Do I Need Cyber Liability Insurance For My Business?

Cyber liability insurance protects businesses of all sizes from financial losses incurred by cyber threat actors, including theft, hacking, ransomware, denial of service, and data breaches. Cyber liability insurance is a must if you store sensitive information in the cloud or on a computer, such as social security numbers, health data, or bank account data. While it may be easy to think that small businesses aren’t going to be the target of cyberattacks, criminals seek opportunities. The reality is that the smaller the business, the more vulnerabilities that exist because many companies do not have the money to invest in robust cyber security defense technology. 

With the number of cyberattacks on the rise, having cyber liability insurance can be the difference between surviving or closing your business after an incident. Generally, most cyber liability insurance policies cover the following:

  • Cost of notifying impacted customers
  • Legal fees and expenses
  • Regulatory fines
  • Costs incurred during the recovery of the compromised data
  • Ransom extortion payments. 

In addition to having cyber liability insurance, there are several low-cost steps a business can take to prepare for a cyber attack. Start by having a cyber attack response plan that outlines when customers will be notified and what teams will assist. Additionally, utilize data encryption technology and require robust security training for all employees that discuss their responsibility in preventing an attack. 

To learn more about cyber liability insurance and how it can help your business, give Biddle-Shaw Insurance Services Inc. in San Francisco, CA a call to learn more. We’re happy to schedule a no-obligation consultation with a team member to discuss how we can help protect your business from cyberattacks with a robust commercial insurance policy. 

Do I need Commercial Insurance for my Home-based Business?

Are you one of the entrepreneurs pondering a home-based business in San Francisco, CA? You are on the right track because a home-based offers minimal operating costs, flexibility, and freedom of commuting. But have you thought about business insurance from Biddle-Shaw Insurance Services Inc.? Like any business, a home-based business needs commercial insurance for the reasons below:

Homeowners insurance doesn’t protect your home-based business optimally

Most home-based business owners make the mistake of assuming that home insurance covers their business. Unfortunately, typical home insurance excludes business-related risks. For instance, if a customer trips and injures their back when attending a business meeting, home insurance won’t cover the medical costs. Similarly, home insurance won’t cover claims arising from a detached garage business within your home.

To protect your business

Your home-based business may be operating on a small scale, but it has the same kind of risks as its large counterparts. Here are some of the perils covered by commercial insurance for your home-based business:

  • Liability claims: While liability coverage isn’t compulsory in California, every business should invest in this coverage since liability claims are common and costly. Commercial insurance protects your business against claims of bodily injury, property damage, and advertising injury. Plus, it saves you when sued.
  • Assets protection: Commercial insurance protects business assets, such as computers, furniture, and other assets from risks listed in your policy.
  • Workers protection: Whether you are the only worker in your business or have other employees, you must invest in worker’s comp insurance. This coverage protects your employees against work-related injuries and illnesses.

Are you ready to invest in commercial insurance for your San Francisco, CA business? Why don’t you get in touch with Biddle-Shaw Insurance Services Inc.? We offer personalized commercial insurance policies that suit your specific needs.

Do You Need Commercial Insurance for Your California Business?

You have opened your own business and could not be happier but the agents at Biddle-Shaw Insurance Services Inc. in San Francisco, CA want to help you protect your business from any adverse events that may occur in the future. You can protect your business by having the correct amount of commercial insurance coverage in place.

Worker’s Compensation

In the state of California, you must have worker’s compensation in place. This type of coverage will pay for the medical bills and lost wages of any employee who is injured on the job.

Commercial Auto Liability Insurance

If your business owns vehicles or personal vehicles are used for business purposes, you should have commercial auto liability insurance in place in case an accident occurs. This will protect you and your business if an auto accident does occur while the vehicle is in use for business purposes.

Liability Insurance

It is important to have a liability insurance policy in place that will protect customers or others that visit your business and could become injured at the physical location of your business or because of an incident that occurs involving your business.

Property Insurance

It is important to have business insurance that covers the building your business is located in and any merchandise and other equipment and items that are part of your business. This will help you if your business sustains damages due to a fire, natural disaster, vandalism, or burglary incident.

Other Commercial Insurance Options

You can also obtain other commercial insurance coverage options including cyber liability that will help you recover costs that are lost due to a breach in the security of your client’s personal information. You can also obtain insurance that will help protect you from slander and other legal issues that can arise involving your business.

To create the best commercial insurance policy for your business, call upon the commercial insurance specialists at Biddle-Shaw Insurance Services Inc. in San Francisco, CA today to get your policy started!

All You Need to Know About Renters Insurance

Renters insurance is the type of insurance that is designed to protect tenants that rent properties and their personal belongings. It covers unexpected events, including fire and theft, and injuries to guests and visitors. Biddle-Shaw Insurance Services Inc. serving San Francisco, CA and other surrounding towns prepared a brief guide containing the key information about renters insurance that you should know. 

What Are The Types of Renters Insurance?

