Category: Small Business Guides

Running a coffee shop demands a fast pace, as owners must balance crafting quality beverages with providing excellent customer service. Evolving coffee trends and varying preferences across generations, it can be challenging to keep up. This is whether you’re sourcing ethically produced beans or considering investing in a nitro machine to meet the growing demand for cold brews and nitro coffee. Research shows that while these beverages were almost nonexistent in 2015. Today, 1 in 5 Americans under 40 enjoy them weekly. These shifts in consumer preferences can introduce new operational risks, making it essential to understand how to protect yourself, your staff, and your business from common liability claims for coffee shop owners.

The Most Common Liability Claims for Coffee Shop Owners

A liability claim occurs when a customer is harmed physically or otherwise due to the fault of your coffee shop. What happens if a customer accidentally spills their fresh beverage and someone else slips on it before you get a chance to clean it up? Ouch! It sounds like she may have twisted her ankle.

• Slips, Trips and Falls – This is one of the most common injuries that occurs in a coffee shop. Remember that slip from earlier?
• Falling Objects – The new merchandise you ordered has arrived! You think you carefully stack all those new coffee cups and beans nicely for your customers. Crash! The display falls over on top of one of your customers.
• Employment Practices – If you have employees, this exposure is ever present. Should a current or former employee accuse you of wrongful termination, discrimination, or workplace harassment and retaliation, it can prove to be very costly.

Business Insurance is Your Friend

If the scenarios we mentioned above made you more than a little concerned about all your potential losses, don’t fret. Everything we listed above was simply meant to outline the most common claims we see in the coffee industry so that you can do your best to prepare yourself for them.  

To learn more about protecting your coffee shop, check out the our coffee shop page.

Gild Insurance is here to help protect what you’ve built and support what comes next. Schedule a call or get a quote online today.

Sources

“NCA Releases Atlas of American Coffee.” NCA We Serve Coffee. Accessed 19 Nov 2023. https://www.ncausa.org/newsroom/nca-releases-atlas-of-american-coffee

What You Need to Know to Protect Yourself, Your Staff and Your Business

Yum! Who doesn’t love baked goods? According to bakemag.com, the most popular items sold in bakeries are cakes at 24%. For full line retail bakeries, these cake products can be found in their traditional form, by the slice and as cake pops. With new bakery innovations comes new equipment and training which can present new risks and exposures. Running bakeries can be demanding enough, so we at Gild Insurance decided to take researching the most common types of liabilities you do face off your plate.

The Most Common Liability Claims for Bakery Owners

A liability claim occurs when a customer is harmed physically or otherwise due to the fault of the bakery. A part of owning a bakery is experimenting with new tastes and textures but what you shouldn’t experiment with is protecting your business interests and assets. It starts with being informed about what could happen. Below are some examples we’ve prepared for you:

• Slips, Trips and Falls – This is one of the most common injuries that occurs in a bakery. What a beautiful, freshly mopped floor. Jill, your employee, did an amazing job getting it done right before open and the morning rush. Who needs an old “Slippery When Wet” sign? The doors burst open with customers flooding in and one takes a tumble due to the wet floors. What now?
• Falling Objects – With no shortage of shelving in your bakery to show your beautiful pastries off nothing could go wrong, right? Especially since you’ve leaned into the open shelving trend! As a customer reaches for the top shelf piece, they sturdy themselves on another and all comes tumbling down on top of the customer causing an injury. Was this your fault? Either way this is heading to trail, cost of defense can be crushing even if you win.
• Employment Practices – If you have employees, this exposure is ever present. Should a current or former employee accuse you of wrongful termination, discrimination, or workplace harassment and retaliation, it can prove to be very costly.

Business Insurance is Your Friend

If the scenarios we mentioned above made you more than a little concerned about all your potential losses, don’t fret. Everything we listed above was simply meant to outline the most common claims we see in the baked goods industry so that you can do your best to prepare yourself for them.  

To learn more about how Gild can protect your bakery, click here.
 
Gild Insurance is here to help protect what you’ve built and support what comes next. Schedule a call or get a quote online today.

Welcome, coffee entrepreneurs! You’ve built a bustling coffee shop. Therefore, it’s essential to safeguard your passion and hard work. In this blog post, we’re diving into the world of coffee shop insurance. So, grab your favorite brew. Let’s explore how you can sip with confidence and keep your business protected.

