You probably already know that every business that operates out of a brick-and-mortar location needs to have a solid business insurance plan in place. This insurance will protect the company and its owners in the event of a disaster or accident that results, or could result, in serious losses.
But if you’re starting an internet based company, do you really need to invest in business insurance? After all, you’re operating your business in a virtual environment online. Continue reading to learn more.
First, the Basics of Startup Business Insurance
Before you figure out whether or not you need to purchase a business insurance plan for your internet startup, let’s go over what business insurance covers, or the types of business insurance out there.
Basically, business insurance can range from general liability, business income, management and professional liability, and property insurance, to workers’ compensation insurance, commercial auto, commercial umbrella, and commercial flood insurance.
As you can see, there’s a wide range of coverage to choose from. But all of these plans are meant to give you the security you need to operate your business daily without fear of losses.
What Will Your Internet Business Do?
To determine the type of business insurance that your internet startup needs, consider what your business will do. However, since you’ll be dealing with the public in some capacity, even if only in a virtual space, you should purchase some general liability insurance, even if you operate your business from home. This will give you financial protection if you’re ever sued, even for non-physical lawsuits, such as libel or slander.
If you will be operating a vehicle for your business, you should purchase auto insurance. If you are going to be hiring a lot of employees, you need workers’ compensation insurance. And if you will be running your business out of a facility that is in a flood-prone zone, you should purchase commercial flood insurance.
Protecting Yourself is Important
Regardless of what type of business you operate, whether you work from home, you run an Internet business or ecommerce store, or you have a facility that welcomes customers every day, some type of business insurance is necessary in order to protect your assets and ensure you don’t lose everything in the event of a lawsuit or even a natural disaster like a flood.
But when it comes to picking the right business insurance, look for the policies that not only give you the appropriate level of coverage, but that also fit your budget. Since you are a startup, you should not go overboard with the amount of coverage you get; instead, just get what you need, as you can always add to it later on.
For help with finding the best business insurance plan for your Internet startup, check out sites like BizInsure, where you can gain access to more helpful tips and information, as well as get a variety of free quotes to compare so you find the plan that is right for your business.