Specialty Insurance

Automobile excess liability insurance is available to drivers who cannot obtain more than the minimum liability insurance limits needed to satisfy the financial responsibility requirements in their state because of age, occupation, vehicle use, or driving record. It is also available to drivers in assigned risk plans. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

This is physical damage coverage for automobiles placed in a state specific Auto Insurance Plan or Assigned Risk Plan for liability coverage. Some states provide physical damage within the plan but others do not. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

Many motorists find obtaining automobile liability insurance with standard carriers at regular rates difficult or impossible because of their age, occupation, driving habits, moral habits, and other issues. The nonstandard market provides coverage to these drivers at surcharged rates usually based on the insured's accident and driving violation conviction record. The insurance company considers a number of factors when it decides whether or not to write this coverage in a given state or locality. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

Motorists who cannot find comprehensive and collision insurance coverages with standard markets at regular rates must obtain them through nonstandard markets at surcharged rates. The same companies that offer nonstandard liability coverage often also offer physical damage coverage. Physical damage coverage on high-powered sports cars, automobiles equipped for racing, specially equipped automobiles, and automobiles with fiberglass bodies is especially hard to place. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

Businesses that repossess automobiles have difficult liability exposures and require expert handling. General liability, especially personal and advertising injury liability, is required to cover the operations exposure. In addition, auto liability for tow truck operations is required. Drive-away coverage is needed to cover the liability exposure on the vehicle being repossessed and garagekeepers legal liability is needed to cover vehicles while in the insured's care, custody, and control. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

Barber shop premises liability and barber shop professional liability coverage should be combined on a single policy. Most Businessowners Policies (BOPs) provide this combined liability for eligible operations. However, barber shops that do not qualify for a BOP treatment will need to find such coverage with a carrier that specializes in their exposures. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

Beauty shop premises liability and beauty shop professional liability coverage should be combined on a single policy. Most Business Owners Policies (BOPs) provide this combined liability for eligible operations. However, beauty shops that do not qualify for a BOP treatment will need to find such coverage with a carrier that specializes in their exposures. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

This coverage protects business owners against certain types of unforeseen legal expenses. An important limitation is that it covers only legal expenses that qualify as a deductible expense on the insured's tax form. It is not intended to pick up legal expenses that the insured's general liability insurance covers. Examples include preparing and reviewing contracts, forms, and documents; litigating contract claims; responding to consumer legal actions; advising on labor problems; and even certain white-collar criminal charges. It reimburses legal expenses for defense costs, legal consultation, and plaintiff actions. Pricing is based on the types of expenses covered and the limits purchased. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

This program is designed for U.S.-based clubs and or groups conducting youth or adult non-sport activities. Coverage provided includes important liability protection for the organization, including its employees and volunteers, for liability claims arising out of its operations. Covered operations consist of scheduled, sanctioned, organized and supervised activities in which members participate and that are directly related to the specific common interest or goal for which the club or group is formed. Coverage is also provided for member activities such as meetings, registrations, parades in which the insured participates, picnics, banquets and ceremonies. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

Consulting firms advise their clients on specific management or business problems. The services provided can include offering advice on employment practices, sales development, time management, executive search, marketing strategies, computer testing, and other matters. Insurance coverage is usually tailored to match the specific services the consulting firm offers. Underwriters evaluate every activity the business conducts before they accept it and determine the appropriate premium to charge. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

This is the most rapidly changing liability area today. Commercial and personal lines carriers restrict coverage related to online activities. As a result, separate cyber liability coverage forms and endorsements are necessary to cover exposures such as libel, slander, infringement of copyright, and invasion of privacy. Coverage is also needed when hackers infiltrate a company’s computer system and steal valuable third-party information, such as social security numbers, credit card numbers, and health information. Many companies offer cyber liability coverage but forms are not standardized. Some companies include first party coverage for damage to computer systems because of hacking and other types of viruses. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

This coverage protects dentists against claims for injury that arise from alleged malpractice, error, or mistake in rendering professional services. It may be written for individuals or partnerships and includes all professional activities at the dental office. Most companies that write this coverage insure only members of recognized local, county, and state professional societies. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

This coverage protects directors and officers of a corporation against claims that allege injury caused by their negligent acts, errors, or omissions while acting in their corporate capacities. It also indemnifies corporations for expenses they incur to defend such lawsuits. The market for this coverage is expanding and addresses all sizes of corporations. Some companies cover discrimination, wrongful termination, and sexual harassment. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

Financial institutions are one of the most difficult classes of directors and officers liability to insure because they are subject to significant regulatory and civil actions against their directors and officers. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

This coverage protects the nonprofit itself, its directors and officers, employees, and even committee members. Some carriers include a limited amount of this coverage as part of their package policies. Trade, fund-raising, and research organizations, churches, fraternal organizations, and other nonprofit organizations are eligible. Farm co-operatives and hospitals are difficult classes for this coverage. Some underwriting factors to consider are stability of operations, length of time in operation, and whether the organization generates enough revenue to meet its expenses. Some companies cover employment practices liability as part of this coverage. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

