Résolu ! De quelle assurance ai-je besoin en tant qu'entrepreneur ?

Hello, my friend, hello again; today we come together to talk about Solved! What Insurance Do I Need as a Contractor? and hope the blog can help you.

Travailler en tant qu’entrepreneur comporte de nombreux risques et peut amener les propriétaires d’entreprise à se demander : « De quelle assurance ai-je besoin en tant qu’entrepreneur ? » Les entrepreneurs doivent généralement souscrire une assurance responsabilité civile au minimum.

Q: After years of working for other people, I’ve finally decided to start my own general contracting business. I’m worried, though, about how to protect myself and my employees in the event of an accident on a jobsite. What insurance do I need as a contractor? 

UN: Whether it’s for a construction firm or an independent handyman business, insurance is a necessary expense to protect the owner of the business as well as any employees. The type of insurance a contractor needs depends on several factors, such as the type of work the contractor does, the number of employees, and whether or not the contractor has a physical office location. However, the majority of contractors protect their businesses with liability insurance. This helps cover the cost of any damages the contractor is responsible for. Other types of insurance for contractors can help limit the financial impact of any damages they’re responsible for, whether an employee causes a car accident while in a company vehicle, or a contractor’s actions cause damage to a client’s property. Although contractors may not be able to foresee what might happen on a jobsite, having the right insurance coverage can help protect them financially and ensure their employees are protected as well.

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At a minimum, contractors will want to have general liability insurance to protect them from potential costs related to dommages matériels or injury to a third party.

General liability insurance is an important type of coverage for contractors. Liability insurance policies help protect contractors from the costs associated with being found liable for an accident that causes property damage or physical injury to a third party. If a contractor accidentally causes damage at a jobsite or a customer’s property, they may be responsible for fixing the damages. General liability insurance can help pay to repair property damage up to the liability limits of the policy. For example, if a construction company accidentally leaves a hose on at a jobsite and water floods the area and causes water damage to several buildings under construction, the contractor’s general liability policy may help cover the cost of repairing the damaged buildings.

A general liability insurance policy also includes bodily injury liability protection. This coverage helps pay for medical expenses to third parties if a contractor’s negligence causes physical injury. In the flooded jobsite example, it’s possible the owner of the building could slip on the wet floor, break an arm, and require a trip to the emergency room. The contractor’s general liability coverage would help pay for the building owner’s medical bills and any associated legal costs if the building owner decided to pursue legal action.

Another key aspect of a general liability policy is personal injury and advertising injury coverage. Personal injury refers to harm done to a third party, excluding bodily injury. For example, if an employee makes false statements about a client, and the client sues the contractor for the employee’s actions, the contractor’s personal injury coverage could help cover court costs.

It’s also a good idea for a contractor to carry professional liability insurance, which can protect them against client lawsuits.

A general liability policy focuses on protecting contractors against the cost of damages, third-party medical bills, and any legal expenses that result from their actions or those of their employees. Many contractors choose to get additional liability protection by adding a professional liability insurance policy. Also called errors and omissions insurance (E&O), professional liability coverage helps protect contractors from claims that they failed in their professional services.

For example, say an inexperienced contractor accidentally installs wiring incorrectly and the client’s building project isn’t up to code. Although there was no intentional damage, the contractor could be liable for the business service error if the client decides to sue. This claim coverage type would be part of a professional liability insurance policy.

A contractor with employees may be required by state law to carry workers’ compensation insurance—and even if it’s not required, it’s still a good type of coverage to have.

Workers’ compensation insurance is one of the most important types of insurance coverage for contractors. Workers’ compensation helps cover the cost of work-related injuries employees may sustain on the job. The cost of claims for workers’ compensation can be high, as the worker may request payment for their medical bills as well as lost wages.

Contractors in the construction industry, in particular, may want to make sure they have sufficient coverage limits to handle workers’ compensation claims. Construction projects tend to have a lot of hazards that could injure employees, even when every precaution is taken. For example, a developer may hire a construction contractor near them to build houses. While installing siding from a ladder, an employee of the construction company could lose their balance and fall to the ground, injuring their back. The construction contractor’s workers’ comp insurance will likely help cover the medical bills for the employee. It can also help pay for temporary disability insurance and lost wages while the employee is out of work.

