Some insurance policies covering business include product liability coverage that is connected to the production and marketing of goods to the consumers. This type of insurance coverage protects the seller or the producer from liability due to malfunctioning or defects of the product claimed by the final customer. In case this coverage makes part of a general liability insurance policy for the business, it is also referred to as called products-completed operations coverage.
In order to understand how much importance this type of coverage may have for your business, it is important to fully understand the consequences of not having it. When you don’t have such insurance coverage, your business can face on of the following three types of claims:
1) Malfunctioning or defunct product – Such claims can arise due to errors or defects during the manufacturing process, rendering the final product defunct or even unsafe to use. One of the most recent examples of such claims are legal actions against Chinese manufacturers due to the use dangerous chemicals in the production process.
2) Defects in design – Claims of this type are caused by an initially unsafe or even dangerous design of the product. The infamous Pinto claims the Ford company had to face in 1970′s are probably the most memorable examples of such claims.
3) Unreliable warnings – These claims arise from improper labeling or instructions of the product that don’t warn in full about the potential risks and hazards of the product’s use. Think of the “coffee case” filed on McDonalds to understand better.
What people get from these claims is mostly economic and compensatory damages, medical bills and in some cases court and attorney’s fees. And if you think that a business relatively big can face such claims without serious drawbacks, think again, because there were just too many businesses both big and small that went down due to legal action like that.
Those who deal will selling and reselling products and goods are not likely to have any benefits from such coverage, at first sight. Such economic agents are simple distributors and most claims are filed against product manufacturers. But this doesn’t mean that they will not face legal action too. Some states call sellers and distributors together with manufacturers to legal responsibility for putting the product into the market and exposing customers to risks.
That is why, in case your company deals with products or goods, it is important to carry this type of business insurance coverage. Part of this coverage may be already present in your standard business insurance policy, however it makes sense to learn to what extent does this coverage protect you and if the limits are too low for your enterprise, than it would be better to tailor the policy for meeting your exact needs.
The rates on such type of business insurance depend on the volume of goods produced (or distributed), which directly determines the risk of facing a claim. Remember, that it’s virtually impossible to avoid errors, defects and mistakes, and it will cost you quite much if you don’t have product liability insurance for protecting your business assets if a claim is filed against you.