A false-positive testerror can lead to an individual being fired or not being hired. Even worseis the false-negative drug test that allows an individual with a drug problem to remain on the job and cause injury ordamage. For these reasons, the stakes are very high. This coverage insures medical reviewofficers, breath alcohol technicians ,and substance abuse professionals who determine if employees remain on their jobs or are treminated. These technicians could be considered professionally negligent if they do not comply with federal regulations under drug testing laws. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

This insurance covers the insured employer against claims made by its current or former employees due to damages caused by negligent acts, errors, or omissions in the employer’s administration of employee benefit programs. It covers claims resulting from the giving of incorrect advice concerning an employee's health care or pension plan or for failing to enroll employees under a benefit program. It usually excludes all fiduciary responsibility. It may be written on a separate policy or be endorsed to the employer's commercial general liability policy. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

Equipment leasing contracts require that the lessee insure the leased equipment. However, at times the lessee does not meet its obligation. In order to protect its interest in the equipment when such a lapse occurs, the owner can purchase contingent coverage that pays for its interest in the equipment. This coverage can be broadened to include the lessee's interest. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

Specialty carriers have developed homeowners and tenants package policies for low-value and nonstandard dwelling risks in distressed areas to provide alternatives to the urban area or statewide Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) Plans. FAIR Plans are very limited and do not offer "package" coverage on residential property. In contrast, property coverage and personal liability is combined in a single policy. The coverage is written on a named perils basis with mandatory deductibles. Premiums charged are higher than in the standard market and some policies are written under various state consent-to-rate requirements. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

Identity theft liability is an evolving coverage. The most basic form covers liability imposed on a business because it failed to adequately protect certain vital information that its customers supplied. This information is such that its theft can allow the customers' identity to be stolen. Many carriers are expanding beyond this basic coverage to provide loss control assistance to prevent such losses and intense case management activities following a security breach in an attempt to lessen the impact of any loss. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

Internet liability is the most rapidly changing area of liability exposure today. The growth in the number of persons who use the Internet regularly has caused most businesses to promote and market their products and services online. These companies have home pages and many communicate with others via email, chat lines, blogs, social media, and more. Liability coverages and exclusions that apply to advertising injury, libel, slander, infringement of copyright, and trademark are being revised to reflect the changing conditions of online communication. A few insurers offer a package of coverages designed to protect businesses that provide online services to their customers and subscribers. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

This coverage insures the liability of individual kart owners and karting enthusiasts. The bodily injury and property damage liability coverage provided protects the insured for hazards that arise out of his or her ownership, maintenance, or use of a kart, including racing, on private property in the United States and Canada. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

General liability and professional liability is needed for centers that provide kidney care and dialysis services to patients with diseased kidneys. This coverage is best when combined with a single carrier in order to prevent gaps or duplication. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

Lawyers professional liability covers the law firm and the individual attorneys who work for the firm against claims that allege negligence, errors, or omissions in performing their duties as lawyers. Availability, limits, and deductibles vary based on the particular law firm's specialties and the number of partners and other employees. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

Bars, restaurants, hotels, motels, and other businesses that sell, distribute, or serve liquor need coverage for their vicarious liability for injury or damage that arises out of acts of patrons served alcoholic beverages in their establishments. Specialty insurers write liquor liability coverage. It covers common law and statutory liability exposures for the businesses and also owners, general lessees, or mortgagors of the property. Insurer interest in writing this coverage and the premium levels available vary from state to state, based on the liquor liability laws in each state. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

Medical professional liability insurance, sometimes known as medical malpractice insurance, is one type of professional liability insurance which protects physicians and other licensed health care professionals (e.g., dentist, nurse) from liability associated with wrongful practices resulting in bodily injury, medical expenses and property damage, as well as the cost of defending lawsuits related to such claims.A medical professional liability insurance policy covers bodily injury or property damage as well as liability for personal injury such as mental anguish. The complexity involved in discovering negligence results in a higher percentage of premium dollars going toward defense and cost containment expenses. Medical liability insurers spend substantial funds investigating and defending claims where there is an adverse patient outcome not resulting from negligence.There are two basic types of malpractice insurance—occurrence or claims-made. Many insurers write on a claims-made form basis where a policy in effect at the time a claim is reported responds for the loss, while the policy remains in force and during any applicable extended reporting period. The policy that was more popular in earlier times is occurrence-made which covers a loss that “occurs” during the policy period, regardless of when the claim was made, and even after the policy has been canceled. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

Liability coverages on independent parking garages and lots can be difficult to place, especially those located in the downtown areas of larger cities. Commercial general liability and garagekeepers legal liability coverages are available for parking facilities. Rates are based on the number of parking spaces. As a part of this package, coverage may be available for valet parking offered by nightclubs, restaurants, and hotels. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

