Contractors' Business Insurance

The Commercial Insurance Agency specializes in the design and placement of Contractors' Liability Insurance, Construction Bonds, and other small business insurance programs in various industries. We work closely with insurance carriers and stay current with all newly adopted strategies to manage construction exposures.

The Commercial Insurance Agency represents the best contractor’s insurance carriers that specialize in this unique type of insurance, which includes-construction bonds, general liability insurance, and workers' compensation. We have a construction division consisting of insurance specialists devoted to the underwriting and placement of contractors.

The Commercial Insurance Agency can provide coverage and contractors liability insurance for the small sole proprietor performing general remodeling, to specialty trade and artisan contractors, to the largest general construction firms in the industry. Whether you are a one-man operation or a multi-million dollar multi-state construction firm. The Commercial Agency is capable of providing affordable large to small business insurance that meets your requirements.

Contractors' Insurance Coverage

General Liability Insurance
Workers' Compensation
Builders Risk Coverage
Equipment & Tool Floaters
Installation Floaters
Commercial Automobile Coverage
Commercial Umbrella Coverage
Owners & Contractors Protective Liability Insurance
Contractors' Pollution Liability Coverage
Contractors' Professional Liability Coverage
Surety Bonds

Contractors' Insurance Value Added Services

Annual Insurance & Risk Management Meetings to Evaluate Client Needs
Implementation of Contractor Risk Transfer Program
Job Specific Contract Reviews of Insurance Specifications
Claims Advocacy to Minimize Client Loss History
Customized Educational Seminars
Premium Audit Analysis & Assistance for accurate payroll / classification records
Workers' Compensation Experience Modification Analysis

Contractors' Insurance Clientele

General Contractors
Trade Contractors
Artisan Contractors
Electrical Contractors
Plumbing & Heating Contractors
HVAC Contractors
Mechanical Contractors
Landscape & Landscape Construction Contractors
Masonry Contractors
Paving Contractors
Painting Contractors
Fire Sprinkler Contractors
Flooring Contractors
Computer Flooring Contractors

Manufacturing and Wholesalers Insurance

Special Manufacturing/Wholesaler Programs

The Commercial Agency, Inc. has special programs for various types of manufacturers and distributors/wholesalers, including but not limited to, manufacturers and wholesalers of apparel products, electronic parts, industrial machinery, plastic & rubber products, stone/clay/glass products, wood products, food products, and metal products. Eligible businesses will be well-established (5 or more years in business), exemplify pride of ownership (illustrated by thorough quality control, exemplary housekeeping and maintenance of equipment), concern for employees (as shown by active safety programs and use of proper personal protective gear), and newer, well-constructed buildings built for the manufacturer's occupancy with modern protective safeguards. Coverages for manufacturers and distributors may include the following:

Property Insurance
Business Income coverage
Computers and Media
Consequential loss to stock and selling price valuation
Contractual failure to deliver the manufacturer's product

Equipment Breakdown coverage
General Liability coverage
Products Liability coverage
Broad Form Vendors coverage
Blanket Additional Insured

Product Recall Expense
Damage to Premises rented to the manufacturer
Commercial Automobile coverage
Workers' Compensation coverage
Commercial Umbrella coverage

Safety Management Value Added Services include

Workers compensation cost containment
Early return to work programs
Hazard communication programs
Supervisor accident investigation training
Safety committee assistance
Machine guarding assessment

Electrical (infrared) evaluations
Automatic sprinkler system assessment
Onsite ergonomic evaluation
Hearing conservation program assistance
Forklift safety

Restaurant Insurance

Special Restaurant Programs

The Commercial Agency, Inc. offers special insurance programs for restaurants with coverages unique to the industry. We understand your business and serve your needs best by offering the following:

Broad coverage designed for the restaurant business
Loss control & risk management services to help you reduce claims and insurance costs
Claims advocacy to carefully monitor claims to reduce costs
Competitive pricing from A.M. Best "A" Rated Insurance Carriers

Special Coverages for Restaurants

Our experience with handling restaurant insurance and risk management issues has allowed us to assemble the proper coverages to address the various exposures of your restaurant operation. A list of coverages follows:

Property Insurance for your building, contents, and/or tenant improvements
Business Income for interruption of business operations
Equipment Breakdown
Food Contamination/Spoilage
General Liability

Products Liability
Liquor Liability
Employee Benefits Liability
Employment Practices Liability
Crime/Employee Dishonest

SPECIAL GARAGE/AUTO REPAIR SHOP PROGRAMS

Broad coverage designed for the garage /auto repair business
Loss control & risk management services to help you reduce claims and insurance costs
Claims advocacy to carefully monitor claims to reduce costs
Competitive pricing from A.M. Best "A" Rated Insurance Carriers

SCHOOL PROGRAMS

The Commercial Agency, Inc. offers special insurance programs for schools with coverages unique to the industry. We understand your business and serve your needs best by offering the following:

Broad coverage designed for the school
Loss control & risk management services to help you reduce claims and insurance costs
Claims advocacy to carefully monitor claims to reduce costs
Competitive pricing from A.M. Best "A" Rated Insurance Carriers

SCHOOL PROGRAMS

The Commercial Agency, Inc. offers special insurance programs for schools with coverages unique to the industry. We understand your business and serve your needs best by offering the following:

Property Insurance for your building and contents
Business Income for interruption of business operations
Equipment Breakdown
General Liability
Abuse & Molestation Coverage
Professional Liability and Errors & Omission Coverage

Products Liability
Liquor Liability
Employee Benefits Liability
Employment Practices Liability
Crime/Employee Dishonest

Computer & Technology Insurance

Computer & Technology Consultants/Web & Software Designers/IT Professionals

The Commercial Agency, Inc. represents carriers offering the broadest coverage for computer and technology risks. Target classes include:

Computer Consultants
Technology Consultants
Web Designers
Software Developers
IT Professionals

Coverages Options include the following

Professional /E&O Liability
General Liability
Property Coverage
Crime Coverage

Employment Practices
Commercial Automobile
Workers Compensation
Commercial Umbrella

Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI)

EPLI covers businesses against claims by workers that their legal rights as employees of the company have been violated.

The number of lawsuits filed by employees against their employers has been rising. While most suits are filed against large corporations, no company is immune to such lawsuits. Recognizing that smaller companies now need this kind of protection, some insurers provide this coverage as an endorsement to their Business owners Policy (BOP). An endorsement changes the terms and conditions of the policy. Other companies offer EPLI as a stand-alone coverage.

EPLI provides protection against many kinds of employee lawsuits, including claims of:

Sexual harassment
Discrimination
Wrongful termination
Breach of employment contract
Negligent evaluation
Failure to employ or promote
Wrongful discipline
Deprivation of career opportunity
Wrongful infliction of emotional distress
Mismanagement of employee benefit plans

The cost of EPLI coverage depends on your type of business, the number of employees you have and various risk factors such as whether your company has been sued over employment practices in the past. The policies will reimburse your company against the costs of defending a lawsuit in court and for judgments and settlements. The policy covers legal costs, whether your company wins or loses the suit. Policies also typically do not pay for punitive damages or civil or criminal fines. Liabilities covered by other insurance policies such as workers compensation are excluded from EPLI policies.

To prevent employee lawsuits, educate your managers and employees so that you minimize problems in the first place:

Create effective hiring and screening programs to avoid discrimination in hiring.

Post corporate policies throughout the workplace and place them in employee handbooks so policies are clear to everyone.

Show employees what steps to take if they are the object of sexual harassment or discrimination by a supervisor. Make sure supervisors know where the company stands on what behaviors are not permissible.

Document everything that occurs and the steps your company is taking to prevent and solve employee disputes.

Please contact our office if you would like to discuss and/or obtain this coverage.

Directors & Officers Liability Insurance (D&O Insurance)

Directors & Officers Liability Insurance

Directors and Officers Liability Insurance (often called D&O) is insurance payable to the directors and officers of a company, or to the corporation itself, to cover damages or defense costs in the event they are sued for wrongful acts while they were with that company.

Typical sources of claims include shareholders, shareholder-derivative actions, customers, regulators, and competitors (for anti-trust or unfair trade practice allegations).

