As a business owner, you need quality insurance coverage for your company. LLC business insurance is designed to protect limited liability companies from issues that come up during normal operations. For example, it can cover claims due to bodily injury or financial loss that leave your business on the hook for tens of thousands of dollars. Without proper coverage, a bill like that could be devastating.
This overview of LLC business insurance will help you understand what this type of insurance covers, how the policies work, and why you need it.
What is business insurance for an LLC?
An LLC safeguards your personal assets from claims against your business—but what’s protecting your business? That’s where LLC business insurance comes in.
LLC business insurance can cover liability claims, including bodily injury and property damage. If a customer gets injured on your property or an employee breaks a customer’s belongings, that customer is entitled to bring suit against your business. Lawsuits are expensive and time-consuming, and most small businesses can’t afford to pay legal fees and settlements out of pocket. That’s why owners rely on LLC business insurance to protect themselves against financial loss.
So, what kind of coverage does LLC business insurance provide? There are two broad types: general liability insurance and professional liability insurance.
- General liability insurance protects LLCs against claims for bodily injury, property damage, reputational harm, and advertising injury. Even though general liability insurance isn’t required by law in most states, the financial protection is certainly nice to have should an accident happen.
- Professional liability insurance is typically used by professional services firms. If a customer feels like they received inadequate service, such as bad legal advice or a medical misdiagnosis, they can file a lawsuit against that service provider. Accountants, real estate agents, doctors, lawyers, and consultants are just some of the businesses that can benefit from this coverage.
Additional policies can also include worker’s compensation, commercial auto and property insurance, and business interruptions insurance. This coverage can often be bundled with your LLC business insurance to help save money.
The cost of these insurance policies may vary. They depend on a number of considerations, including company size, industry, annual revenue, claims history, special risks, and more. You can get an individual quote when you contact potential insurance carriers.
Do I need LLC insurance?
Certain types of LLC business insurance are required by law in some states and industries. For example, you’ll likely need to purchase workers’ compensation, disability insurance, and unemployment insurance if you have any employees.
Even if you aren’t legally required to, having LLC insurance is always a good idea. Without it, you’ll be forced to pay legal, medical, or other costs out of pocket, which is often impossible for smaller businesses.
When considering which policies you’ll need, think about the type of company you run and other special factors. For example, construction companies often need to insure their workers, their equipment, and their commercial vehicles. Because construction is an inherently dangerous profession—and the potential for harming clients is high—owners can expect to spend more on coverage than a white-collar LLC with no employees.
It’s also useful to know how much the average claim against your company may be. For example, personal injury claims usually cost tens of thousands of dollars. Severe accidents can be even higher. Standard general liability policies typically cover up to $1 million per incident, or $2 million in the aggregate per policy period.
Knowing the most likely claim types and average amounts will ensure that you get adequate coverage for what’s most likely to go wrong. If something does happen, your company will be protected—even if the accident or mistake was your business’s fault.
How to get business insurance for an LLC
Getting LLC business insurance is much like signing up for a personal insurance policy. When you get a quote, the carrier will have questions about your company. Factors that influence cost and policy type include:
- Business type: High-risk businesses typically pay more for general liability insurance.
- Experience: Newer companies may pay higher premiums than established businesses since they’re riskier.
- Building type: The size, location, and overall condition of your commercial property will factor into the coverage amount.
- Claims history: If your company had a lot of insurance claims in the past, it may be considered higher risk.
- Specific policy details: Finally, the policy itself, including deductibles and coverage limits, will affect the cost.
General liability insurance costs, on average, $42 per month, although some companies pay less than $25 per month. The best way to find out how much you’ll pay is to talk to potential insurers to get a quote.
Next, consider bundling your business insurance policies to save money. Whether you’re planning to take out general liability, professional liability, or both, most companies will need additional policies. For instance, taking out a business owners’ policy bundles general liability and commercial property insurance. While these policies can be taken out separately, many carriers offer cost-saving bundles.
The process of applying for business insurance is relatively simple. Before you start researching companies and calling for quotes, you’ll need to gather the following information:
- Contact information
- Your business type and industry
- Number of employees
- Location details, including whether you rent or own the business
- Proof of time in business
- Projected revenue for the next year
Next, you can start calling insurers and comparing policies. You should have a general idea of which kinds of insurance you’ll need. Insurance agents will be happy to give you a free quote. Remember, because insurers set their own prices (and may differ in their risk tolerance), you’re likely to receive a range of prices.
Discover the financial support your business needs
Insuring your company is the best way to protect against unpleasant surprises. You never know when accidents will happen or mistakes will be made. Getting business insurance for an LLC will help your company weather even the toughest storms.
