Are you a business owner? Are you ready for some startling statistics? Forbes says that around 36% to 53% of the small businesses in America are going to face a lawsuit each year. At any point in time, 90% of all small businesses in the USA are involved in litigation. Americans are some of the most litigious people on the planet. If you own a business, the question is not if you will be sued but when you will be sued.

Risk of Workers Suing

As long as you are not negligent, the risks from on-the-job accidents that can cause serious injury and/or death is why you need to have workers’ compensation insurance. It is the law that you must have this type of commercial insurance if you have just one employee.

Risk of Clients, Customers, and Strangers Suing

This risk is more severe because usually, you do not know about the problem until after it arises. If a clumsy customer falls down at your business, even if it is their fault, you may have exposure to a lawsuit.

This is why, even though it is not a legal requirement to have general liability insurance for your business; still, you must have it. A business owner would have to be crazy not to carry general liability insurance and risk everything they own.

General liability insurance is one of the most important types of insurance for a business. It is the foundation upon which all other insurance coverage is built. Work closely with your agent at Martin Insurance Team, serving Evergreen Park, IL, and the surrounding area, to make sure your coverage is adequate.

Your agent will conduct a thorough commercial insurance review and make suggestions of what level of general liability insurance is appropriate for your business as well as suggest other commercial insurance that goes along well with it to increase your protection from other risks.

Contact your agent at Martin Insurance Team in Evergreen Park, IL to get a quote for general liability insurance and for all your other commercial insurance needs.

If you own a business in Evergreen Park, IL and you have employees, it may be a good idea to familiarize yourself with workers’ compensation insurance options. If you’re just opening a business, you are probably aware that workers’ compensation is required by law. However, not all policies are created equal. Your agent at Martin Insurance Team can help you find a provider that best meets the needs of you and your employees.

What Is Workers’ Compensation Insurance?

Workers’ compensation insurance covers illness and injury experienced by someone who works for you during the normal course of business. There are some exemptions, so ask your agent for clarification on when workers’ compensation is mandated for your business. 

Whether or not you qualify for an exemption, you may want to consider getting coverage. Just one incident can generate medical and related expenses that may threaten your business’s financial standing. If you are legally required to have workers’ compensation and don’t get it, you could end up with a fine.

What’s Not Covered?

Injuries that occur outside of work or while commuting aren’t covered, nor is an intentional injury. If the employee comes to work under the influence of drugs or alcohol, they are not entitled to workers’ compensation.

Who Does Workers’ Comp Cover?

The answer depends on where your business is located. For example, seasonal employees may not be covered.

Should You Get Workers’ Compensation for a Sole Proprietorship?

Sole proprietors don’t typically need worker’s compensation.

When you need answers about workers’ comp in Evergreen Park, IL, contact Martin Insurance Team. You can ask any questions you have regarding insurance to protect your home or business. Make an appointment to get a quote that covers all your insurance needs. 

Vandalism is a sad reality for many business owners and paying to have it cleaned up can be pricy. You can, however, use your commercial insurance policy to help foot the bill. For those that live in the Evergreen Park, IL area, the agents with Martin Insurance Team can help you to find the policy that works best for you.

Your commercial policy covers more than you might think and the cost of repairing or covering up vandalism is one of those coverages. For the most part, your commercial policy, no matter who you have it through, is going to help cover the cost of repairs that are associated with vandalism within reason. It is likely not going to pay fully to have your building repaired but it may cover a portion of the cost. Some factors to keep in mind are the location of your building, where your business is located may make your insurance cost more than in other places.

If you have your business in a high crime area you may want to install cameras to help cut the cost of your insurance and make taking care of vandalism a bit easier. For the most part, it is not impossible to use your insurance to help pay for the cost of repairs associated with vandalism. You may have to do a bit more leg work but with a good agent on your side you should be able to get the claim handled. For those in the Evergreen Park, IL area, the agents with Martin Insurance Team can help you to get your commercial property protected, even from vandals. You put a great deal of work into your business and taking the time to get a policy that fully protects it is a must.  

An e-commerce business in Evergreen Park, IL still needs to have the right kinds of insurance in order to stay protected. An agent at Martin Insurance Team can help you find the right insurance for your business.

Liability Insurance: Liability insurance is needed because someone could hurt himself or herself with your product and sue your business. If you think that no one could possibly hurt himself or herself using your product, think again. Liability insurance is useful no matter what type of product you sell. Someone could have an allergic reaction to the material in your clothing or a child could choke on a small piece that isn’t supposed to break off. Even if the legal claim isn’t founded, someone will have to pay for the legal fees.

