Tag: Equipment Coverage

Does my business really need Inland Marine Insurance?

Isn’t that equipment covered under my other policies?  Why do I need Inland Marine Insurance Coverage?

 

Commercial insurance is one of the most important things any small business owner will ever buy.  It may not seem that this is a fact when purchasing coverage, but in the event of a disaster; the right coverage can mean the difference between a temporary set-back and closing the doors of your business permanently.  One coverage that far too frequently goes overlooked is inland marine coverage.  Below I will tell you what exactly inland marine coverage is and why your business needs it.

International Risk Management Institute

According to the International Risk Management Institute, Inland Marine Insurance is: “Property insurance for property in transit over land, certain types of moveable property, instrumentalities of transportation (such as bridges, roads, and piers, instrumentalities of communication (such as television and radio towers), and legal liability exposures of bailees. Many inland marine coverage forms provide coverage without regard to the location of the covered property; these are sometimes called “floater” policies. As a group, inland marine coverage forms are generally broader than property coverage forms.”

Commonly confused with “marine insurance,” which covers products when transported over water, inland marine insurance covers products, materials and equipment when transported over land, via truck or train.  This coverage can also cover products while temporarily warehoused by a third party. The most frequent reasons for a claim involving this coverage is because of collisions and cargo theft.

Inland Marine InsuranceA couple of the most common small businesses with a need for this coverage are landscaping companies and photographers, but really any business with specialized equipment that may be taken away from the home or office is in need of this coverage.  This can include something as simple as an employee taking a laptop with them on a trip to a conference paid for by the company.  If this or something similar is a common occurrence within your company than you can protect those losses with an inland marine insurance policy.

One common problem many business owners seem to make is that an inland marine risk is covered by other coverages.  Many owners of Landscaping Companies think all the equipment being hauled on a trailer is covered by their commercial auto insurance policy.  That is incorrect.  The vehicle is covered by a commercial auto policy, but the trailer and anything carried on the trailer are not a covered peril unless you have an additional inland marine policy.

Speaking with a trusted independent insurance agent may be your best way to determine if you need this coverage and how much your business is at risk.  An independent agent will be able to quote a policy with several different carriers.  An agent with only one or a small number of carriers will not be able to get you the absolute best coverage at rock bottom prices because they only partner with a select few carriers.  Choosing an agent with whom you have a great deal of trust in can also help you determine if you need this risk at all.  A good agent is your partner and what is best for your business is best for them, because it will help them retain your business year after year.  Insurance agents should only be recommending coverages to your business if they are a need of your business. If you have chosen an agent with whom you trust than you can rest assured that if they recommend it than there is a need. Agents do not only sell coverage; they also have to interact with customers when the inevitable occurs. Many times because they have to interact with businesses after a catastrophic loss that was not covered they have a unique view of risk management.  This is information you should take to heart if you value your business.

Inland Marine Insurance Coverage

Four things to remember when purchasing Inland Marine Coverage.

 

Inland Marine Coverage is frequently referred to as ‘Floaters’ or ‘Equipment’ Coverage. That is because it is designed to protect equipment that a business owns, leases or rents that is not a vehicle or a piece of property. It is also typically equipment that is going to be transported in some way shape or form. This can include a mower that a landscaping business is transporting to a clients premises or a product being delivered to a customer. Many business owners think this part of their business is covered by their basic general liability policy, but that is incorrect. If they partner with a good insurance agent they know what is and what is not covered by each of the policy they may or may not be purchasing for their business. If you find that inland marine coverage is right for your business, here are four things to keep in mind in relation to this policy.

  • Choose an agent who partners with many carriers and not just a select few. 
  • Determine the proper classification code for your business. 
  • Inventory all equipment that needs to be protected under the policy.   
  • Establish a good working relationship with your Insurance Agent.

Choose an agent who partners with many carriers and not just a select few. 

By choosing an agent who partners with many different carriers you are allowing yourself to let the insurance agent shop the policy for you. Some agents work with only one carrier or just a select few carriers. This means they are not able to make sure you are getting the absolute best coverage at the best price. You can always shop the coverage around to several agents, but wouldn’t your time be better spent running your business. Finding an agent you trust and who knows your industry well can allow you to let the insurance professionals do their job. It allows you to get back to doing what you do best, which is running your business.

Determine the proper classification code for your business. 