Understanding Coffee Shop Insurance:

Running a coffee shop involves lots of activities! It is serving up delightful latte and it is managing a team of baristas. Also, with the joy of entrepreneurship comes the responsibility of addressing potential risks. Below, we are sharing the three main areas to explore with the basics of coffee shop insurance:

General Liability Insurance

Business Owner’s Insurance

Worker’s Compensation Insurance

General Liability Insurance: A Cornerstone of Protection

Firstly, general liability insurance provides coverage for three main topics. These are bodily injury, property damage, and personal injury of customers. Basically, the usual accidents in a coffee shop are what you might guess! Some examples are a customer slipping on a spilled latte or a claim related to the quality of your product. Overall, having this coverage in place is crucial for safeguarding your business.

Business Owner’s Insurance: A Full Bodied Approach

Most coffee shop owners invest lots of time, effort, and money into the equipment and inventory of your business. Accordingly, upgrade to a business owner’s policy to protect that property!

Secondly, business owner’s insurance provides the protections of general liability with property protections! But, it is important to remember that property doesn’t just mean a building. This could include coffee machines, cups, syrups, and even the beans!

Worker’s Compensation Insurance: Brew Peace Of Mind

Thirdly, workers’ compensation insurance provides benefits to employees injured on the job. These benefits may cover medical expenses, lost wages, and even disability. Additionally, it is often a legally REQUIRED, coverage for your coffee shop.

Why Coffee Shop Insurance Matters:

• Peace of Mind: with the right insurance coverage, you can focus on the perfect espresso shots. Consequently, spend more your time on your shop, not your risks!
• Financial Protection: insurance helps lessen the financial impact of liability claims, property damage, or other unforeseen circumstances.
• Perfected Business Practices: many landlords may require proof of insurance. Also, having the right coverage ensures you’re meeting contractual obligations.
• Legal Compliance: having the right coverages keeps your business legal.

To learn more about coffee shop insurance, check out:

“The Most Common Liability Claims for Coffee Shop Owners”.

“The Gild Guide: Most Common Small Business Insurance Questions”.

Gild Insurance is here to help protect what you’ve built and support what comes next. Schedule a call or get a quote online today.

We help coffee shop owners like you find the insurance coverages they need!

Picture this: you are leading a Pilates session. Sarah, one of you clients is trying out a new exercise. You recommend she adjust her front leg and she takes your advice. During this she yells out in pain. Ouch! Now she needs to make a trip to urgent care to be evaluated. Was it your advice that caused the injury? Consequently, your advice could be the difference between doing something right or wrong. You are the professional and your clients trust you. In this blog, we will discuss professional liability claims for fitness studio owners.

The Most Common Professional Liability Claims

What are the most the most common professional liability claims?

• Negligence – In the fitness industry, professionals can make an error that harms someone. Surely, you remember our story about Sarah?
• Misrepresentation – Did you advise a client that a certain diet would help them gain muscle and lose weight? Subsequently, what if that recommendation caused a serious health issue?
• Incorrect advice – You shout, “Line up on the wall for handstands!” Closer to each other!” Albeit, one client falls which causes everyone to fall. Now there are numerous injuries. Did you tell them to get too close? Specifically, is that what caused the injuries?

Which Fitness Professionals Need Insurance

If you are a studio owner, it goes without saying that you need insurance. Chances are you might already have some coverage. So, what about personal trainers and instructors? Do they need insurance too? The answer is yes. Advisor Smith reported that 3 in 4 small businesses encountered an insurable event in the year 2020. Whenever those sorts of odds exist, you want to make sure everything you have worked for is protected. Maybe you have even established a concussion protocol in the event of an accident. Likewise, you may even have liability insurance to help you with other claims.

Business Insurance is Your Friend

Feeling overwhelmed now? Nevertheless, there’s no need to panic. Everything we listed above was simply meant to outline the most common professional liability claims we see in the fitness industry. Our job is to best protect you from them.
 
To get the help you need and deserve, your friends here at Gild Insurance are a click away! We combine the latest technology with experience to provide business insurance options that fit your business.

To learn more, check out:

A Guide To Developing A Concussion Protocol

The Most Common Liability Claims For Fitness Studio Owners

Gild Insurance is here to help protect what you’ve built and support what comes next. Schedule a call or get a quote online today.

