Category: Commercial Insurance

Today’s small, medium-sized, and enterprise businesses implement high-tech security measures to protect their operations, customers, and proprietary data from cyber theft.

The first step toward protecting your Jasper, AL, business from cyber theft is to understand digital theft and implement steps to protect company data.

Cyber theft is the virtual or digital robbery of money, property, and copyrighted content.

Most cybercriminals are highly skilled thieves who have become experts at hacking, phishing, and brute-force cyber attacks. These attacks can leave unprepared business owners reeling from the financial fallout and loss of consumer trust caused by the inadvertent sharing of their private and personally identifying data through breaches.

Limit Data Access

Deploying a role-based computer system that assigns partners, vendors, and employees specific access levels to system data according to their role is one of the best ways to limit or deter serious data breaches within your organization.

Encrypt Sensitive Data

Data encryption involves protecting proprietary business data stored in computer systems and databases. This technique uses algorithm-based systems that scramble data, making it unusable to nefarious hackers and criminals. Without the access code to unscramble protected data, anyone lacking the encryption key cannot use the data.

Get Comprehensive Business Insurance with Cyber Coverage

Business owners in Alabama who are serious about protecting their data can opt for plans from Harris Insurance that offer financial protection in case of a data breach.

Cybersecurity insurance can help offset the cost of system upgrades and data recovery attempts, along with costs from potential liability claims and lawsuits initiated by customers, vendors, and partners whose private data was compromised in a breach.

Contact the professionals at Harris Insurance in Jasper, AL to learn more and get a quote!

Commercial Insurance: A Necessity for Business Owners

Being a business owner comes with multiple responsibilities, one of which is securing the right kind of insurance coverage for the business. Whether you have a small or established venture, you have assets that need protection against various risks. Today, business owners are in luck with many insurance options designed for their specific needs. Harris Insurance, serving Jasper, AL, is committed to helping businesses get the necessary coverage.

What is Commercial Insurance?

Also referred to as business insurance, commercial insurance offers business owners tailor-made coverage options. These protect against risks such as litigation, accidents, employee injuries, natural disasters, and more. Commercial insurance safeguards various facets of a business, including routine operations, employees, company vehicles etc.

Do I Need Commercial Auto Insurance?

This largely depends on whether you use your vehicle for business purposes. Your regular auto insurance policy will not cover accidents or incidents that occur when the vehicle is used for business. In such cases, it’s necessary to have commercial auto insurance, which provides more extensive coverage than a personal auto insurance policy. Discuss your options with a licensed insurance agent to understand the differences between personal and commercial auto insurance.

Contact Harris Insurance

In the world of business, having the right insurance coverage could mean survival in adverse situations. With the range of commercial insurance options available, you can protect your business against various risks. Stop by Harris Insurance in Jasper, AL, or call us, and we will be more than glad to help you navigate your insurance options.

General contractors should acquire commercial insurance that covers their materials, vehicles, and employees. Learn about some types of coverage that you should seek as a contractor. Call one of our Harris Insurance agents serving the greater Jasper, AL community to purchase the insurance products you need.

Protection Of Goods

The protection of goods will cover the cost of repairing or replacing any materials that are used on a worksite. This type of coverage protects against theft and vandalism. It also protects against damage that occurs from a natural weather event.

Vehicle Coverage

Automotive insurance should be acquired for any vehicle that is used for commercial purposes. If you or your crew members are responsible for transporting materials to and from each worksite, it is imperative that each vehicle is equipped with sufficient coverage.

Workers’ Compensation Coverage

Workers’ compensation insurance will provide coverage for the loss of wages that an injured employee incurs. If an employee is injured while they are working, the workers’ compensation coverage will reimburse them. It will also pay for medical costs that an employee is responsible for.

Liability Coverage

Liability coverage will protect you from costs associated with legal matters. It will handle medical bills, the repair, and the replacement of materials. The type of liability coverage that you need will be dependent upon the size of your business. The line of work that you perform will influence the amount of liability coverage that you should seek.

Schedule A Consultation Today

Now that you are aware of some of the insurance types that you will need as a general contractor, set up an appointment to meet with a Harris Insurance agent in Jasper, AL. We will discuss the commercial insurance types that will benefit you as a business owner.

Our agents at Harris Insurance serving the Jasper, AL area know how much your business means to you. We know that you have invested your time, money, and energy in creating the best business possible for you and your customers or clients, which is the reason we want to help you keep it safe and secure with the appropriate amount of commercial insurance.

