Has your business been affected by any natural disaster? Are you worried about the expenses when you don’t have a sufficient income?
Don’t worry, because Business Income Insurance is the answer to your problems. It is practically a necessity for businesses today, where there is more uncertainty than ever.
Income Insurance works as income protection or business interruption insurance and protects the business against losing their income during a covered loss.
For instance, suppose your business recently suffered fire damage and cannot run its regular operations to generate revenue. The income insurance helps with the lost earnings until you get it up and running again.
Are you concerned about learning more about running things smoothly and paying operating costs while your business is busy recovering from damages? Luckily, we’ve compiled the important information for you.
Introduction To Business Income Insurance
In simple terms, business income insurance is a lifeguard that saves a sinking business if an unexpected wave hits you hard. It is not sold separately but added to the Business Owner’s Policy (BOP).
Key Takeaways
- Business Income insurance covers the lost income in a scenario where the business is set to pause due to an unforeseen physical loss or damage.
- The Business Owner’s Policy covers:
- Operating Costs
- Rent Payments and Mortgage
- Temporary Relocation
- Loan Payment
- Payroll and Wages
- Taxes
- On rare occasions, the business income insurance can apply to situations where a nearby business is affected with physical damage and civil authority temporarily shuts down your business for safety purposes.
- Standard income insurance does not reimburse for a business that has been closed down due to a pandemic. Some of the all-risk insurance plans also tend to leave certain bacteria and viruses out of the policy.
- Property damage is not covered by business income insurance. It only pays for the income lost during the repairs and replacement of the damaged property.
Why Do We Need Business Income Coverage?
Business income insurance will help you protect your business operations against potential damage caused by theft, fire, or wind. The policy will come in handy when the business is recovering from losses.
Endorsements
You can add extra endorsements to your present Business Owner’s Policy. In fact, you may end up needing to add them if your business is dependent upon:
The Location: For example, hair salons are dependent on a physical location and specific tools to serve their clients.
The Equipment: Software houses rely on digital and physical property to run their operations, including serves, computers, and online storage.
Other Businesses To Generate Income: For example, small stores and businesses dependent on brick-and-mortar storefronts for their product display.
The Workings of Business Income Coverage
Business Income Insurance is designed to protect the business’ income from numerous, unforeseen risks. If a natural calamity hits your business and you can’t operate due to damaged property, this policy will help you recover some income loss.
The policy offers numerous insurance extensions and options to provide comprehensive coverage exposure. Some of these are mentioned below:
The Extension for Essential Personnel
Lost business earnings and extra expenses are covered when the office personnel are unexpectedly absent, ensuring smooth business operations.
Business Income Insurance for Cloud Service Disruption
Specifically designed for businesses that rely on online storage for data maintenance of vendors, employees, and clients. In case of an unexpected outage, the insurance would cover the income loss.
The Extension for Off-Premises Operations
This insurance type is offered for businesses working on an off-premises job site where there is a high risk of damage to tools and equipment.
The Extension for Off-Premises Utility Services
Any interruption in the business operations caused due to water services or power communications are covered under this.
Business Income Insurance for Electronic Vandalism
This insurance type protects businesses against electronic attacks, such as website hacking, that hinder business operations and result in income loss.
The Bottom Line
The point of having business income insurance is that small business owners can protect the income they earned with sweat and tears.
However, one policy does not fit all, which is why customization of insurance coverage is offered beyond what’s part of the Business Owner’s Policy.
To begin with, find the coverage that best suits you by comparing quotes from numerous insurance companies. And since it’s in front of your eyes, why wait? Reach out to Sterling Insurance today to make sure you succeed!