Property Insurance: Your e-commerce business will have products stored somewhere, so it’s important to protect those products in case something goes wrong. It can cover any loss, theft, or damage to your inventory. It can also cover any equipment that is damaged. If you run your e-commerce business from your home, then note that home insurance won’t cover any items related to your business.

Transit Insurance: This insurance applies if you are shipping products. If you are getting large batches of inventory from distributors or shipping batches to a warehouse, then this protects items in route. When transporting your items there may be contractual protection for distributors, warehouses, or suppliers, but you need to understand what is covered and what isn’t and fill in the gaps.

Data Security: Online businesses need to keep customer data secure, and if a breach were to happen, you could be held liable for each customer’s lost information. Data security insurance can provide coverage for these events.

Business Interruption: This insurance can help if you rely on third-party providers to help with Internet or shipping services. If there is an issue that stops business, then you can recuperate losses.

Contact Martin Insurance Team, serving Evergreen Park, IL, to get a quote on commercial insurance. 

Medical malpractice insurance is not a requirement in the state of Illinois, however, many professionals opt to buy this indemnification for that protection it provides. Industries, where malpractice insurance is most common, are among doctors, those working in the field of dentistry, psychology, those who work in pharmacies, and in various levels of nursing, optometry, and physical therapy. 

What Does Malpractice Insurance Cover?

Malpractice insurance is a type of commercial insurance, and it will protect you in situations where you are sued due to errors that result in damage to your patients. In the event that a lawsuit is brought against you, your policy will help cover costs that are from legal fees and bills arising from arbitration, going to settlement and damages that are awarded for punitive, compensatory, and medical reasons. 

You’ll need to consider if you want ‘claims-made’ coverage that will address suits and injuries that arise during the time in which you are insured or an ‘occurrence’ policy that will cover those that are filed regarding incidents that happened while you were insured, even if they occur at a later date.

It is always important to remember that legal action can be taken long after the offending action was taken, and you can also purchase ‘tail’ coverage to extend past the date when you cancel your insurance by a certain number of years. Also important to remember is that malpractice insurance does not apply to criminal activities or falsification of medical records. 

Martin Insurance Team Located in Evergreen Park, IL Wants to Help You

Bring your insurance needs to Martin Insurance Team, and we will do our best to tailor a commercial insurance package to you. We have experience serving customers in the Evergreen Park, IL and look forward to working with you. Stop by or contact us online to discuss any questions you may have about commercial insurance today!

One of the most destructive and feared incidents for a business is lightning. Lightning can cause an array of issues ranging from fire to loss of vital electronic equipment. If you are shopping for commercial insurance, this is an issue you want to understand and know how the terms and conditions outline coverage and exclusions.

Lighting Coverage

Most commercial policies will cover any damage that results to the structure or even electronic equipment as a result of the lightning strike. It is important to understand the limits of the coverage and know what items will be covered. For example, there may be some instances where refrigerated inventory may not be covered. Always discuss the policy in detail with your insurance agent before making a policy purchase.

Finding Appropriate Coverage

When you are looking for the right commercial insurance coverage, you should do business with an established, reputable insurance company. Finding the right insurance company to provide you with protection is one of the most important steps you can take towards protecting your business investment. Martin Insurance Team provided quality insurance products, including commercial insurance, to the business owners in and around the Evergreen Park, IL area. They will sit down and discuss their policies in great detail with prospective customers and make sure that they understand the limits of coverage completely before making a decision. 

If you are interested in getting more information about commercial insurance and live in or around the Evergreen Park, IL area, then you should call or stop by the Martin Insurance Team office and speak with a knowledgeable representative. Get the commercial insurance protection you need today to have a more secure future tomorrow. 

Workers’ compensation insurance is a way that employers can help protect their employees if they become hurt of sick because of the job. The employees who are covered are not able to sue the employer in a civil suit for the damages, as they have to give up that right in exchange for the workers’ compensation protection. This protects both the employer, who cannot be sued into insolvency, and the employee.

The damages include basic medical expenses and some wage replacement for time the employees miss from work. The coverage also gives benefits to families of workers killed on the job. Martin Insurance Team can assist business owners in Evergreen Park, IL in comparing workers’ comp policies.

Who Is Required To Carry Workers’ Compensation Insurance?

In Illinois, Workers’ Compensation is required for almost every work situation and of almost every employer, even if the employer only has one part-time employee. Workers’ Compensation is required for those working in construction, trucking at a construction site and any other hazardous job, in order to protect employees who might come to harm.

