Commercial property insurance is a crucial investment for business owners, offering protection against a range of risks. Understanding what is commonly included and excluded in these policies is essential for making informed decisions about your business’s financial security.

Commercial property insurance is a vital safeguard for businesses, protecting physical assets from various perils. It typically covers the building, business personal property, and additional structures. Inclusions often encompass business interruption, equipment breakdown, and debris removal. However, policies commonly exclude perils like floods, earthquakes, wear and tear, acts of war, and intentional acts. Understanding these inclusions and exclusions is essential for tailoring coverage to your business’s specific needs, ensuring financial protection against unforeseen events that could otherwise pose a significant threat to your property and operations.

Common Inclusions:

Your commercial property insurance policy will vary depending on the type of business, location and condition of your property. The typical coverage of commercial property insurance allows coverage for the following:

• Building Coverage: Commercial property insurance typically covers the physical structure of your business property. This includes the building itself and any permanently attached fixtures, such as plumbing and lighting.
• Business Personal Property: Contents within your business premises, such as inventory, equipment, furniture, and fixtures, are generally covered. This ensures that your essential business assets are protected against covered perils.
• Business Interruption Insurance: In the event of a covered loss that forces your business to temporarily close, business interruption insurance provides coverage for lost income, ongoing expenses, and potential relocation costs.
• Additional Structures: Detached structures on your business property, such as garages or storage sheds, are often included in the coverage.
• Equipment Breakdown: Coverage for repair or replacement of essential business equipment, such as HVAC systems or manufacturing machinery, in the event of mechanical breakdown.
• Debris Removal: Commercial property insurance typically covers the cost of removing debris resulting from a covered loss, ensuring a smoother recovery process.

Generally, the following are included in the coverage:

• Equipment
• Tools and equipment used off-site for business purposes
• Fencing and landscaping
• Lighting systems
• Furniture and fixtures
• Supplies
• Windows
• Personal and customer property
• Windows and outdoor signs
• Computers
• Electronics

Common Exclusions:

• Flood and Earthquake: Standard commercial property insurance policies usually exclude coverage for damage caused by floods or earthquakes. Separate policies or endorsements are often required for protection against these specific perils.
• Wear and Tear: Gradual wear and tear or deterioration of property over time is generally not covered. It is essential to address maintenance issues promptly to prevent such exclusions.
• Acts of War: Damage resulting from acts of war, terrorism, or civil unrest may be excluded. Additional coverage or specialized policies may be necessary to protect against these risks.
• Nuclear Hazard: Damage caused by nuclear incidents is commonly excluded from standard commercial property insurance policies.
• Intentional Acts: Losses resulting from intentional acts, fraud, or criminal activities by the business owner or employees are typically excluded.
• Government Action: Damage caused by government actions, such as seizure or destruction of property for public use, may be excluded.
• Pollution:  Damage caused by direct or indirect spills, discharge, dispersal, seepage, leakage, migration or release of pollutants, meaning the cost of clean-up is not typically included in your property insurance policy.
• Fungi and Spores: Damage caused by fungi or spores. The expenses for any testing, monitoring, evaluating or assessing of fungi or spores are omitted.

Who Needs Commercial Property Insurance? Just about any business owner including:

• Contractors
• Retail owners (clothing stores, florists, bakeries, book stores,
• Construction companies
• Garages and auto repair shops
• Skilled trades (welders, carpenters, landscapers, plumbers, electricians, etc.)
• Restaurants
• Retirement homes and assisted living
• Condominium corporations and buildings
• Professional services (i.e. accountants, lawyers, graphic designers , copywriters, financial advisors, etc.)
• Anyone else who uses a property for business purposes

Understanding these inclusions and exclusions is crucial for tailoring your commercial property insurance to suit the specific needs and risks of your business. Regularly reviewing your policy, considering additional endorsements, and consulting with an insurance professional can help ensure comprehensive coverage that aligns with your business’s evolving requirements.

We have extensive experience insuring all types of businesses, from small one person operations to much more complex enterprises.  We can help make sure you get the right coverage at the best price.  If you have any questions, call the insurance experts at Munn Insurance at 1-855-726-8627.  We’d be happy to help.