Massachusetts Business Insurance

From other business's storefronts to private homes to prestigious corporate offices, a handyperson in Massachusetts will serve a wide variety of clients in a range of settings. The everyday risk of handling others' personal property can benefit from custom, comprehensive small business insurance, and an insurance policy inspires confidence in clients when they're deciding which handyperson or company to hire for a repair or improvement project.

Most handypersons choose to be covered by general liability insurance, which offers several essential benefits. Because it protects against bodily injury, the handyperson's business will be protected if, for example, a client trips over the handyperson's toolbox, falls, and breaks an ankle. The policy will cover the costs of the client's medical care. Because it protects against property damage, it will cover the costs of items that may be broken if, for example, an employee knocks over a valuable lamp or painting. And because it protects against personal damage, the business will be protected if, for example, an employee on his lunch break is overheard gossiping about a client in a false and unflattering way, and the client subsequently hears about the discussion and sues for slander. In those cases, the policy will cover the resulting claim and pay for a defense attorney when necessary.

From cleaning services that specialize in residential homes to janitorial businesses that focus on commercial buildings, Massachusetts's cleaning professionals face certain risks every day. They handle delicate and expensive items, they use harsh chemicals, they work on-site at customers' offices and homes, and they operate cleaning equipment owned by clients. Even baseless liability claims can strain a business's time and assets, so Hiscox specializes in providing tailored coverage that protects cleaning professionals from potentially litigious situations.

Most cleaning professionals choose the protection of general liability insurance, which protects against a third party's claims of bodily injury or property damage. Protection against bodily injury might be needed if, for example, a client slips on a freshly mopped floor and sprains an ankle; even if the client's injuries don't seem to be the employee's fault, the cleaning business can still be held liable for the cost of the client's medical care. In another scenario, an employee of the cleaning service might knock over an expensive antique while dusting a shelf; the customer may demand that the cleaning service pay for the cost of repairing or replacing the item. General liability insurance also protects against claims of personal injury, such as if an employee is overheard gossiping about a client, who then sues the business for slander.

Whether they serve commercial customers, residential homeowners or both, a lawn care provider in Massachusetts might operate heavy equipment around homes, use sharp tools near clients, and handle harsh chemicals—all activities that bring a heightened risk of bodily injury and property damage that can expose lawn care businesses to potential liability. For all of these reasons, Hiscox provides custom insurance that can fit the specific needs of each Massachusetts lawn care business.

General liability insurance is one of the most important types of insurance for a lawn care business to have. It protects against bodily injury, so if a client trips over a garden hose and twists an ankle, the policy will cover the costs of the client's medical care. It also protects against property damage, so if an employee is working on a client's lawn and accidentally cracks a window, the policy will cover the costs associated with repairing or replacing the glass. And because it protects against personal injury, the business will be covered if an employee is on a break and starts talking to a coffee shop employee about a client in a false and unflattering way, and that client subsequently hears about this discussion and sues for slander.

Because they work every day with delicate personal and business information—as well as high-end equipment—the numerous IT consultants working in Boston and beyond can benefit from the protection of a comprehensive small business insurance policy.

One essential protection can come from professional liability insurance, also called errors and omissions insurance, which safeguards businesses that provide professional services. This policy would protect an IT consultant if, for example, they review a client's website security in order to implement new procedures, the client's website is later hacked ,and they lose revenue because the site is down. The client make might make a claim of faulty work, but even if the IT consultant hasn't made a mistake, Hiscox would appoint a lawyer to defend the business against the claims if necessary.

General liability insurance, which protects against claims of bodily injury or property damage, would also protect an IT consultant if, for example, they accidentally break a desk when visiting a client’s office. And a business owner's policy, which combines general liability insurance and business property insurance, would cover damage to the IT consultant's property or equipment, such as if a laptop gets stolen or an office is flooded by a burst pipe.

With work that brings them directly inside clients' homes and businesses, electricians in Massachusetts face a level of risk every day from clients who might sue for slip-and-fall accidents, personal injury, property damage, and more. While the majority of an electrician's jobs will go smoothly, a reliable insurance policy can prevent headaches and drains on the business's time and finances in the future.

That's why most electricians choose the protection of general liability insurance, which protects against claims of bodily injury or property damage. This would protect the electrician's business if, for example, an electrician is rewiring an office space and, despite warnings, an office worker trips and falls over the electrician's equipment; the insurance policy would cover the costs of the injured worker's medical care. The policy would also cover the costs of property damages incurred if, for example, an electrician is drilling into a client's wall, hits an existing wire, and sparks a small fire. And because it protects against claims of personal injury, the general liability insurance policy would also cover claims incurred if the electrician's assistant is overheard gossiping about a client in a false and unflattering way, and the client hears about it and subsequently sues for slander.

General liability insurance, known as Commercial General Liability (CGL), protects your business from another person or business’s claims of bodily injury, associated medical costs, and damage to property. Some examples of what could be covered are below:

• Bodily injury: A customer comes into a real estate office on a rainy day and slips on the tile floor, breaking their arm. The store owner is liable for the medical costs associated with the customer's injury, but could be protected by a general liability insurance policy.
• Property damage/data loss: An HR consultant has a client company's payroll records on their laptop. The laptop is damaged and the data cannot be recovered. The consultant's general liability policy could cover the costs associated with recreating the lost data.
• Make-up spill: A make-up artist went to a bride's home to do the bridal party's make-up before the wedding. She spilled liquid eyeliner on an expensive carpet, staining it. The bride's parents sued for the cost to clean the carpet. General liability insurance protects beauticians and cosmetologists against third party claims of property damage, bodily injury and related medical costs.

Learn more about general liability insurance costs for your business. 

Professional liability insurance, also known as errors and omissions insurance (E&O insurance), covers another person’s claims against businesses that provide professional and personal services. Some examples of what could be covered include:

• Slander: A property manager was overheard talking to a tenant about the building's owner. The property manager made comments that were negative and untrue. The statements were repeated to the owner of the building, who sued the property manager. Professional liability insurance protects property managers against claims of negligence and will appoint an attorney to defend them, if needed, even if they haven't made a mistake.
• Protection even if you haven't made a mistake: A personal trainer suggests a new exercise to a client. The client fails to disclose to the trainer that he had back surgery recently and the new exercise causes back pain. The client sues the trainer. A professional liability insurance policy could protect the trainer, even if they didn't make a mistake.

Learn more about professional liability insurance.

Business owners policy (BOP) is a combination of general liability and business property insurance. BOP is often used to provide balanced coverage for small businesses who also want to protect their own business equipment. Some examples of what could be covered are below:

• A marketing consultant leaves a work laptop at the office. Overnight, a thief breaks into the office and is captured on video stealing the laptop. A Business Owner’s Policy could cover the cost the replace the stolen laptop.
• An IT consultant’s server is damaged and it cannot be repaired. The cost to replace the server could be covered by the consultant’s Business Owner’s Policy.

Learn more about business owners insurance.