It is made up of three types of insurance, including the following: 

  • Personal property coverage. It covers personal belongings from destruction or loss. 
  • Additional living expenses coverage. Provide finances for renting another housing if your rented home is damaged and temporarily is not inhabitable.
  • Personal liability coverage. It covers the damages caused to other people and their properties. 

What Is Not Covered By Renters Insurance?

Renters insurance has its own limitations and does not cover everything. For example, it does not cover the following:

  • Expensive and valuable belongings, such as jewelry, artifacts, pieces of art, etc. 
  • Roommates, unless they are named on the policy.
  • Medical bills. It does not cover your personal medical bills, even if you injure yourself at home. 
  • Business inventory and equipment. If you want to run a home business, you should know that neither your business nor inventory and equipment are covered by renters insurance. 
  • Floods. Renters insurance covers accidental water damage but not the damage caused by heavy rain or flooding. If you want to protect your property and belongings from a flood, you should buy a separate flooding insurance policy. 

Biddle-Shaw Insurance Services Inc. – An Insurance Brokerage Firm You Can Trust

If you are renting a home, you should definitely have renters insurance – it will protect you and your belongings from the unexpected. Our insurance firm serving clients in San Francisco, CA specializes in all kinds of insurance policies, including renters insurance. If you have any questions, or you want to discuss the options available, feel free to give us a call. 

Does Renters Insurance Cover Pets?

If you live in San Francisco, CA, you have probably come across Biddle-Shaw Insurance Services Inc. We are the leading insurance organization in this area, offering different types of insurance policies. One of the products that we have been providing to our customers is the renters’ insurance policy. 

What is Renters Insurance Policy?

Renters insurance is a specific policy that covers liabilities inside your house. It is used to complement the homeowners’ insurance policy, which covers possible perils outside your rented house. What does renters insurance cover?

Personal Properties

The primary role of renters insurance is to help in covering possible uncertainties facing your personal properties. This policy will cover possible uncertainties such as theft, fire, and flooding. However, there is a limit to which your personal properties will be covered. It is always necessary to clarify this with your insurance company on your coverage limit. 

Personal Injury Liabilities

There is no doubt that you will have a huge number of friends that will be visiting your home regularly. Any injury or personal accident suffered by your visitors may turn out to be a significant financial hazard. However, with renters insurance, you will cover everything without major issues. 

Renters Insurance and Pets

It is standard for people to have different types of pets. These domesticated animals face certain uncertainties as well, which means you need to have an insurance policy for the necessary protection. Unfortunately, renters insurance does not cover pets because they are not classified as personal properties.

This does not mean that your pet will remain vulnerable to possible uncertainties. There is always an option for such issues. There are very many insurance companies that are providing pet insurance policies. 

What Next?

Do you live in San Francisco, CA? You don’t have to worry about pet insurance. At Biddle-Shaw Insurance Services Inc., we are ready to give you the best pet insurance policy. Visit our offices today for detailed information on pet insurance.

Does My Auto Policy Cover a Rental Vehicle?

People who have taken up car insurance mostly have policy questions. They turn to their family, friends, or colleagues for clarification. Most of the time, the advice they get is inaccurate, leading to costly mistakes. At Biddle-Shaw Insurance Services Inc., we help San Francisco, CA residents make informed decisions. So, we often provide answers to frequently asked questions.

In this article, we are providing answers to: Does my auto policy cover a rental vehicle?

Yes, your policy covers your rental vehicle if you have a comprehensive and collision cover. You enjoy coverage against damage to the car. The insurance also covers damage to property or injuries to other people. 

However, the rented car must be under your name. You can be the driver or any other individual listed on your policy cover. If an unauthorized person is driving the vehicle and is involved in an accident, your auto policy cover may not apply.

Expenses You Need to Cover From Your Pocket

What if the rental vehicle is stolen? What if it is involved in a collision? These are things that can happen. Thus, continue paying your deductible. If anything happens, the deductible comes in handy, as it would be if you lost your car.

What Are the Exceptions to Your Auto Policy Cover?

Before renting a vehicle, you need to ask yourself, ‘what are exceptions?” For example, the auto policy cover cannot apply if you rent a commercial vehicle. It has to be a private passenger car. Again, the rental duration should not exceed 30 consecutive days. The coverage covers you if you are within the US and Canada.

Do you live in San Francisco, CA, and need to rent a vehicle? The good news is, your comprehensive and collision cover takes care of your rental car. We help our clients make educated decisions. So, If you have any questions or concerns about your auto policy cover, you can conveniently reach us through the Biddle-Shaw Insurance Services Inc. website.

Do San Francisco businesses need commercial insurance?

Business owners that are in the San Francisco, CA area will find that the strong population and economy in the area provides a lot of opportunity for success. If you are a business owner here, you still need to protect your business with commercial insurance coverage. There are a variety of reasons why we need to get a commercial insurance plan in this city. 

Insurance Protects a Business

A key reason to get a commercial insurance plan when you are in this city is so you can protect your business. If you are going to start a company here, you will need to invest both your time and personal capital to get it off the ground. With a commercial insurance plan, you can receive coverage for your business assets and obtain liability risk protection. This could be helpful and give you the protection needed to keep your company financially solvent.

