Owning and operating a small business can take its toll on you. There is so much to do and so much to keep track of that your small business insurance may be something that you neglect. Even though that may be the case, you need to take some time and analyze your plan. If this is your first small business insurance contract you will want to follow all of the tips, as you should if you are just checking to see your options. You need to save as much money on your policy as possible without giving up the coverage that you need.
1. Shop Around And Compare
The biggest thing that you can do to save money is to shop around. You need to remember that not all policies will be the same, and not all insurance companies will give you the same amounts of coverage. Others may throw in some exemptions that will affect you while you are on vacation, and others may exclude some things that could hurt you in the long run. It’s highly advisable to compare all insurance online whether it is travel. health, life or business. Go online to a comparison site and search business insurance or iSelect travel insurance in Australia options.
2. Get The Small Business Coverage That You Need
Not every small business will need the same type of insurance. If you are an online retailer, you will need different coverage than someone who performs a service for people. Each of them are great businesses to have, but they require different types and levels of protection than the other. You need to analyze your specific industry and see what is important to you to have.
3. Check Your Deductible
The easiest way to save money on your small business insurance is to increase the deductible amount. This can be dangerous, so you want to ensure that you weigh the good against the bad. The good is that you will save money on your premiums immediately, and the bad is that if you ever file a claim, you will be expected to pay more out of your pocket. If you are trying to save money, you will want to go with the first option but keep enough cash in savings to cover anything that may happen in the future.
4. Pay Your Insurance Premiums Yearly
This may seem complicated because you will have to pay a substantial amount immediately. Still, considering the option is well worth the cash you have to put up. When you pay the premiums by the year, two extraordinary things happen. One is that you will receive savings because you will not be paying the monthly charge that almost all insurance companies charge their customers. Customers opting to go for monthly payments instead of paying for the yearly ones.
The other positive effect is that you will be locking in the price of the insurance plan for a whole year. Making it impossible for the carrier to raise your rates until the next time you are up for reevaluation. You should find out how much does business insurance cost through various insurance carriers and pick the one that is the cheapest but still offers you the best coverage.
5. Bundle Your Insurance
More than likely, you already have some type of insurance, and you need to gather them all up and see how much you can save by bundling them all together. The way it works is that the more you have with one company, the more they earn. Because of that, they can afford to give you a discount. They are more likely to make substantial amounts from your policies compared to the small amounts they may have to pay out on a claim.
6. Keep Insurance Claims To A Minimum
The most significant way to save money on your small business insurance is to do everything that you can to keep claims at a minimum. If you have employees, you will have to deal with a claim at one time or another. Still, suppose you implement a business model that follows maximum safety guidelines. In that case, you will be able to reduce the number of claims you will have to file.
7. Make Moves To Lower Your Risk
Many people today prefer to be independent contractors rather than working by the tick of the time clock. This benefits you both because if you have no workers, you will not have to pay for worker’s compensation insurance. Which is one of the highest parts of your insurance contract. They will be required to carry their own policies, leaving you to save money by removing the types of insurance that jack your rates up.
8. Take Out What You Do Not Need
If you read through your entire contract, you will see that some things are added to it that you may not want or need. These things can increase the amount of the premium, so it is best to check into it and see if taking it off the policy would save you any money. Make sure that it is something you do not need before removing it.
9. Do Not Fall For The Cheap Policy Marketing Ploy
Insurance companies are like you and the rest of the business owners. They are in business to make money. One of the most common ways they do this is to offer low premiums for first time consumers. After that, your premium costs may go through the roof. Make sure you read through the entire contract to see if you can expect any increases in your expenses before getting stuck in a contract that you cannot get out of.
10. Work On Your Credit
Credit for a business works slightly differently than it does for your personal numbers. Business credit is based on your income, debts, and paying on time. Keep your spending under 35% of your credit, and always make payments on time. It is best to pay off all your debts every month, but if not, pay the minimum due to keep your business credit history good.
11. Check For Discounts
There are many reasons that a small business insurance plan would qualify for discounts. If you are part of an industry the agent caters to, you will see that you can save some money if you point it out to them. Remember that most insurance companies will not offer you the discounts that they have available. You will have to ask them for it. You have nothing to lose by asking, and all they can do is tell you no, and possibility get a laugh out of it.
12. Review Your Policy Every Year
You need to take the time out of your busy schedule to review your policy every year. You will not only look for a better carrier but ensure that everything is still covered. A lot can happen in a year, so your insurance coverage needs could change. Update them to make sure you do not get stuck with a massive bill if something should ever go wrong.
Final Thoughts
It is possible to save substantial money on your small business insurance if you take the time to look into it. You never want to think that the coverage you have is the best or that all carriers are the same. These common misconceptions are far from reality, which you will see once you check out some of the competition on an online comparison site, such as iSelect.
