Business insurance is a straightforward concept. You pay for a policy and receive asset protection from an outside party in case of certain calamities. If your business suffers a loss, the insurance company pays back whatever the misfortune costs you. It’s a good deal that your business should take advantage of.
But how much business insurance is enough? We seek to answer this question to help you decide what’s best for your business.
How Much is Insurance for Businesses?
The average insurance cost for a small-scale business ranges between $14 and $124 per month. This amount can grow to tens of thousands of dollars for a large-scale business. The median monthly insurance cost is $63.
What Factors Determine Insurance Rates?
Business insurance premiums are calculated based on several factors, including
The Type and Size of Business
Small-scale businesses tend to have lower insurance rates. Insurance providers don’t want to pay many premiums if your business can’t afford them. Large businesses usually pay higher insurance premiums to sustain higher risk stakes.
Additionally, the type of service you offer influences your premiums. For example, construction businesses generally pay higher premiums than hospitality businesses since they possess higher risk.
Past Claims and/or Accidents
If your business has filed a claim in the past, insurance providers will consider that when calculating your premiums. Similarly, if your business has been involved in an accident, it will get a higher insurance rate. The more claims or accidents your business has been involved in, the higher your premiums will be.
The Location of Your Business
As you may have already guessed, businesses located in hazardous areas generally pay higher premiums. For example, businesses in areas prone to flood or with high crime rates will pay more insurance rates.
The Risk of Personal Injury
If your business involves a lot of physical labor, there is a higher risk of personal injury. Similarly, your insurance rates will increase if your employees use complicated or hazardous equipment. Your premiums will also increase if there is a risk of employee lawsuits.
How Do Insurance Providers Calculate Business Insurance Rates?
Here’s a step-by-step procedure for calculating business insurance premiums:
Personal Injury Liability Cover
Insurance providers calculate your personal injury liability based on your expected claim amounts and the size of your business’s insurance portfolio. The larger these two figures are, the lower your premiums will be. However, if you plan to offer insurance coverages that are rarely filed for, the premium is much higher. Examples include asbestos liability or genetic testing liability.
Property Insurance Cover
Premiums are calculated based on the value of your property. The higher the value, the higher your business insurance rates will be.
Property Insurance Cover
Insurance providers consider the type of equipment and how much it costs. The greater the value of your equipment, the higher your insurance rates will be.
Business Interruption Insurance Cover
The length of your downtime is what determines your business insurance rates for this coverage. The longer your business is closed, the higher the premiums.
Cyber Liability Insurance Cover
The costs of cyber liability insurance mainly depend on the size of your business and the type of data you handle. The latter can be both a help and a hindrance regarding your premiums.
Large volumes of highly sensitive data can raise your insurance rates, but showing that you have taken adequate care of the data can lower them. The fact that your business is cyber-secure can bring down your premiums by as much as 50%.
Methods for Calculating Business Insurance Compensations
There are two formulas insurance companies use to calculate business insurance rates. These are:
The Top Down Approach
In the top-down approach, insurance providers calculate loss by determining the difference in sales. Then, they subtract expenses the business could have incurred if operating normally.
The Bottom-Up Approach
In the bottom-up approach, insurance providers calculate compensations based on the actual claim. They then multiply it with a factor to determine insurance rates. This factor depends on the risk of that particular type of loss.
How Much Insurance Do I Need for My Business?
The amount of business insurance you need depends on your business‘s size and scope. You might only need enough to cover your assets if you’re running a small shop or a freelance business. Large companies, on the other hand, have extensive needs. They need to cover both their current assets and potential liabilities.
The size of your bank account shouldn’t determine how much insurance you get, though it is a factor. When deciding on how much insurance to get, think of your future. It would be best if you had enough to cover potential losses or damages.
Bottomline
The best way to determine the right amount of insurance is to talk to a professional agent. An agent can tailor your insurance needs to your business. They have access to numerous insurance companies, too. This allows them to find the best rates and offers.