Insurance is Required for Many Companies

You may also need a commercial insurance plan as it could be a requirement for your organization. There are commonly going to be commercial insurance requirements set by investors, landlords and banks. If you have partnerships or contracts with any of these entities, it is important to understand your insurance obligations. Maintaining proper coverage can keep you in good standing. 

In the San Francisco, CA area there are a lot of great opportunities for business owners to be successful. To ensure that you are getting the right insurance protection for your company, you should call Biddle-Shaw Insurance Services Inc. The insurance professionals with Biddle-Shaw Insurance Services Inc. understand the value that this insurance provides. They can answer any questions that you have about this type of coverage and give you the support you need to build a new insurance plan. 

What benefit comes with getting commercial insurance in San Francisco?

The San Francisco, CA area is one of the most populated and vibrant parts of the country. With a large population base and consistent group of visitors, owning a business in San Francisco could prove to be a great investment and career plan. If you do want to own a business here, you need to get commercial insurance as it offers several benefits. 

Business Liability Protection

A benefit that you will receive when getting commercial insurance is business liability protection. As a business owner, you are going to take on liability risk on a regular basis. If there is ever a liability claim against your company, it could be very detrimental. Fortunately, this risk can be mitigated if you invest in a full commercial insurance plan. With this coverage, you will receive protection to help you offset the costs if you are found liable for an accident. 

Coverage to Protect Business Assets

A commercial insurance plan is also necessary for those that are in the San Francisco area because it is needed to protect business assets. Any business owner that chooses to start a company will have to invest their capital to acquire certain assets. By getting a commercial insurance plan, you can receive specific coverage that will help you repair or replace these assets if you incur certain types of loss.

When you need a new commercial insurance plan in the San Francisco, CA area, it would be a good idea to call Biddle-Shaw Insurance Services Inc. The team with Biddle-Shaw Insurance Services Inc. focuses on helping businesses understand their insurance needs. They can help you understand all of your coverage options and how they can mitigate risk. The team can then help you build a plan that provides ideal coverage. 

Do I need commercial insurance for my home business?

More and more people are opting for a home business. Working for yourself opens up a world of possibilities. It also can be a good reason to take a good look at your home and auto insurance and whether they offer you the coverage you need for your business. Not all home insurance is friendly to a business you run out of your home and the most likely scenario is you would be woefully underinsured. Commercial insurance is designed to be tailored to the needs of your business and at Biddle-Shaw Insurance Services Inc. in San Francisco, CA, we have more than 80 years of experience meeting the needs of our customers. 

Commercial property insurance offers protection for the machinery that you have for your business, all your office equipment, records, raw materials, and products. Your office itself would be covered by home insurance for things like the walls and flooring etc. 

Commercial liability insurance is important if you will be having customers or clients visiting your home. If someone is injured while visiting, this insurance will protect you from a judgment against you. It also covers for damage from the information you may have given or a service or product you sell. 

Commercial auto insurance is a must if you have even one vehicle owned by your business. Keeping your business and your personal finances separate is always a good idea. 

Business interruption insurance can make the difference between keeping your business viable and having to cease business if you are forced to close because of a loss that keeps the business from operating. 

If you have one or more employees, in California you are required to provide workers’ compensation insurance for them. 

Before you open your home business talk to Biddle-Shaw Insurance Services Inc. in San Francisco, CA about the right commercial insurance for you. Give us a call to make an appointment for a free quote. 

What First Time Renters Need to Know About Insurance

Renting your home has a lot of perks. Someone else gets to worry about big home repairs, property taxes and insurance, right? Almost. Although your landlord will have a homeowner’s policy in place to cover their property, renters should still give some thought to insurance. Renters’ insurance is an important way to protect your self while you are renting your home. At Biddle-Shaw Insurance Services Inc. serving San Francisco, CA, we want to help better educate you about your insurance needs. Keep reading to learn more about renters’ insurance.

What is Renters’ Insurance?

Renters’ insurance is a type of insurance product designed to protect individuals who do not own their home, but rather are renting a house, apartment, or condo. Renters’ insurance is different from homeowner’s insurance because it does not cover the actual property. Rather, renters’ insurance is in place to protect you and your belongings. 

What Does Renters’ Insurance Cover?

Renters’ insurance can be customized to suit your particular needs, but in general, renters’ insurance will cover the following areas. 

Personal Property- Your personal property differs from the home’s property. Your personal property includes your possessions which are housed on the property. Should your personal property be damaged or lost due to fire, natural disaster, or burglary, the insurance policy will kick in to have those items repaired or replaced. Without this type of protection, you could be left financially vulnerable following a disaster or burglary. 

Liability- Some renters’ policies will also provide liability protection. This liability protection will kick in if someone is injured at your rental home because of your negligence. This is an important type of coverage to have in place so that you are not left with expensive medical bills or legal fees in the event of an accident in your rental home. 

If you would like to learn more about renters’ insurance, please contact our staff at Biddle-Shaw Insurance Services Inc. serving San Francisco, CA.