Commercial insurance is also referred to as business insurance and is designed to provide financial protection for your business. For instance, in the state of Alabama, you must have commercial auto liability insurance for all vehicles that are owned or leased by your business. This type of policy will help pay for the medical bills or property damage if you or one of your employees is involved in an accident that he or she caused.

Another type of commercial insurance policy that may be required for your Alabama business is worker’s compensation insurance. This type of policy is only required for businesses that employ five or more people and will provide financial help to pay medical bills and wages for any employee who is injured while on the job.

What Does a Commercial Insurance Policy Cover for Your Business?

A commercial insurance policy will also help protect your business from liability issues if someone is injured at your business or their property is damaged by your business. This type of policy is called general liability insurance, and it will help pay the medical bills or property damage if one of these types of incidents occurs.

Commercial property insurance is another type of business insurance that is very important to have. It will be especially helpful if you own the physical location of your business, but even if you do not, it will help protect the investment you have made in your inventory and other items for your business. It will kick in if you need help in recovering your business if it is damaged or destroyed by a fire, natural disaster, or vandalism. This type of policy also comes in handy if the theft of inventory occurs.

Reach Out To Us

Contact our experienced agents at Harris Insurance serving the Jasper, AL area today to assist you with all of your insurance needs.

If you own and operate a business you know it’s very important to protect it. One of the best ways to do that is through commercial insurance. If you’re in the Jasper, AL area, Harris Insurance is here to help you get the support and information you need, so you can focus on building your business. You don’t want to have to worry about your insurance policy while you’re focusing on getting your business off the ground.

Here are six tips to get the right insurance for your company:

1. Understand whether your business needs a commercial policy, because not every business will require one.

2. Consider the amount of coverage you’ll need, since that can vary a lot depending on the type and size of the company.

3. Work with a trusted agent, to get all the details you need when it comes to finding the best insurance policy for your business.

4. Look at different insurers, so you can find one with a good rating and strong reviews from current and past clients.

5. Make sure you’re focusing on the specifics, as you want to have the best protection you can get for your new company.

6. Review the options you have and consider the total value your new policy will give you if you ever need to use it.

We Can Help!

If you’re ready to get the right commercial insurance policy, contact us at Harris Insurance if you’re in the Jasper, AL area. We can provide you with all the information you need, so you can protect your business and have the peace of mind that comes with it. We understand that your business is very important to you, and we want to make sure you’re getting what you need to succeed.

Starting a small business is a dream come true for many. Yet striking out on your own also comes with a lot of risks. Fortunately, there are steps entrepreneurs can take to reduce risks, such as taking out commercial insurance.

Anyone with questions regarding commercial insurance can contact Harris Insurance serving Jasper, AL and other areas nearby.

How Entrepreneurs Can Reduce Risks

Keep Your Finances Straight

One of the biggest mistakes many entrepreneurs make is not getting their finances and accounting in order. This could result in a lot of problems. The business may forget to bill a customer or might run into cash flow problems. Entrepreneurs may also run into challenges come tax season. An entrepreneur may file their taxes wrong, for example, resulting in an audit.  

Eliminate Hazards

If there’s cracked and uneven cement in your parking lot, or maybe a loose railing running up a flight of stairs (among other things), someone could get hurt. If that happens, the company may face a lawsuit. Owners may also be on the hook for various injuries suffered by employees. By making sure that such hazards are fixed quickly, business owners can reduce the risks of someone being injured. 

If someone does get injured, commercial insurance policies might cover the legal costs and settlements. That said, it’s crucial to read exactly what is covered by a given plan as coverage may vary. Of course, if accidents and mishaps can be avoided, that’s the best route.

Ensure That You’re Properly Insured

One of the best ways to mitigate risks is to take out commercial insurance. Coverage varies from plan to plan, so as with everything else in the business sector, read the fine print. However, the right insurance plans may provide coverage against natural disasters, theft, fires, personal injury lawsuits, vandalism, and more.

Give Us A Call

Starting a business? Get in touch with Harris Insurance in Jasper, AL to discuss coverage options.

When it comes to owning your own business, there are many things to consider. One of the main things you need to have in place is a commercial business policy. Our agents at Harris Insurance in Jasper, AL know and understand how important this type of policy is to the success of your business.

