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Demystifying Insurance Jargon for Australian Businesses

Business Insurance Manufacturing Insurance

Demystifying Insurance Jargon for Australian Businesses

Running a business in Australia is no easy feat. Between managing operations, marketing your brand, and keeping up with regulations, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. At FD Beck Insurance Brokers, we understand the importance of clear communication, especially when it comes to the often-confusing world of business insurance.

That’s why we’ve created this guide to demystify some of the most common insurance jargon you might encounter:

1. PL Insurance: Public Liability Insurance

This policy protects your business from claims made by third parties who suffer injury or property damage due to your negligence or that of your employees. Think of it as a safety net if someone trips and falls on your premises. For example, if a customer slips on a wet floor at your cafe, Public Liability Insurance could cover legal costs and damages.

2. Product Liability Insurance:

This covers claims against your business for injuries or property damage caused by a faulty product you manufacture, distribute, or sell. This is crucial if your business deals with physical goods, as even a seemingly minor defect can lead to expensive legal claims.

Consider a toy manufacturer producing a toy that turns out to be hazardous, such as posing a choking hazard. Facing potential legal challenges, the financial burden of a legal action could be overwhelming. Product Liability acts as a vital safety net, helping the business manage these issues without jeopardising its operations.

3. PI Insurance: Professional Indemnity

If your business provides professional services like accounting, engineering, or consulting, or advice, a professional indemnity insurance policy protects you from claims of negligence, breach of duty, or errors and omissions. It safeguards your reputation and finances if a client claims your services caused them financial loss. Imagine a situation involving an IT consultancy firm mistakenly gives incorrect advice that results in a client’s data breach, the consequences could be severe.

Not only could this damage the consultancy’s reputation, but it might also lead to costly legal battles or settlements. Professional Indemnity Insurance helps cover these legal costs and any damages awarded, ensuring that the business can recover without enduring catastrophic financial losses. This coverage is essential for maintaining trust and operational stability in professional service sectors.

Management Liability Insurance

Management Liability insurance is designed to provide protection to both the business and its directors or officers for claims of wrongful acts in the management of the business.

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Business Insurance

A business insurance pack can provide cover for your business premises and contents, against loss, damage, theft or financial loss from an insured interruption to the business.

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Business Package

Purchase up to six products under one Business Insurance Package.

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4. BI Insurance: Business Interruption

Imagine your business facing a fire, flood, or another unforeseen event that forces you to shut down temporarily. Business Interruption insurance covers lost income and fixed expenses like rent and payroll during that period, helping you get back on your feet faster.

5. Deductible: Excess

This is the amount you, the policyholder, are responsible for paying before your insurance kicks in. This is a predetermined amount set when you purchase the policy. A higher excess typically results in lower premiums, but it also means you’ll need to pay more out of pocket in the event of a claim.

However, while choosing a higher excess can make your regular premiums more affordable, it does mean that you will face higher initial costs when you need to make a claim. This could be significant, depending on the nature of the claim and the set deductible amount. Therefore, when selecting your excess, it’s important to strike a balance between affordable premium costs and a deductible amount that won’t be financially burdensome if you need to make a claim. This decision should align with your financial situation and your risk tolerance, ensuring that you can comfortably handle the deductible amount if an incident occurs.

6. Claims Made vs. Occurrence Based

Claims made insurance covers claims reported during the policy period, regardless of when the incident occurred. In contrast, occurrence-based insurance only covers incidents that happened within the policy period, even if the claim is reported later.

7. Indemnity

This is the principle under which an insurance company financially restores the policyholder to the position they were in before the insured event occurred. For instance, if property is damaged by a covered risk, the insurance will cover repair costs or replacement value to the pre-damage condition, adhering strictly to the terms of the policy.

8. Subrogation

When you make a claim, your insurer may have the right to pursue the party responsible for the loss to recover the money they paid out. This process is called subrogation. For example, if your car is damaged in a collision where another driver is at fault, after compensating you for your loss, your insurance company can seek reimbursement from the at-fault driver or their insurance company through subrogation.

Subrogation is not only about recovering funds but also about ensuring that responsibility is correctly assigned and that negligent or liable parties are held accountable for their actions. This helps in promoting fairness and responsibility across the board, which is fundamental to the operations and sustainability of insurance systems.

Remember, this is just a starting point. Each policy has its own specific terms and conditions, so it’s crucial to read your policy documents carefully and ask your insurance broker any questions you may have.

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General Advice Warning: This advice is general and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider whether the advice is appropriate for you and your personal circumstances. Before you make any decision about whether to acquire a certain product, you should obtain and read the relevant product disclosure statement.

All information above has been provided by the author.

FD Beck Insurance Brokers, ABN 68 004 455 038, AFSL 233784

This article originally appeared on Demystifying Insurance Jargon for Australian Businesses and has been published here with permission.