If you’re a contractor or sub-contractor, you will likely find yourself signing contracts for clients or a project manager. Likewise, if you own a retail business or operate any type of office, you are probably required to sign a contract with your landlord.
Many business owners don’t realize that contracts contain insurance and indemnity requirements. Once you sign on the dotted line, you’ve made a commitment to abide by those requirements, regardless of whether or not they make sense for your situation. Whether it’s a two or thirty page document, you should always have your insurance broker review prior to signing it. Here are some of the reasons why:
What coverage is required?
A contract will usually state what type of coverage is required for you to have and in what amounts. This could range from property insurance, liability insurance, equipment breakdown, business interruption or even construction insurance. It’s not uncommon to see cookie-cutter contracts that ask for just about everything. If there’s something not applicable to your business or a limit that seems too high for your exposure, your broker will identify this and you can ask for it to be removed or altered so you’re not forced to pay for coverage you don’t need. Your broker can also quote increases in coverage or additional types of coverage, so that you’re fully aware of the extra cost going in.
What insurance clauses are required?
In addition to the type of coverage required, there are often specific insurance clauses that are outlined in a contract. At a basic level, these can include naming specific parties as Additional Insured’s, a Waiver of Subrogation, Notice of Cancellation of your insurance policy, Products and Completed Operations coverage being maintained for a certain period of time after the project is complete, and many others. Some of these clauses may cost extra and most will need to be approved by your insurance company. Similar to above, if you identify these ahead of time, you can request unreasonable requirements be removed or amended or at least determine whether or not your current insurance company can comply.
Lastly, having your insurance broker review your contracts will help them better understand your business and operations, ensuring that you have the right coverage in place. If you need help reviewing insurance requirements or want to learn more about the clauses above, contact us at Bullfrog Insurance today.