Contractors who have expensive tools and equipment will want to consider insurance to cover these items in the event they’re lost, stolen, or damaged.

Known as inland marine coverage or equipment insurance, this type of insurance can help contractors cover the cost of replacing lost, stolen, or damaged equipment. Many contractors use expensive equipment in their businesses, such as high-quality power tools or heavy machinery such as excavators. An equipment coverage policy or endorsement helps contractors repair or replace their mobile equipment if it’s stolen, vandalized, or damaged. Generally, equipment coverage is in place when the equipment is being moved on the way to the jobsite, at a jobsite, or in temporary storage, such as a warehouse.

Contractors considering equipment coverage or inland marine coverage may want to talk to a commercial insurance company to get a better idea of their coverage needs. Depending on how valuable their equipment is—and the cost of replacement for equipment—they may need specialized coverage with higher policy limits for their business equipment.

A contractor who has a physical business location, such as an office, will want to look into commercial property insurance.

Just as homeowners insure their dwelling with homeowners insurance, business owners can protect their physical offices with commercial property insurance. Commercial property insurance covers the office building itself and business equipment within the property. This can be essential coverage for both contractors who own their physical office as well as those who lease space. Some commercial landlords may even require their tenants to carry commercial property coverage.

For example, a flooring contractor may own their own office and warehouse space. If there’s a fire in the building that damages the office space and the flooring inventory, the contractor’s commercial property insurance could help cover the cost of replacing the inventory and office equipment, such as office furniture or computer systems.

A business owners policy, or BOP, combines general liability coverage with commercial and personal property insurance.

Individual contractors or small contracting businesses often opt for a business owners policy, or BOP, for the broadest protection at an affordable cost. The coût de l'assurance bricoleur or contractor coverage can be expensive for many small-business owners when purchased as separate policies. A BOP helps lower the overall cost of insurance by combining common coverage types.

Contractors can generally customize their BOP coverage to fit their needs through endorsements and additional protections. A basic policy will often include general liability coverage as well as some form of commercial property insurance. By combining coverage into one policy, the meilleures compagnies d'assurance pour bricoleurs can offer the coverage contractors need at more affordable prices.

A contractor business that owns or uses vehicles will need to have a commercial auto policy to cover damages and injuries that occur while the vehicle is being used for business purposes.

In most cases, a personal auto insurance policy won’t cover a vehicle if it’s being used for business purposes. Contractors usually need a commercial car insurance policy to protect their business-use vehicles, even if the business doesn’t own the vehicle. This is typically done through non-owned vehicle coverage, where the business pays for insurance on a personal vehicle it uses but doesn’t own.

In cases where the business does own the vehicle, a commercial auto insurance policy is likely essential—and may be required by law. Commercial car insurance works in a similar way as personal auto insurance, except that coverage limits tend to be higher than those of personal auto insurance. Many contractors insure business-owned vehicles for a large amount of liability coverage to protect the business from the cost of an auto accident.

Commercial umbrella insurance can provide a contractor business with additional liability coverage that has a higher limit.

A commercial umbrella policy gives contractors another layer of protection above their usual liability limits. Umbrella policies kick in after a contractor has exhausted the initial coverage limits of other liability policies, such as general liability coverage or commercial auto coverage.

For example, if a worker sustains a serious injury while on the jobsite and sues their employer for damages, the contractor’s general liability insurance would pay for the settlement up to the policy limits, while the umbrella insurance would help cover anything over the regular policy’s limits. So if the worker is awarded a $2 million settlement and the contractor has a $1 million general liability limit, the umbrella insurance would pay up to the policy limits, potentially covering the rest of the settlement.

Surety bonds can help protect the contractor financially if they’re unable to complete a project as outlined in a contract.

A surety bond works outside of a contractor’s normal commercial insurance policies. Surety bonds are additional coverage a contractor may purchase for specific jobs or projects. Some clients may require contractors to purchase a surety bond for their project as part of the contract agreement.

Surety bonds work with three participating parties:

• Client
• Contractor
• Surety—often a business insurance company

To purchase a surety bond, a contractor will outline the details of the project, including the amount of the contract and the time frame it will take to complete the project. The contractor then gets to work. If the contractor cannot meet their agreed-upon obligations, the surety company pays the client. The surety company then recoups its costs from the contractor.

