Business income insurance, also called business interruption coverage, compensates for lost net income when a covered peril like property damage forces your business to close.
These funds assist in covering regular operating expenses until business operations can resume.
What is business income insurance?
Business income insurance aids small business owners during unexpected closures due to incidents like fire, vandalism, or weather events.
It extends to government-mandated shutdowns, such as those in the pandemic, or evacuations due to disasters.
If your business closes from a fire, your commercial property insurance handles building repairs, equipment replacement, and inventory losses, but not income loss.
Business income coverage mitigates income loss, supporting business survival until operations resume, known as the period of restoration.
What does business income insurance cover?
Business income insurance safeguards against revenue loss during a shutdown from covered events like fire, theft, or wind damage.
It offers added financial help to keep your business running while you mend property damage.
If closure is due to theft or vandalism, commercial property insurance covers assets, while income insurance tackles lost sales revenue during repairs.
How does business income insurance work?
Picture a windstorm damaging your building’s roof, causing significant water damage and forcing closure.
Commercial property insurance handles physical damage: roof repair, replacing equipment. But it doesn’t cover lost income during closure.
Business income insurance offsets revenue loss due to the windstorm, a covered cause. Typically no deductible, just a waiting period (24-72 hours).
Coverage lasts until business reopens, but extended coverage can continue after reopening, like 30 days.
What documentation do you need for business income coverage?
All your business income losses must be documented, so it’s important to keep your receipts and accounting data that demonstrate what your income would be if your business was still open.
The insurance company may ask to see your:
- Income tax returns
- Sales records and receipts
- Profit and loss statements
- Payroll records
How much does business income insurance cost?
Business income insurance costs can vary significantly.
Your cost of coverage depends on many factors, including:
- Annual revenue
- Amount of coverage you need
- Location
- Policy limits and deductible
- Commercial property value
- Industry risks
- Claims history
What determines the cost of business income insurance?
Higher business risks mean higher premiums.
Take food and beverage vs. consulting businesses: more foot traffic, more risk, higher premiums.
Luckily, business income insurance scales. You decide coverage and balance with affordability.
What is extra expense coverage?
Extra expense coverage is an option post-disruption.
While business income insurance handles lost revenue, extra expense covers added costs: equipment, moving, employee overtime.
Get it as a separate policy, property insurance rider, in business interruption insurance, or within a business owner’s policy (BOP).
What is not covered by business income coverage?
Business income insurance covers actual income loss, not all expenses like marketing. Unverified losses aren’t covered.
It doesn’t cover operations during a pandemic, weather event, or closure due to staffing issues.
Losses from electric lines, power outages, and some natural disasters aren’t covered; those need separate policies like flood insurance.
T Bag is an insurance expert with a degree in actuarial science from the University of Hartford. He has over 10 years of experience in risk management, product development, and pricing. He is a certified actuary and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries. He is passionate about helping clients find the best insurance solutions for their needs and goals. He is looking for new opportunities in the insurance field.