Warning South Florida Business Owner...

Sudden Accidents Happen!- Do You Have General Liability Coverage?

So I was watching a rock n' roll band at a well known Atlantic Ave. watering hole the other night in Delray Beach, enjoying a really authentic sounding version of Jumping Jack Flash when a woman in front of me unexpectedly tripped and fell face first right into the floor at the foot of the stage. 

Needless to say, I was flabbergasted as was the band and audience. The woman received assistance from the proverbial 'doctor in the house', the ambulance arrived swiftly and thank God, she was ok, minus a few bumps and bruises.

Later on once I found out she was going to be ok, I began to wonder what would have happened to that restaurant if she hadn't been ok.

The woman could have been badly injured, perhaps permanently or even died on the spot from a traumatic head injury. Would that company have been liable to pay all her medical expenses, or even damages to her family if something terrible ended up happening? Did they have enough general liability coverage?

I decided to ask Candice, an experienced insurance agent over at All Risk Insurance in Boca Raton about what could have happened
and how would a small business like this restaurant protect itself from these unforeseen occurrences? 

Candice introduced me to the world of liability insurance, specifically 'commercial general liability coverage' for small businesses.

I went to her agencies main office in Boca asked her what exactly is commercial liability Insurance and why is it so important for small business owners in South Florida like the restaurant owner or a roofer for instance? 

"Commercial liability is vital to small businesses in South Florida because it protects you against any 3rd party claim from injured parties who hurt themselves while on your premises", she explained. "In the example you mentioned, if a guest slips and falls like that occurs at the restaurant and a slip and fall case is commenced, the restaurant would be covered from damages
by their commercial general liability policy and the insurance company behind it."

She went on to say "some of our insurers  have special programs for specific types of risks for insurance, trucking companies for example." She explained that truckers in South Florida hauling produce across the state on the Turnpike, across Alligator Alley or up I-95, that have commercial liability coverage are covered when they are loading and unloading boxes of produce, as well as when they are driving on the road if an accident were to happen while they are driving. "We even have separate coverage if something were to happen to the produce itself ( stolen for instance ) or if the refrigeration in the truck broke down - these would be covered under a truck cargo policy."

Candice went on to say "we represent over 15 top rated liability insurance companies, so we can compare them
to help you get your best possible rate."


So if you have a small business in South Florida, from a retail art gallery on Las Olas Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale to a
restaurant on Atlantic Ave. in Delray Beach, from a pool maintenance company in Boca Raton to an asphalt company in West Palm Beach
 to a septic plumber company in Stuart, you owe it to yourself and your employees to have your policy
reviewed every new year to make sure you have sufficient coverage.  

“It doesn’t take much time for a qualified commercial insurance specialist to review your policy. If you have a copy of it, we’re happy to review your coverage it to see if you are well protected."