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

If you are a manufacturer’s representative with limited inventory, some companies will cover your business with the Businessowners policy. The Businessowners 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.

If you cannot qualify for a Businessowners 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 wholesale 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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