Why Business Owners Need an Umbrella Policy

Posted January 29 2015


Umbrella Policy

Many of us work hard and save up to buy a home, car, save for retirement, etc. Things that are symbolic for success and hard work, and also provide security for you and your family’s future. But what if all of that could be taken away from you? All of that hard work, years and years of saving and planning gone in an instant. All because you were the cause of a major accident, or someone injured themselves at a party you were throwing at your house. Accidents can happen anywhere, anytime, and are never expected. So don’t go through life worrying about when or where an accident is going to happen trying to keep it from happening, you will lose your mind. Just make sure you have a good umbrella policy to give you coverage in those events. And no, I’m not talking about that umbrella. Sometimes you need more coverage 

There are times when your business or company will need coverage. Whether you are working with a company that requires you to have more coverage than your general liability policy. Rather than increasing your general liability, many times you can get an umbrella policy to cover the rest. For example. Say your general liability gives you coverage for $1 million, and you are doing work for a company who will only work with you if you have $2 million in coverage. It may make sense to take out an umbrella policy to cover that extra $1 million.

Excess Liability 

Many times, an umbrella policy can be referred to as excess liability. The excess coverage kicks in when the underlying limits on your general liability policy have been exhausted, or your have been sued for something that it doesn’t cover. It can cover you for many things that your business has nothing to do with such as eviction, defamation, false imprisonment, personal injury, invasion of privacy, malicious prosecution, and wrongful entry. Protection against slander and defamation could be a crucial feature to protecting yourself, as word of mouth and negative publicity can ruin a business. 

Lawsuits happen more than you may think

It’s not uncommon for someone to be involved in an accident and immediately look to sue. All it can take is for someone to slip and fall while walking on your property. If that should ever happen, it could destroy your business and financial security. Did I mention that lawsuits are costly? 

You have A LOT to protect

Many people don’t realize all the things they can lose in a lawsuit. Just because you don’t have $1 million in your bank account doesn’t mean you don’t need that kind of coverage. There is more at stake than which you know such as your retirement funds, investments, future earnings, and even the equity in home. If that doesn’t make you reassess whether you need an umbrella policy, I don’t know what will. 

If you own a business, and are looking for protection and would like more information about umbrella policies, MHG Insurance Brokers would be happy to assist you. Also, if you are looking to purchase other various forms of business insurance such as General Liability or Professional Liability, our insurance specialists have the experience to assist your business and offer advice in finding the perfect plan to fit all of its needs. Contact MHG Insurance Brokers today at +1 954-828-1819 or +44 (0) 1624 678668 or visit us online at mhginsurance.com.