What Type of Small Business Needs Directors and Officers Insurance?

By , May 30, 2011

Business Insurance

If you don’t quite know whether or not your business needs directors and officers insurance, or %LINK1% as you may know it, you should know that if your company has a board of directors, you need this policy in place. As a matter of fact, most board members and directors will ask that your business carries the proper insurance policy before they’ll join your organization. That’s because this type of policy protects those individuals board members and directors in case a suit is ever brought against them as a representative of your company.

Others Who May Require D & O Insurance

Directors and officers insurance isn’t just for board members and directors. The policies usually cover investors, venture capitalists and anyone else who may be tied back to your company. If someone sues your company for providing false information or for making a faulty product, the investors and venture capitalists, those who fund your company, could be found liable to some extent. Directors and officers insurance will make sure those individuals are safe from any litigation or risk.

What Does D & O Protect Against?

You really never know when a claim may be brought against your company for something you have no control over as the business owner. Stockholders can bring claims and employees can even bring claims against your business. When this happens, your board members, directors and officers can have their personal assets scrutinized by the court. This is why D & O is often required of anyone working in his capacity for your company. Only %LINK2% can protect these individuals who have ties to your company from being affected by such claims, and they’re personal assets will be safe.

How You Treat Your Employees

Most directors and officers claims are brought by employees as a result of how they’re being treated. That means that employees are suing the companies they work for, and the board of directors, for claims that they were treated unfairly, discriminated against, etc.
Some companies think that D & O insurance is unnecessary because the company already has errors and omissions or product or general liability insurance. The truth is, however, your board of directors won’t be protected against risk with those simple business insurance policies. Instead, you should make sure you have the proper directors and officers insurance policy in order to protect your company, its investors, its venture capitalists and all directors and officers in case any clients, employees or anyone else brings a claim against your business that you must defend against in court.

Speak with your D&O Insurance provider and ask about directors and officers insurance for your company. Just make sure you understand that many officers and directors won’t give your organization the time of day, and most venture capitalists won’t fund your company, until you secure the proper directors and officers insurance policy. Do the right thing and secure a D & O policy today. Many businesses become derailed by a simple claim merely because they didn’t have the foresight to secure the proper insurance policy, and you should never let that happen to your organization or business.

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