Directors and Officers Liability insurance is commonly purchased with a companion product "Corporate Reimbursement Insurance" (or "Company Reimbursement Insurance"). When purchased together, a single insurance policy is normally issued which is entitled "Directors and Officers Liability and Company Reimbursement Insurance". Modern Directors & Officers policies now frequently include cover for the Company Entity itself as well as Employment Practice Liability.

D&O insurance is usually purchased by the company itself, even when it is for the sole benefit of directors and officers. Reasons for doing so are many, but commonly would assist a company in attracting and retaining directors. Where a country's legislation prevents the company from purchasing the insurance, a premium split between the directors and the company is often done, so as to demonstrate that the directors have paid a portion of the premium.

A common misperception of D&O insurance is that it makes directors or officers able to engage in acts they know to be wrong; this is not the case. Intentional acts are not covered in D&O insurance. Only negligence by directors or officers would be covered.

Directors & Officers Liability Insurance is used to insure directors and officers against claims arising from the negligent acts, errors, or omissions alleged to have been committed by present or former directors or officers of your corporation subject to policy language.

Please contact our office if you would like to discuss and/or obtain this coverage.

Professional Liability Insurance

Professional Liability Basics

Professional liability insurance protects professional practitioners such as architects, lawyers, physicians, and accountants against potential negligence claims made by their patients/clients. Professional liability insurance may take on different names depending on the profession. For example, professional liability insurance in reference to the medical profession may be called Medical Malpractice. Notaries public may take out errors and omissions insurance (E&O). Other potential E&O policyholders include, for example, real estate brokers, home inspectors, appraisers, and website developers. There are also specific E&O policies for technology companies, such as software developers, technology consultants and other creators of technology. This coverage focuses on the failure to perform, financial loss and error or omission of the products or services sold. Additional coverage for breach of warranty, intellectual property, personal injury, security and cost of contract can be added.

The primary reason for professional liability coverage is that a typical general liability insurance policy will only respond to a bodily injury, property damage, personal injury or advertising injury claim. The above mentioned professional services and products can cause claims without causing a bodily injury, property damage, personal injury or advertising injury. Common reasons alleged in making claims on these policies are negligence, misrepresentation, violation of good faith and fair dealing, and inaccurate advice. For example, if a software product fails to perform properly, it may not cause physical damages, personal or advertising injuries, therefore the general liability policy would not be triggered.

It may, however, directly cause financial losses which could potentially be attributed to the software developer's misrepresentation of the product capabilities.

Professional liability insurance policies are generally set up based on a claims-made basis, meaning that the policy only covers incidents that occurred during the timeframe in which the coverage was active. It is important to continue your coverage, because cancelling the policy, will in effect, make it as if you never had coverage.

Please contact our office if you would like to discuss and/or obtain this coverage.

Snow Removal Insurance for Contractors

The Commercial Agency, Inc. insures many landscape contractors that also do snow removal work. The Agency has been handling this coverage for many years, for many clients. We are experienced!

Over the last year, the insurance market for snow removal contractors has severely constricted due to increased claims activity. We agree that many of these claims may be frivolous, but unfortunately, we now live in a litigious society!

The Commercial Agency, Inc. represents most, if not all, of the top insurance carriers. Additionally, we have access to the most competitive programs and companies offering such coverage.

Please contact us today to discuss this coverage. The earlier you start, the better, so that we can explore all available options and get the best available deal for you.

There are many risk management techniques you can incorporate in your business operations as a landscape contractor/snow removal contractor to make your account more marketable to insurance companies. Some of those techniques include the following:

Incorporate and review Snow Removal/Maintenance Contracts with counsel that limit your liability
Use proper risk transfer techniques with Subcontractors (including indemnity agreements and certificates of insurance/additional insured)
Document and investigate claims and share that information with your insurance carrier
Incorporate Property Inspection Forms
Maintain Incoming Call logs

We can help you incorporate these strategies! Please contact Ken or Steve Cerullo for a Free Consultation! Our telephone number is 201-391-1324 and our email addresses are [email protected] and [email protected].