There are several types of commercial insurance coverage options for you to choose from depending on your needs, preferences, and situation.

Commercial Insurance Coverage Options

Commercial Auto Liability

In the state of Alabama, all drivers must have at least auto liability insurance in place to legally drive and your business vehicles are no exception. All vehicles owned by your business or personal vehicles that are used for business purposes need to have at least commercial auto liability insurance coverage. This type of coverage will assist you in paying for any medical bills or property damage that is incurred if you or one of your employees is the cause of an accident.

Worker’s Compensation Insurance

If you employ five or more people at your business, the state of Alabama requires you to have a worker’s compensation policy in place to cover employees if they are hurt on the job. This type of policy can also help pay wages to employees who are off work due to a work-related injury.

Commercial Liability Insurance Coverage

This type of insurance coverage is very important because it covers any injuries to a customer or other visitor to your business if they are injured while they are there. This type of coverage can also help you out if you are ever sued for slander, copyright infringement, or libel.

Commercial Property Insurance

Commercial property insurance is extremely important because it can help you replace lost inventory or repair your business if it is damaged by an act of vandalism, a fire, or a natural disaster. This type of policy can help you recoup inventory that is lost due to a theft incident or robbery at your business.

Get The Right Coverage Today

Contact our experienced and trustworthy commercial insurance agents today at Harris Insurance in Jasper, AL to get your policy started!

While most businesses are required to have commercial insurance, it’s important to note that product liability insurance is not the same thing. Commercial insurance policies protect your business if something happens to one of your clients as a result of your work. For example, if you are in the construction business and your crew cuts the power cable to your client’s house during renovations, the client can make a claim against your commercial insurance to cover the cost of repairs. 

Product liability insurance, on the other end, protects you from legal responsibility if a client is injured by your product. For example, if your business is selling furniture and a client is injured by a sharp edge, that client can make a claim against your product liability policy. Contact Harris Insurance in Jasper, AL for expert insurance advice.

Commercial Insurance: What You Should Know 

Commercial insurance policies are designed to protect your business against financial loss if a policyholder sues you for a commercial or business-related reason. Product liability insurance, on the other hand, is designed to protect you against financial loss if a policyholder sues you because your product caused them an injury. 

If you’re a manufacturer, wholesaler, retailer, or provider of a service operating as a business, you need to get commercial insurance. You have a policy that covers your business against financial loss if a customer sues you for a slip and fall. That’s commercial insurance. Now you’re also selling coffee beans, but this time you’re selling them as a product. Let’s say someone sues you because they say the coffee beans you sold them gave them an allergy. That’s product liability, and you need separate insurance to protect yourself against this claim. 

Give Us A Call

Even though product liability and commercial insurance might be part of your business policy, they are different policies with different coverage. Commercial insurance is designed to protect your business against potential risks like property damage or bodily injury, which your business might encounter in the course of conducting its daily activities. 

In contrast, product liability insurance is designed to protect you from liability if a customer were to get sick or hurt from a product you distribute, or if a customer were to sue your company because of a product malfunction or a malfunction in the supply chain. For inquiries in the greater Jasper, AL community, contact Harris Insurance.

Harris Insurance is proud to serve the insurance needs of the greater Jasper, AL area business community. If you are concerned about the amount of protection covering your inventory, we are here to help! Give us a call today, and let’s set up a time to review your insurance needs.

Calculating your inventory insurance coverage level

When it comes to protecting your business investments and assets, inventory coverage is often a confusing piece of the puzzle. Inventory levels can fluctuate in an extreme way, depending on how sales are going, how much cash is on hand to invest, and the costs of acquiring your inventory. And, if you are a seasonal business, it can make the calculation even more difficult. 

The first step is to review your inventory levels over the past three years. If there are any outliers that are due to non-recurring events or occurrences, they should be removed from your calculation. Take a look at the normalized average over the analysis period and then consider what changes you anticipate in the coming year.

If you expect delivery of goods and sales to continue on the same trajectory as the previous three years, then use those numbers to decide on the level of inventory protection you need, adjusting for any future anticipated changes.

We can help you with all of your commercial insurance needs

If you are the owner or manager of a Jasper, AL area business, you can turn to the team at Harris Insurance for all of your commercial insurance needs. We are knowledgeable about our local business community and have the experience and insight necessary to help our clients protect their businesses. Give us a call today. We look forward to working with you!