Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Why Your Business Needs Public Liability Insurance


When you run a business that operates in the public sphere in any capacity, public liability insurance is an integral piece of how it will run day to day. Whether you own a small one-man operation that sells small goods in a town centre, or are in charge of a huge building company that's constructing your city's newest skyscraper, there won't be any self-respecting businesses who are currently operating without the safety net of public liability insurance.

Although the specific details of each public liability insurance policy will vary from time to time, it is an absolutely essential part of business life. And you can gauge just how essential it is by considering the effects of not taking out liability insurance:

If a customer of yours bought one of your products and was injured, or was hurt on your premises - or perhaps if someone was accidentally wounded by your staff's negligence - you could be sued for damages. If the claimant was successful, then you'd be liable to pay, from your own pocket, their compensation - not to mention the legal fees which can sometimes dwarf the actual compensation settlement. Eve after a relatively innocuous accident, you may find yourself having to pay a six-figure sum. Is that a fee that your business could afford to pay? A small outlay every month or year will protect you against the worst happening, and giving you the peace of mind to continue providing your important service.

What's more, public liability insurance is often requested by clients before you start to work for them. Having a strong insurance policy in place will impress them, assuring them that you're a responsible company, and their significant investment in you is a safe one. What's more, if it's found that you didn't have a public liability insurance scheme in place when you should have, you'll be liable to even greater punishments.

In these days, when some companies do skirt the uncomfortable line between profit and loss, companies can't afford the dangerous consequences of a court case gone wrong. An insurance policy guards against that.

The good news is that it's easier than ever to find a flexible insurance policy that suits you down to the very last detail - and the prices are often cheaper than you think. Be sure to shop around and to use insurance comparison websites, who will often be able to get you more competitive quotes than would be possible if you went straight to them. And try looking at different times of the day; it's true that an insurance policy will vary in its fees throughout the day, and you may find a cheaper deal in the morning or late at night.

Quite simply, there's no choice to make between securing your business with a strong policy and not. Why not look today how much a public liability insurance policy would cost you?