Sources

• Chen, Patrick. “Survey” 3 in 4 Small Businesses Faced an Insurable Event in 2020,” 26 Apr 2021, https://advisorsmith.com/data/small-business-claims-statistics/

Insurance can be an overwhelming and complicated topic which can leave both new or seasoned small business owners intimidated. Unsurprisingly, the internet is full of questions regarding small business insurance. Here are some of the most common questions you and other business owners have. So let’s get you some answers!

Q: What determines insurance premiums for small business insurance?

A: The more risks associated with your business (in the eyes of the insurance carrier), the higher your premiums. Generally speaking, four main variables determine how much you will pay for your insurance.  

• The number of employees you have and the revenue size of your company.  
• The value of the assets you wish to insure.
• The specific risks associated with your business.  

Q: Does general liability insurance cover all risks associated with running my business? 

A: General liability insurance protects against the most common risks associated with running a business. It is in no way comprehensive. It covers things like physical injuries to others, damage to others’ property, or advertising injuries. Damage to your property, injuries to your employees is not covered. Professional services and advice is also excluded.  

When you’re first starting your business, general liability insurance may suffice for your needs. But as your business grows, so too will your risks. Upgrading to a BOP or business owner’s policy is a great option. For more information regarding why business insurance may be the missing piece to your growth plan click here. 

Q: How do I prove I have insurance? How do I show my landlord, for example?  

A: A certificate of insurance (COI) is the easiest way to prove your business is insured. If you drive a vehicle and pay insurance on it, you already have experience with certificates of insurance (COI). Your insurance cards are a COI!  

For a small business, certificates of insurance (COI) function basically the same way. COIs are available through your agent. Many times, a COI is available online through your insurance provider. Once you have your COI, you can email it to your client or business partner!

Requesting your COI is easy with Gild Insurance just contact us!

Q: Should I include insurance in my yearly budget or growth plan?

A: Absolutely! Insurance is something that is going to be with your business for the long haul. You will need to scale it accordingly as your business continues to grow. Remember, business insurance isn’t just protection against a catastrophic event!

While accident protection is an aspect of business insurance, another part directly relates to scalability. If you don’t have proper business insurance, you’ll limit your business’s capacity for growth. Landlords and other outside parties look at business insurance as an indicator that the business owner is reliable and trustworthy.

Q: Do I need business insurance to secure a loan? 

A: A loan from the Small Business Administration requires proof of proper insurance. The insurance coverages you need will vary depending on your business and the associated risks. You may need to show proof of several types of insurance before securing funds.

If the lender believes you’re operating a business in a risky manner, they will be less willing to lend your business money. In general, having the right business insurance is a great way to show lenders and other business partners that you are a professional business worthy of partnering with.

Q: Will outside factors affect how much I have to pay? Will the crime rate in my area affect the price of my insurance?

A: As mentioned above, your insurance provider uses many factors to gauge the risk of your business. These factors determine how much the insurance will cost you. Remember, business insurance is a for-profit business. It’s only natural that your insurance company wants to safeguard itself from suffering any losses. If you want to know what specific factors are driving your premium prices, contact your insurance provider directly.

Q: Will my homeowner’s insurance cover me if I run my business from my home?

A: It depends. Usually, the coverage afforded to you by homeowners’ insurance isn’t enough to properly protect your business. For example, many standard home insurance policies only cover up to $2,500 worth of business property. Businesses that sell goods shipped from home likely have more than $2,500 worth of inventory in their living room right now!

Q: What’s the deal with worker’s compensation insurance? How do I get it?

A: Worker’s compensation insurance provided benefits to injured employees that occur due to work. Worker’s compensation insurance is legally required for many small businesses!

What’s confusing about worker’s compensation insurance is that the legal requirements to have it vary from state to state. This also includes how businesses go about getting it in the first place.

Q: What’s the best way to find insurance?

A: Insurance agents are a tried and true method for finding the most comprehensive insurance coverage. Thanks to the rise of recent technological advances, you can now also get quick quotes online through insurance aggregator platforms.

That’s where Gild Insurance comes into the picture. We offer free online quote functionality, backed by small business insurance agents! A personal, fast, and hassle-free process.

If you need help navigating the world of small business insurance, remember that help is always just a click away. Gild Insurance can help you find the right insurance options that fit your business.

Gild Insurance is here to help protect what you’ve built and support what comes next. Schedule a call or get a quote online today.

Sources

Kilroy, Ashley. “Home-Based Business Insurance Explained.” Forbes. 2 Nov 2023. Accessed 13 Dec 2023. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/homeowners-insurance/home-based-business-insurance/