Certain types of manufactured products have particularly hazardous products liability exposures. Drugs, cosmetics, chemicals, and ladders are some examples. Many domestic insurance companies write insurance on these classes of business on only a very limited basis. In addition, very few standard markets are interested in insuring certain types of new products, particularly drugs. Specialized markets are available to write this coverage that involves providing a complete description of the product along with complete chemical and/or engineering reports. Businesses engaged in manufacturing and installing solar-heating equipment and burglar and fire alarm equipment have a very real need for this coverage. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

Professional liability insurance (PLI), also called professional indemnity insurance (PII) but more commonly known as errors & omissions (E&O) in the US, is a form of liability insurance which helps protect professional advice- and service-providing individuals and companies from bearing the full cost of defending against a negligence claim made by a client, and damages awarded in such a civil lawsuit. The coverage focuses on alleged failure to perform on the part of, financial loss caused by, and error or omission in the service or product sold by the policyholder. These are causes for legal action that would not be covered by a more general liability insurance policy which addresses more direct forms of harm. Professional liability insurance may take on different forms and names depending on the profession, especially medical and legal, and is sometimes required under contract by other businesses that are the beneficiaries of the advice or service. Coverage sometimes provides for the defense costs, including when legal action turns out to be groundless. Coverage does not include criminal prosecution, nor a wide range of potential liabilities under civil law that are not enumerated in the policy, but which may be subject to other forms of insurance. Professional liability insurance is required by law in some areas for certain kinds of professional practice. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

There are many different types of railroad exposures, including short line, regional, light transit, national, and others. Lloyd's of London or other insurers with underwriting units that specialize in the railroad business usually write property coverage on railroad rolling stock and other railroad property. Federal Employers Liability Act (F.E.L.A.) coverage is needed to cover work-related injuries to all railroad employees in addition to commercial general liability, and cargo legal liability coverage. Foreign rolling stock coverage is also needed to insure the railroad's legal liability for damage to non-owned rolling stock while in its care, custody, or control. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

Liability coverage for security patrol and detective agencies is available from primarily excess and surplus lines markets and specialty coverage programs. Underwriters pay close attention to employee training, use of firearms, the exact type or nature of patrol work performed, use of guard dogs, and previous losses. Premium is based on payroll and coverage is subject to a deductible. Some underwriters and programs include professional liability coverage and personal injury liability coverage. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

A type of insurance designed to cover providers of technology services or products. For example, data storage companies and website designers provide technology services, while computer software and computer manufacturers offer technology products. Tech E&O policies cover both liability and property loss exposures. Technology Professional Liability insurance or IT Liability insurance protects all types of technology professionals if a client alleges that you were professionally negligent or failed to perform duties as promised in your contract. Some of your clients may require that you and your sub-contractors carry this insurance. The right kind of policy can protect both the IT consulting company and sub-contractors from claims of a perceived error or omission, even if the problem occurs months after the initial consultation. Technology companies and startups are a unique type of business with very specific insurance requirements. In addition to the standard types of coverage like general liability insurance or property insurance, the operational risks that tech companies face trigger insurance needs that are solved by more nuanced lines of coverage like technology errors and omissions insurance and cyber liability insurance. If you run a technology business or are thinking about starting one, this insurance guide should help you understand what types of coverage to consider and why. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

These liability coverage forms provide excess general liability, automobile liability, and employer’s liability limits. They also provide the insured with an element of protection against exclusions and gaps in the primary coverage forms or policies. Umbrella liability coverage is triggered when the limits of the primary insurance are exhausted or when a claim arises that primary insurance excludes but that the umbrella covers. Coverage is excess over only the scheduled underlying liability coverages. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

This is umbrella liability coverage for individuals instead of corporations. Executives and professionals are excellent prospects. It increases the existing primary personal liability limits of insurance by providing additional limits. Coverage applies to personal, automobile, aircraft, watercraft, and employers’ liability, and professional liability or malpractice for professionals but only if such underlying policies are scheduled. Umbrellas often provide broader coverage than the scheduled underlying. There is a self-insured retention that applies only when the umbrella provides coverage for a loss that is not covered in the underlying. The amount of the self-insured retention varies among companies. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

This coverage protects veterinarians from claims for damages that result from alleged malpractice, errors or omissions in the rendering or failing to render professional veterinary services. Underwriting and pricing is based on the services provided and the types of animals involved. Coverage applies to employed veterinarians, partners, and individual veterinarians. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.

This coverage insures the liability imposed by law on the insured for loss or damage to (or destruction of) property of others that is in its warehouse. It is written on inland marine coverage forms and policies but is essentially a legal liability bailee coverage. Values can be significant. This explanation of insurance benefits is provided by Insurance Marketplace.