Commercial Insurance - Get it right or risk everything!

For many businesses buying business insurance or commercial insurance is one of their biggest expenses on the balance sheet. This article looks at what happens if you get it wrong when buying commercial insurance. Or don't buy it at all.

If you own a business there is every chance you will try your very best to make sure it is run in the correct way. From employing the right staff to what service providers to use, you are faced with decisions at every turn to make sure your business runs smoothly and hassle free.

The trouble with running a business (and indeed life in general) is that the unexpected often happens and as a business owner it is your responsibility that if the unexpected does happen your business isn't affected too much.

And that is where buying commercial insurance for your business is so important.

Here are just a few examples of things that can happen to businesses and what might happen in the event of no insurance, the wrong insurance and right commercial insurance being in place.

Landlord Building Insurance Claim

You are a property owner with a portfolio of house, flats, apartments and commercial property. You have decided that the chances of anything happening to your new block of flats is pretty remote as they are currently empty so you have decided to either not insure them or you have not got around to telling your insurance broker.

Over the weekend your newly built and decorated flats are broken into and the brand new kitchen and bathroom suites are ripped out and stolen.

What happens now?

1. With no insurance you basically have to pay for everything

2. If you did actually get around to getting the flats insured but decided to exclude theft cover (what with no tenants and no furniture you may have done this to save some money). As the damage caused was as a direct result of theft then once again it is possible the damage costs will have to met by you.

3. If you have correct level of landlord building insurance in place you ring your insurance broker, they hopefully sort the repairs and replacement of items with your insurance company and the flats are restored to their original state leaving you with just a small excess (or deductable to pay).

So for the sake of a relatively small landlord insurance premium you could be left with a bill for hundreds or thousands of pounds. Hardly worth the risk right?

So maybe you are thinking that if you have a portfolio of properties you would definitely make sure they are covered. What about if you just have one though and money is tight? There is every chance you might take the risk and either have no insurance or insurance that does not meet your needs.

People and businesses do it all the time. When money is tight a service like insurance is often the first thing to be sacrificed.

It maybe that you have just forgotten to renew your commercial property insurance or business insurance policy. With so many other things to think about that could easily happen.

Here is another example of a claim that could be made against you:

Commercial Property Insurance Claim

You own a small business and need commercial property insurance for your factory. You know by law that employers liability insurance is needed so you always make sure this is in place. What about the factory though? The staff are all experienced, you have an alarm and people know what they should be doing (and more importantly what they shouldn't be doing). The risk seems pretty low so when a fire happens overnight you are left with the following scenarios:

1. With no insurance your business is potentially destroyed as the burden of starting all over again is with you.

2. You actually just renewed your commercial combined insurance policy so you are covered. Well done. However to make your premium cheaper you decided on a very big excess (or deductable) and you decided against business interruption insurance. The result being that you are left in a position without the correct cover needed for your business to recover.

3. You got advice from your insurance broker, they discussed the cover you really need and they made sure your excess was at a sensible and affordable figure. The result is they act to make sure you get a interim payment on the claim and that your business continues – just for the sake of a small premium and excess.

Most people do not like insurance but for any business owner, business manager or person responsible for making sure the business is protection it really is a vital purchase.

Get the right business insurance cover and if a loss occurs you will know the business is in safe hands. Risk having no commercial insurance or not getting the right business insurance cover can leave you and your business with nowhere to turn. Is it worth the risk?

Landlord Insurance - Top Tips for Property Owners

If you are a landlord or property owner you will no doubt face many challenges when it comes to letting your property or properties. From finding the right tenants (or letting agency) to dealing with tenants queries and a multitude of other issues your time is often at a premium.

Here are some tips for landlords along with some answers that many property owners ask on a regular basis about how best you can make sure your properties are protected.

What can I do to protect my property?

Insurance is available so that in the event of a loss (by an insured event) you will be protected and covered. In order to reduce the chances of a loss you can however take certain steps to help. These include:

- Make your property more secure by installing deadlocks on doors and locks on the windows.

- Install an alarm system. Many insurers will offer a lower premium because you have lowered the risk of loss through theft. For certain postal areas a minimum level of security will be required.

- Remove potential fire hazards from around the outside of the house as well as inside - particularly around the kitchen.

- Make sure you have working smoke detectors and a suitable fire extinguisher. Put the extinguisher somewhere handy and make sure members of your household know how to use it.

What should I insure my contents for?

As a landlord, it's quite possible that the property that you are letting contains contents that you own. It is important to note these contents and ensure that you have provided adequate cover for them in your insurance policy. It might be worth doing a room by room inventory and working exactly what level of cover you require. Again though if you are in any doubt, just ask.


How can landlords minimize financial losses related to repairs and maintenance?

You can avoid many problems by maintaining the property in excellent condition.

Here's how:

- Use a written checklist to inspect the premises and fix any problems before new tenants move in.

- Encourage tenants to immediately report safety or security problems such as plumbing, heating, broken doors or steps - whether in the tenant's unit or in common areas such as hallways and garages.

- Keep a written log of all tenant complaints and repair requests with details as to how and when problems were fixed.

- Handle urgent repairs as soon as possible - take care of any safety issues within 24 hours. Keep tenants informed as to when and how the repairs will be made.

- Twice a year, give tenants a checklist on which to report potential safety hazards or maintenance problems that might have been overlooked. Use the same checklist to personally inspect all rental units once a year.

Also, your commitment to repair and maintenance procedures should be clearly set out in the lease or rental agreement.

Owning a property or a portfolio of properties can be very rewarding so follow these simple tips and make sure you and your properties are protected at all times.

For further information on Landlords Insurance or tips on being a landlord or property owner visit Landlord Insurance or www.northerncounties.com/landlord-insurance.php