Today’s businesses are exposed to an ever-growing list of legal liabilities. As increasing globalisation makes the world and legal systems more complex, so does the process of ensuring your liability policy is broad enough to pick up all of the legal liabilities you’re potentially exposed to in the normal operation of your business.

Public liability insurance protects your business in the event of an unforeseen incident. It covers claims made by the public that happen in connection with your business’s day-to-day activities.

Public liability insurance is often provided with product liability cover and ensures if needed you can pay compensation for unintended and unexpected personal injury and property damage arising from your products or services.

Sometimes called “general liability insurance”, public liability can cover events ranging from minor workplace incidents to serious accidents.

Statutory liability insurance protects you, your business and your employees, including directors, trustees and managers, against certain unintentional breaches of New Zealand law resulting in prosecution.

Statutory liability policy provides access to specialist legal assistance and expert advice if you or your business is being prosecuted for breaching an Act.

An employers’ liability policy (sometimes referred to as EL) protects employers against claims brought by their employees who have sustained an injury in the course of their employment where Accident Compensation Commission (ACC) does not provide cover.
Employers’ liability insurance protects you against settlements or damages, including defence costs, as a result of an employee suffering bodily injury arising out of their employment.

Businesses that provide opinions, advice, design or specification run the risk of claims against them if the advice or design turns out to be unsatisfactory. Even if you’re not at fault, you may have to spend significant amounts on legal fees to prove that the liability isn’t yours.Professional indemnity insurance covers the risk of making a professional mistake: an act, error, omission or through conduct or being misinterpreted.

Just as important as understanding what your business is covered for, is knowing what isn’t covered. That means asking the right questions – something your insurance broker is ideally placed to do.