New York Business Insurance

As part of the beauty and wellness industry, cosmetologists and beauticians have direct and personal interactions with their clients every single day. While this may be one reason why cosmetologists choose to enter the beauty industry, it also carries certain risks, including client claims of emotional distress, bodily injury, personal injury, treatments gone wrong, and property damage. Regardless of whether these allegations have a factual basis, such claims can be detrimental to a cosmetologist's business.

Professional liability insurance, also called errors and omissions insurance (E&O insurance), protects against lawsuits claiming that a business has negligently performed its services. In the cosmetology industry, a case like this might arise if a cosmetologist's assistant uses the wrong makeup on a client. The client suffers an allergic reaction and has to cancel an audition to seek medical treatment. The client sues the cosmetologist for emotional distress and loss of wages.

New York cosmetologists can also benefit from general liability insurance, which protects against lawsuits claiming property damage, slander and bodily injury. Even an accident can lead to a lawsuit needing general liability insurance. For example, a cosmetologist performing hair and makeup services for a bridal party accidently drops red lipstick on the bride’s wedding dress which does not come out. The bride sues the makeup artist for damages to her dress and mental distress. 

Whether they take pictures for weddings or for New York's fashion leaders, photographers have to communicate with clients, navigate challenging environments, and get the perfect image—all while managing their valuable equipment. A photographer's job can be exciting, but all that excitement can bring a heightened risk.

General liability insurance, which protects against a third party's claims of bodily injury or property damage, provides another layer of protection. A photographer might face claims like these if a client trips over a tripod and sues to cover associated medical costs or if the photographer's assistant is later heard gossiping about a high-profile client, who subsequently files a libel or defamation lawsuit.

Photographers can find peace of mind by securing errors and omissions insurance, which covers claims against businesses that provide professional services. These claims might arise, for example, if a faulty memory card prevents a photographer from delivering photographs to a client or if a difficult client is dissatisfied with a photographer's work.

In addition, a business owner's policy (BOP) is an excellent way to protect the investment photographers make into their professional equipment. For example, if a photographer's camera bag falls off a table and onto a concrete floor, damaging a lens and a portable hard drive, a Hiscox business owner's policy could provide coverage for the damaged equipment and help cover the data recovery cost. 
 

From wedding planners to corporate event specialists to nightlife experts, event planners and promoters deal with a wide variety of clients and a large swath of the public. Combined with the emotional high stakes of many events—and the alcohol that accompanies them—an event planner has to navigate numerous hazards. 

One way that event planners and promoters can protect their businesses is by securing general liability insurance, which protects against claims of bodily injury or property damage. This coverage is typically expected by most event venues, as injuries at crowded parties are not uncommon. It can also protect against any accidental damage caused, for example, if the event's decorations damage the paint on the wall's venue—a concern in many of New York's historic buildings.

Reliable professional liability insurance coverage is another safeguard in the high-stress event planning industry. This insurance covers claims against businesses that provide professional services, and because emotions run high when events go awry, lawsuits—even frivolous ones—can arise. For example, if a difficult client's wedding is not exactly as she had dreamed, she may decide to sue.

Event planners can also benefit from a business owner's policy (BOP), as it can cover damage to their own property or equipment, such as if a laptop gets stolen during a busy event.

Painters are exposed to potential liability whenever they enter a residential home, an apartment building, or a commercial building for interior painting. Services such as removing old wall coverings or disposing of lead-based paints can expose employees and clients to hazards, and painters could potentially face lawsuits over slip-and-fall accidents, damaging paint spills, and even employees' comments about clients during break times. For all of these reasons, Hiscox provides custom insurance that can fit each New York painting business's specific needs.

General liability insurance is one of the most important types of insurance for a small painting business to have. It protects against bodily injury, so if a client trips over a painter's ladder and breaks an ankle, the policy will cover the costs of the client's medical bill. It also protects against property damage, so if paint spills during a job and damages a client's carpet, the policy will cover the costs associated with replacing the carpet. General liability includes coverage for claims of personal injury.  Imagine an employee is at lunch and starts talking to the shop's owner about a client in a false and unflattering way, and the client subsequently hears about this discussion and sues for slander. his policy will cover the claim and pay for a defense attorney, if necessary.

Because their services might include offering managerial advice, maintaining confidential information, and recommending marketing and sales strategies, the work of a business consultant in New York is uniquely varied and sensitive, so it can benefit from a range of small business insurance policies.

Errors and omissions insurance is an essential safeguard for business consultants. It covers claims against businesses that provide professional and personal services, and it offers protection in cases where the business consultant did not make a mistake. For example, if a business consultant advises a client to change an internal process to increase productivity but the client does not implement the recommendations as specified and productivity subsequently drops, then the client may decide to sue the business consultant. Hiscox E&O insurance can help cover the associated legal costs in cases like this.

General liability insurance, which protects against claims of bodily injury or property damage, is also helpful for a business consultant who spends a great deal of time traveling to company headquarters, branch offices, and clients' homes to discuss plans and strategies. If a prospective client slips and falls in the consultant's office or the consultant accidentally knocks over an expensive vase while visiting a client's office, general liability insurance will cover the costs of medical care or property repair.

Business consultants can also benefit from a business owner's policy (BOP), which combines general liability insurance and business property insurance. It can cover damage to one’s own property or equipment, such as if laptops, webcams, phones or printers are damaged in a fire.

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 client trips over their personal trainers workout bag during their training session and breaks their ankle. A general liability insurance policy could cover the claim for medical expenses up to the policy limits.
• Property damage: A tax preparer gets contracted to do a major corporation’s taxes on site. While setting up the tax preparer spills his tea over the corporation’s server causing irreparable damage. A general liability policy could cover the claim, up to policy limits.
• Personal injury: An consultant within a public relations company is overheard talking about one of the company’s top client’s in a rude and unflattering way. The client hears about what was said and sues the company for slander. General liability insurance could cover the subsequent claim, up to general liability policy limits.

Learn about how much general liability insurance costs. 

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:

• Dissatisfied client: A marketing consultant is working for a client who continually changes the scope of the project. When the consultant is not able to meet the original deadline for the expanded project, the client sues. Even if you haven’t made a mistake, professional liability insurance coverage could cover the cost of defending you up to policy limits.
• Negligence: An investment consultant advises a client to invest in a start-up company that goes bankrupt in a year. It is later discovered that the consultant did not thoroughly research the company before advising the client to invest, and the client sues. A professional liability insurance policy could protect the consultant, including defense costs, up to policy limits.

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:

• Office insurance for fire and business interruption.
• Electronic data loss insurance.
• Hired or non-owned vehicle liability insurance.
• Commercial crime insurance to cover the dishonesty of your employees.

Learn more about business owners insurance.