Sole proprietors are exempt from carrying Workers’ Compensation Insurance, although they are still allowed to buy a policy to cover themselves. Even family members must be insured, unless they are corporate officers, work less than 400 days of agricultural labor per year, or are immediate family members in the same household. 

While there are some exceptions, most businesses in Illinois are required to purchase their Workers’ Compensation insurance from a commercial provider. The only exceptions are those who qualify to insure themselves. If you have any questions about Workers’ Compensation Insurance in Evergreen Park, IL, or would like to compare policies, the agents at Martin Insurance Team would love to talk to you.

If you are a business owner, then it is time for you to get commercial insurance if you do not already have it in place. Commercial insurance is the best way to protect you and your business. Here at Martin Insurance Team, serving Evergreen Park, IL, we are here to help you make the right decision and get a commercial insurance policy for your business as soon as possible. 

• You have invested a lot in your business. The last thing that you want to do is find yourself in a bind and possibly losing your business simply because you did not have the right coverage. One wrong move without commercial insurance can result in you losing the entire business that you have worked hard for. 
• You should protect yourself and your employees. If you have employees, you not only want to ensure that you are protected but you also want to make sure that they are protected. Your employees are valuable and you should protect them as such. 
• You want to protect yourself against employees. Even though you value your employees, there is never a guarantee that one will not file a claim against you in court. It is a good idea to have this coverage so that one of these claims does not take your business under as a result. 

No matter where you are in the stages of your business, you need to have commercial insurance as a way to protect you and your business. If you are interested in exploring your options and finding the right commercial insurance policy for you and your business, be sure to reach out to Martin Insurance Team, serving Evergreen Park, IL, today. We will help you find the right policy and find one that fits within your budget. 

Commercial insurance is designed to protect your business from losses related to things like theft, liability, and property damage. While the average company owner seeks out indemnity coverage for his traditional brick and mortar establishment, the new age millennial may deem commercial insurance as unnecessary for his work-from-home business. The reality, however, is that homeowners or renters insurance is not enough to cover your company in the event of an incident. You need commercial insurance if you have a home business in Evergreen Park, IL, which is why Martin Insurance Team is here to help. 

What homeowners insurance covers and leaves behind
Yes, homeowners insurance protects if your family gathering turns tragic and someone falls down the stairs. The policy, however, does not cover a client falling down those stairs after having a productive meeting to discuss services offered. A traditional homeowners insurance policy also leaves behind all property damage occurring on the premises except $2,500. Many small business owners have computers costing more than such amount. 

Commercial insurance has you fully covered
A liability insurance policy for your small business can guard against losses related to accidents if you, like several work-from-home entrepreneurs, do not have the significantly expensive equipment. You may also want to search out a comprehensive package policy, known as a business owner’s policy (BOP), that provides general liability coverage as well as property protection. Some BOP options include business income that pays you for wages lost should your company need to close due to extensive damage. 

Whichever option you choose for coverage, you want to make sure that you have an expert explaining the nuts and bolts of commercial insurance. Do not be caught underinsured, Evergreen Park, IL. Call Martin Insurance Team today for a consultation. 

By purchasing a commercial insurance policy, you will have made one of the most important investments especially if you are starting a new company. A good commercial insurance policy will protect your business from financial loss ensuring that you remain afloat even during turbulent times. According to Martin Insurance Team, Evergreen Park, IL, you should seek information regarding different types of commercial insurance policies and also work with a reputable agency to ensure that you choose the right policy.

Significance of the policy
If you own a small business, this policy is very crucial since it will protect you from common liabilities resulting from employee injury, theft, and property damage. The adequate insurance coverage offered by this policy reduces the risk of going out of business.

Types of commercial insurance
There are three major types of commercial insurance namely; worker’s compensation insurance, property insurance, and liability insurance. The worker’s compensation insurance will protect you in the event your employee is injured while on the job. Also, it will prevent employees from filing negligence lawsuits due to the injury they sustain in the workplace. Secondly, the property insurance will cover any property damages within your business which includes flood and fire damage. Finally, liability insurance will protect you from the damages inflicted on third parties by your company.

Considerations you should make
It is advisable to work with an insurance agency with extensive experience in the field of commercial insurance. As Martin Insurance Team, Evergreen Park, IL advises, the relationship between you and the insurance agency is crucial when it comes to a decision making process. A reputable agency will discuss the most common losses within your line of business and advise you on the best policy to choose. Before purchasing the policy, ensure that you seek clarifications in areas that you don’t understand to avoid future regrets.