Loss of income insurance can help financially if a contractor is unable to work due to injury or illness.

Loss of income coverage, also called income protection insurance, helps contractors keep their businesses financially stable in the event that they can’t work. This coverage usually kicks in if the contractor has fallen ill or is injured and physically unable to work. The contractor might use their claims payouts to help cover business and personal expenses, such as rent for their business office or their personal mortgage.

For example, say a self-employed contractor with no employees runs a handyman business. After an accident leaves them with a broken arm, they’re unable to work for a few months while recovering. Their loss of income insurance could help cover their ongoing business expenses and some of their personal expenses. Some policies may limit what insurance funds can be used for, so it’s recommended that contractors carefully read their policies to better understand what is and isn’t covered.

In the event that the contractor business is unable to operate, business interruption insurance can help cover employee wages, taxes, and other expenses.

Alors que l’assurance perte de revenus aide les entrepreneurs qui sont incapables de travailler en raison d’une maladie ou d’une blessure, l’assurance perte d’exploitation aide les entrepreneurs lorsque des facteurs extérieurs leur font perdre des revenus. La couverture des pertes d’exploitation permet de prendre en charge les dépenses courantes de l’entreprise, depuis les salaires des employés jusqu’aux frais de location d’équipement, lorsque l’entreprise ne peut pas fonctionner.

Par exemple, si une entreprise de construction doit interrompre ses travaux pendant quelques semaines alors qu’un ouragan provoque des pluies torrentielles sur le chantier, l’entrepreneur devra probablement continuer à faire face à certaines dépenses, notamment

• Salaires des employés,
• Primes d’assurance pour les entreprises,
• les frais de location de matériel, et
• Taxes et redevances générales.

L’assurance contre les pertes d’exploitation peut fournir à l’entrepreneur les fonds nécessaires pour couvrir les dépenses récurrentes de son entreprise, même si celle-ci n’est temporairement pas rentable.

La garantie contre la malhonnêteté des employés peut protéger un entrepreneur si un employé commet une fraude ou vole l’entreprise.

Les entrepreneurs qui embauchent des salariés s’exposent à de nouveaux risques. Même si le processus d’embauche et de vérification des employés est rigoureux, l’entrepreneur peut finir par embaucher un employé malhonnête. Si un employé vole l’entreprise, la couverture de l’entrepreneur contre la malhonnêteté des employés peut l’aider à récupérer le coût et à remplacer l’équipement volé.

L’assurance contre la malhonnêteté des employés ne se limite pas aux employés qui volent directement l’entreprise. Un employé peut également nuire à l’entreprise en ruinant sa réputation par des actes tels que la fraude ou la falsification financière. L’assurance contre la malhonnêteté des employés couvre l’entreprise dans ces situations ainsi que dans les cas de vol direct.

Les entrepreneurs qui n’ont pas besoin d’une couverture d’assurance constante peuvent obtenir une assurance à la demande qui dure le temps d’un travail, qu’il s’agisse de quelques heures, de plusieurs jours ou d’un mois.

Le coût de l’assurance des entrepreneurs dépend d’un certain nombre de facteurs, notamment

• Historique des réclamations,
• Localisation,
• Type de travail contractuel,
• Nombre d’employés,
• Coût de l’équipement, et
• Années d’activité.

Les entrepreneurs de certains secteurs, tels que les toitures, peuvent être amenés à payer des primes plus élevées pour obtenir une couverture. Cela peut peser sur le revenu de l’entreprise. Dans ce cas, les entrepreneurs peuvent envisager une assurance temporaire, qui leur permet d’assurer leur entreprise pendant la durée de chaque projet.

Par exemple, un entrepreneur de toiture indépendant peut n’avoir les moyens de souscrire qu’une petite police d’assurance BOP, qui n’offre pas les limites de couverture nécessaires pour des projets de plus grande envergure. Lorsqu’un grand projet de couverture se présente, l’entrepreneur peut être amené à s’adresser à plusieurs compagnies d’assurance afin de trouver une police d’assurance à la demande pour la durée du projet. Cela lui permet d’obtenir la couverture dont il a besoin pour le grand projet – avec des coûts de responsabilité civile potentiellement élevés – sans perdre le gain financier lié à l’acceptation d’un travail plus important.