Florida Business Insurance

General liability insurance, also known as commercial general liability (CGL), protects your Florida small business against another person or business’s claims of bodily injury, associated medical costs, and damage to property. Here are some examples of what could be covered.

• Bodily injury: It is raining outside, and a client hastily enters a spa and slips on the floor, which does not have a wet floor sign. The client sustains injuries and makes a claim against the spa owner. A general liability insurance policy could cover the client’s medical costs, including lost wages that result from the injury.
• Property damage: A consultant is working in a new client’s office when they accidentally spill coffee on the client’s server. The machine is damaged beyond repair and valuable data is lost. The consultant’s general liability insurance could cover the cost to replace the server and recover the data.
• Personal injury: A tax preparer is overheard talking about a client in a false and unflattering way. The client finds out about the conversation and sues for slander. The tax preparer’s general liability policy could cover the defense costs as well as a settlement or judgment.

Learn more about general liability insurance costs to make a smart and forward-thinking decision for your business.

Professional liability insurance, also known as errors and omissions (E&O) insurance, covers claims against businesses that provide professional and personal services. Here are some examples of what could be covered.

• Bad advice: A personal trainer creates a workout plan for a new client. After a few weeks of following the workout plan, the client begins to experience some pain related to an injury sustained years before. The client failed to mention the injury but sues the personal trainer anyway for negligence. A professional liability insurance policy could protect them, by covering defense costs and a settlement or judgment.
• Failure to provide contracted services: A photographer is hired to take photos for a 25th anniversary party but neglects to take pictures of key family members. The client may make a claim against the photographer regarding failure to fully deliver the services agreed upon. Professional liability coverage could cover the claim and pay for an attorney to defend the photographer if necessary.

Learn more about professional liability insurance.

Cyber security insurance, sometimes called cyber liability or cyber risk insurance, can protect Florida businesses from the costs associated with a data breach, extortion threat or security failure. Here are some things that could be covered.

• Ransomware: An employee receives an email that appears to come from a reputable source and clicks on a link in the message. The email is from a hacker, and clicking the link causes the system to freeze and display a message demanding a ransom to restore the data. A cyber security insurance policy could provide expert assistance to restore the data and get the business back up and running.
• Business interruption: A consultant’s computer is infected with malware, preventing them from doing any business until the virus is eliminated. The revenue lost while their system was down could be covered by their cyber security insurance policy.
• Expert breach response: An ecommerce site has a data breach and must notify all affected parties and provide credit monitoring. Their cyber security insurance policy could cover the claim costs and provide expert assistance in complying with the appropriate regulations.

Learn more about cyber security insurance.

Hiscox covers various types of massage therapists, acupressurists, acupuncturists, and spa owners. If a client decides to file a claim because they suffered an injury during a massage session or develops chronic pain as a result of a massage therapist’s mistake, Hiscox’s professional liability and general liability insurance policies could protect the therapist and their small business.

Professional liability insurance can support a business in the unfortunate event that the therapist, trainer, or instructor has made a mistake — even if it wasn’t their fault. This could include pain or an injury suffered by a client during a muscle-stretching exercise or deep tissue massage that was not recognized at the time by either party.

If your practice employs more than four employees in Florida, then the business is required to obtain workers’ compensation coverage.

Home service businesses with one or more employees in Florida are required by law to obtain workers’ compensation coverage. It is important to find out if your business falls within the state’s definition of a construction company to determine if this requirement applies to you.

Home service contractors in Florida can obtain general liability insurance, which can be tailored for artisan contractors and subcontractors, HVAC contractors, landscapers, painters, plumbers, and more. General liability insurance covers these practitioners against bodily injury, personal injury, and property loss. This type of coverage could also help cover medical costs in the event that a client trips over a tool or ladder and injures themself. Professional liability insurance can cover these kinds of businesses for faulty workmanship, negligence, and more.

While landscapers can turn a boring lawn into a beautiful gardenscape complete with stone walkways, fountains and more, it is rigorous work. These businesses often work with multiple employees who pull weeds, plant flora, and install fountains and stone walkways, which is why it is critical for these professionals to consider proper insurance to protect them from bodily injury, property damage, and personal injury claims. As such, it is important to remember that landscapers with four or more employees are required to obtain workers’ compensation coverage in the state of Florida.

If a customer falls due to a hazardous landscaping site in progress, general liability insurance from Hiscox could help cover the medical bills incurred by the customer. If a ladder or tool goes through a customer’s window and causes property damage, this insurance could also cover its replacement.

A life coach provides advice to enhance the lives of their customers. If a client is not satisfied with a service, or advice is taken the wrong way and results in a financial loss, professional liability insurance could support the business if the customer files a lawsuit.

Life coaches in Florida should consider general liability insurance to cover someone else’s claim that they were injured or their property was damaged at a seminar put on by the coach, or in their office, for example. Professional liability insurance could cover the cost of a lawsuit filed by a dissatisfied client, including the cost for the coach to defend themselves against the suit. And cyber security insurance could protect against the financial implications of a data breach or malware incident.

Realtors in Florida may seek both general and professional liability insurance if they find themselves cleaning and organizing a space before the arrival of potential homebuyers. While professional liability insurance protects Realtors from claims such as buyer’s remorse or wrongful (housing) discrimination, general liability helps cover costs that are incurred if a client slips in the Realtor’s office, or property damage occurs during an open house.

Real estate businesses in Florida with four or more employees are required by the state to obtain workers’ compensation coverage.