Commercial Liability
As a business owner, you face potential liability claims and lawsuits alleging you, your employee or product caused injury to someone or their property. Commercial Liability coverage is the first line of defense against the most common liability claims, including incidents that occur on your premises, or even product liability for items you sell. Our Business Owner's policy allows you to combine your commercial liability and property coverage to deliver a broad business insurance policy.
Commercial Liability Protection Includes:
- Bodily Injury
- Damage to Property of Others
- Personal and Advertising Injury
- Fire Legal Liability
- Water Legal Liability
- Medical Payments
- Punitive and Exemplary Damages (where permitted by law)
- Legal and Defense Costs*
*Legal and Defense costs are either included in the limit of liability or in addition to the limit of liability
Premises Liability
While veterinary offices focus on animals as their primary patients, those animals are brought in by human beings. If one of the owners has an accident at your business premises they can be harmed physically. The customer waiting area must be kept clean of animal waste and loose animals in order to prevent slips, trips, and falls. Leashes and carriers should be required to protect customers and other animals. Premises liability coverage, as part of a commercial general liability policy, provides the needed protection. It offers bodily injury and property damage coverage related to the ownership or maintenance of business premises.
Shared Property
Premises Liability coverage can become more complex when maintenance and control of a property is shared between a landlord and lessee. If your veterinary office rents business facilities to use for business purposes, this section of your commercial liability policy is important. Whether you rent the offices that you run your business from or you simply rent buildings to use for kennels or pet daycares, the owner of the property that you rent may require your company to carry this coverage. Premises liability coverage gives you—and your guests—the protection you need.
Products Liability
Many veterinary offices sell products in addition to providing services. Products liability exposure is moderate if the veterinarian is selling animal food and supplies. The exposure increases to that of a manufacturer if the veterinarian modifies or sells a directly imported product. When you sell a product, you can be held liable if that product causes harm or injury. Products and completed operations coverage is the part of your general liability insurance that protects you from these risks. It pays for repairs, damages, or injuries that are caused by products you sold or services rendered.
Cyber Liability
Whether through criminal activity of others, unintentional improper records disposal, or accidental exposure, data breach incidents are increasing in number and severity. Pharmacists Mutual offers valuable cyber liability insurance for your business. Our coverage can help protect you and your business in the event of an accidental breach or criminal cyber-attack.
Cyber liability protection includes:
- Costs to recover and restore data that is lost or damaged
- Lost income due to interruption or failure of your computer systems
- Security response services including legal, public relations, and customer notification expenses
- Regulatory fines and penalties for violations of privacy regulations such as HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)
- Lost income and expenses from a cyber extortion threat or act of cyber terrorism
- Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard assessment and defense costs due to a security breach
Employment Practices Liability
In every business there is risk, and unfortunately, that includes risks involving your employees. As you know, laws and regulations related to hiring, terminating, and managing employees are constantly changing and evolving. The rules regarding how you interact with employees arise from all levels of government – federal, state, counties, and cities.
Pharmacists Mutual's Employment Practices Liability coverage endorsement provides our
members with protection against administrative proceedings and lawsuits
alleging:
- Wrongful employment practices,
including failure to hire or promote
and wrongful discipline or termination - Employment-related discrimination
- Third-party (customers or vendors) discrimination or harassment
- Employment-related sexual and
other harassment - Retaliation
- Employment-related defamation or infliction of emotional distress
For more information on products and coverage, contact your local field agent.