Most industries have several classification codes within the industry. Insurance agents and insurance carriers are in the business of analyzing risk. It is in the best interest of their business to always assume more risk until proven otherwise. If you are in a less risky classification code within your industry the agent and carrier are only going to know this if you bring it to their attention. Otherwise they will probably assume your business takes on more risk. This will result in you paying more premium and may cause some claims to not be covered. Now, these mistakes typically do get fixed at the end of term audit, but even when they are fixed you still have been tying up cash into premium you did not owe that could have been used to reinvest in your business. In some cases if you are classified into a less risky class code you will owe more in premium after the audit. In the worst case scenarios your claim may not be covered because you are misclassified and the carrier would not have offered coverage in your higher risk class code.

Inventory all equipment that needs to be protected under the policy.  

It is very important to keep an up to date inventory of all the equipment you want listed under your Inland Marine Coverage Policy. Taking pictures of the equipment is a good idea as well because if there is a claim you will get replacement level value for the equipment that is damaged or destroyed. If you have an expensive version of whatever piece of equipment you are covering the best way to prove that is with a picture. Keeping this information on file with your agent and especially your carrier is crucial when a claim does occur.

Establish a good working relationship with your Insurance Agent.

The better relationship you have with your agent the smoother the process will be when you go to renew your policy and when a claim inevitably does occur. If they know you, your business and what is important to you as a business owner they can better insure your business the way you want it to be protected. Some business owners are okay with excepting some of the risk. Other business owners want to be protect to the fullest limits of the policy. The agent can only attempt to cover your business the way you want them to if you let them know what you expect and how you run your business. This relationship can also come in handy when a claim does occur. If you were combative during the quoting process and then your business has a claim six weeks into your term it does not speak highly of the way you operate your business. On the contrary, if you take some extra time to explain all the intricacies of your business and the way in which you want to be insured during the quoting process it starts off the relationship on the right foot. Later when a claim does occur this process will move through much more smoothly and your agent will be much more likely to go to bat for you with the insurance carrier.

What is Inland Marine Insurance?

Also referred to as “Equipment Coverage”, Inland Marine Coverage is coverage specifically for property that is likely to be moved or in transit. It is a highly specialized type of property that requires a unique valuation. This can include products that you are having shipped across the country, but it can also apply to a tractor. This type of coverage is essential for many business owners and the best way to determine if you need it is to have a strong trusting relationship with your insurance agent and tell them everything about your daily operations.

Inland Marine CoverageNow many business owners have an initial reaction to being offered inland marine coverage. That reaction frequently is that this coverage does not apply to my business. In many cases a business owner feels their insurance agent is just trying to tack on an extra coverage. A coverage that they do not really need and in some cases, they might be correct. Again, if you have an insurance agent that you trust they should be able to explain this coverage and help you determine if it is right for you. Any agent worth their weight will not be mentioning a coverage that has no benefit to you the business owner. You might have a difference of opinion about what the risk is, but an agent should never recommend something you do not need.

The best way for an insurance agent to stay in business is to keep you the customer happy. Keeping you happy occurs by saving you money on your policy up front, but also in making sure you are fully covered when incidents do occur. This is where you may differ in opinion about the risks your business faces and about the amount of risk you as a business owner are willing to take. It is the job of the insurance agent to make you aware of these risks and offer the products for you to protect your business to the fullest.

Now I speak about this relationship with your agent, because Inland Marine Coverage is a specialized product in the insurance industry. It is very important for some business owners to have, but many business owners do not carry it and many do not understand how going without it puts their business at risks. First take the example of a construction business who has just a general liability and workers compensation policy. This is typically the bare minimum to get your business up and running. If your construction business is operating away from your business residence than all of your tools are not covered under your either of the policies you have in place. If you were to severely damage a tractor or some other type of expensive equipment than you are responsible for any repairs that might occur. Say you have an expensive piece of machinery that you cannot operate without. If you do not have cash on hand to repair or replace that piece of equipment what is your business going to do? If you have an Inland Marine Policy in place than you can replace that piece of equipment through your insurance policy.

Again having a good relationship with your agent and speaking honestly with them about your daily operations can go a long way towards determining whether you need Inland Marine Coverage. Having open and honest discussions with your agent allow you to determine what risks you have and how much risk you are willing to take as a business owner. The amount of risk a business owner is willing to take is different for every business. Your agent works with all types of business owners on a daily basis. If you are the type of owner who is willing to take on more risk, you should make that known to your agent. At the same time you should partner with an agent you trust and listen to them when they recommend some type of coverage. If they are the type of agent you should be doing business with than they will not be recommending something that is not in your best interest.