What Are the Top 5 Small Business Insurance Claims?

Most small business owners skip paying for small business insurance until they have a legal or contractual reason to do so. But, in doing that, many are putting themselves, and their business, at risk. According to a commercial insurance study conducted by The Hartford between 2010 and 2014, 40 percent of small businesses will experience an event that requires them to file a small business insurance claim in the next 10 years.

Here are the top five claims filed by small businesses:

Theft: Not surprisingly, theft topped the list of small business claims on The Hartford’s list. Twenty percent of all claims filed by small business owners were due to theft and burglary.

The average loss for theft claims was around $8,000.

Water Damage: Coming in second was water damage. Fifteen percent of the small business claims in The Hartford’s study were caused by flooding from frozen pipes that ended up bursting as well as collapsed or damaged roofs from snow and ice accumulation.

The average loss for water damage claims was $17,000.

Wind and Hail Damage: Another 15 percent of small business insurance claims resulted from wind and hail damage.

The average loss for wind and hail damage claims was $26,000.

Fire: Ten percent of the claims filed by small businesses in The Hartford’s study was due to fire. With the significant damage that fire causes, it’s no surprise that fire claims are the most costly on this list.

The average loss for fire damage claims was $35,000.

Customer Injury: Slip-and-fall customer accidents also accounted for 10 percent of the claims in The Hartford study.

The average loss for customer injury claims was $30,000.

If you own a small business but don’t have small business insurance, think about the impact one of these incidents would have on your small business. You owe it to yourself, your customers, and your business to at least get a quote to see how affordable coverage can be. Talk to your insurance broker today to explore your options.