If you run a business out of your home, or are thinking about it, there's more to ensuring your success than a solid idea, a business plan, and hard work. There's also protecting your livelihood with a home-based business insurance policy. Because, while entrepreneurs are accustomed to taking risks, running a home-based business without a safety net is one risk not worth taking as it could be financially devastating if the worst should happen.
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Who needs home-based business insurance?
Anyone who runs a business out of their home, should ensure that they're adequately protected. For some, an extension on a home insurance policy might do, but for many entrepreneurs a home-based business policy is a better way to go because it offers more coverage for more risks. Its primary objective is to protect your business and the risks that come with being a small business owner.
- Related Read: Insurance Tips for Home-Based Startups
With the help of industry experts, TruShield, we've pulled together a list of businesses that are commonly run out of the home that would benefit from the protections offered by a home-based business insurance policy. Granted, there are far more that could be included in this list; however, these are the home-based businesses that were top of mind:
- Management Consultants
- Cleaners and Janitorial services
- Photographers
- Seamstress and Tailor services
- Caterers and Bakers
- Beauty Parlors
- Graphic Designers
- Barber Shops (in home hair care)
- Interior Designer/Home Stager
- Marketing Consultants
As varied as this list is, each business shares many of the same risks, and a home-based business policy would cover:
- Theft of the company's equipment, tools, computer, laptop, phone, or inventory; it would also cover loss or damage if a result of something like a fire
- Being sued by a client, customer, or courier, who slips and falls at your home
- Being sued for damages if the product or service you sell, in some way causes harm to a customer
- Damage you inadvertently cause while visiting a client or customer
- Business interruption if an event, like water damage or fire, makes it impossible to work out of the home
Of course, no two business are the exact same, which is why, depending on the nature of the business, some entrepreneurs will want to look into adding some "extras" to their policy like:
- Professional liability coverage: If your home-based business involves you providing professional advice you may need errors and omissions coverage. A mistake that causes a client to lose money, could be financially devastating to your business if it leads to a lawsuit.
- Cyber protection: Technology has made it easier than ever to run a business from home, but it has also opened up a whole host of risks. Data breaches and being hacked can be costly, and small businesses are often the target.
Protect your home-based business
Home-based business insurance can help protect you from a significant loss that could have a devastating impact on your business making it an important part of your business plan. Protect everything that you're working hard to achieve and compare home-based business insurance quotes today at Kanetix.ca
