Don’t expect your homeowners policy to give you coverage.

The following are the most commonly insured service classes of business by a Business owners policy. The Business owners policy provides broad coverages for buildings, personal property, loss of business income and extra expense incurred to remain in business (after a fire or other covered cause of loss), premises liability and medical payments. If you have more than $1,000 of goods off premises in transit, you will need to add additional coverage. Goods stored at other locations must be added to the policy.

The following are the most commonly insured service classes of business by a Business owners policy. If your service business is not on this list, it probably will need to be insured by the individually designed commercial package policy or similar specialty policy.

• Appliance and Accessories – installation, servicing or repair – Commercial or Household
• Bakeries (with baking on premises)
• Barber Shops and Beauty Parlors and Hair Styling Salons
• Dental Laboratories
• Engraving
• Funeral Homes or Chapels
• Laundries and Dry Cleaning or Dyeing Receiving Stations
• Lithographing
• Mailing or Addressing Companies
• Photocopy Services
• Photoengraving
• Photographers
• Printing
• Shoe Repair Shops
• Tailoring or Dressmaking Establishments-Custom
• Taxidermists
• Television or Radio Receiving Set Installation or Repair
• Watch, Clock and Jewelry Repair

If you cannot qualify for a Business owners policy, your agent will probably have to build a special commercial package policy to meet your needs. You will need a competent commercial lines agent to help you. Commercial lines agents have both the expertise to design the appropriate coverage and the markets for your service business.

You will need workers compensation coverage for any employee – even part timers.

You may need commercial automobile insurance if you deliver anything or if your vehicle is larger than a car, van or small pickup or if the vehicle is owned by a corporation.

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