as well as compensation for missed income while they recuperate.
Insurance for Commercial Property
You have spent a large amount of money in the equipment used to run your contact centre. If you were to lose it in an unforeseen occurrence, such as a fire, you could find it difficult to replace it financially. You may make a claim for business property insurance and get assistance from your insurer with replacement expenses as long as the loss was caused by a covered occurrence.
Coverage Options for Some Call Centers
In addition to the policies listed above, your contact centre may need other forms of coverage based on particular features of your business. Some of them may not apply to you, so be sure to ask your agent whether policies are appropriate for your company.
Umbrella Insurance for Businesses
A commercial umbrella insurance policy is intended to cover your company in the event that the limits of your general liability insurance are surpassed. This may occur under specific circumstances, such as if you lose a large case. When the limitations of your general liability insurance are reached, the umbrella policy kicks in and pays until the policy’s limits are reached.
Insurance for Professional Liability
Professional liability insurance protects your company from negligence lawsuits arising from errors or failures to perform. If one of your customers chooses to sue you because of faults made by your company, your coverage will cover your legal defence costs, as well as any settlements that are necessary.
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 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.