As a business owner, you are responsible for every item you produce and market. Your company can be liable for the repercussions if one of those goods is defective or results in an injury. Losses resulting from this kind of circumstance can be reduced with the use of product liability insurance. Read along to learn about production liability insurance.
READ MORE: Ancillary Health Insurance and Benefits
What is production liability coverage?
Production liability coverage is a type of commercial insurance that can pay for compensation claims if a customer is hurt, or their property is destroyed as a result of a product you’ve sold. In some circumstances, even if you didn’t make the goods, you could still be held responsible. Sounds confusing right? This brings us to the next question.
What does production liability coverage cover?
If someone sues you for harm or damage, production liability insurance can cover the costs of the lawsuit as well as the legal fees. For instance, if you produce the goods you sell, you are responsible for covering their compensation costs. You will also be held accountable if another brand’s goods bear your company’s name or if you fixed or refurbished them. If the manufacturer cannot be located, has gone out of business, or is located outside the EU, you may also be liable.
Compensation payments can be massive because they include issues like lost wages resulting from an injury or the repair or replacement of assets in the case of property damage. To prevent the collapse of your company in the event of a compensation claim, production liability coverage can cover these expenditures.
Examples of production liability coverage
Typical problems that clients have that lead to product insurance claims include:
- Products that cause physical harm to a customer.
- Products that harm property.
- Sickness brought on by food or drink.
Numerous factors might lead to a product issue, but three of the more frequent ones will be discussed below.
READ MORE: What Does State Farm Renters Insurance Cover
Popular factors leading to production issues
- Design defect
Some product liability lawsuits are brought about by the product’s faulty and dangerous design. This indicates that a product with a design flaw is risky from the onset and raises the possibility of consumer injury or death. Every product that is created with a flawed design will be impacted. Design flaws frequently result in widespread product recalls. An example is a battery that catches fire when used to its maximum capacity or a toy with minuscule pieces that could suffocate a child.
- Manufacturing defect
The design of a product is not an issue when there is a manufacturing flaw. Instead, the flaw appeared during the product’s assembly. For instance, a manufacturing error could lead to the wrong material being utilized to create a product. As a result, the product does not adhere to its intended design and might not be able to function as safely as expected.
A manufacturing flaw might not always affect every product made, in contrast to design flaws. For instance, it might only have an impact on a few. Automobile tires made with the incorrect kind of rubber or medicines tainted because they weren’t properly packed are examples of manufacturing flaws.
- Marketing defect
This kind of problem is not related to the product per se, but rather to how it was promoted to the consumer. The most common marketing flaw and the one that poses the greatest danger of customer harm is failure to warn. To alert consumers to any potential risks, products that are probably harmful need to have the appropriate warning labels. Without this knowledge, there may be injuries or even fatalities.
Another type is Insufficient instructions. If used incorrectly, some goods may provide a potentially deadly risk. There must be thorough details and directions on how to use the product. If adequate instructions on a product’s proper usage are not provided, the manufacturer or retailer may be held accountable.
Do you need production liability insurance?
Some small business owners have the impression that they don’t need insurance or that it’s too expensive. The fact is that you should always take precautions against the potential of product liability lawsuits. You must be careful even if you run a bakery selling cupcakes or own a shop selling the clothes. You run the danger of liability claims, which can be highly costly and time-consuming, the moment you start selling your product.
Remember that product liability lawsuits can affect both business-to-business and business-to-consumer operations. You still need product liability insurance if you develop a product that you sell to other business owners. For instance, software programmers, creators/designers of websites, raw materials, and equipment manufacturers can benefit from this insurance coverage.
How much is production liability coverage?
Several variables affect how much production liability insurance costs. Among these are things like the kind of product your company provides, the annual revenue connected to it, the hazards connected to it for customers, and other factors.
Production liability coverage versus general liability coverage
These two policies are not the same, even though they are mistaken for each together. General liability insurance covers most small company claims. It protects against unintentional harm like a customer breaking an arm at your store after sliding in a puddle (or their phone). Additionally, it aids in paying for legal actions brought against you for allegedly stealing a rival’s logo or harming their reputation. In contrast to general liability insurance, damages resulting from your goods or rendered services are covered by production liability coverage. Manufacturers, retailers, and contractors require both forms of coverage for this reason.
READ MORE: What Is Insurance Management Services
Conclusion
Liability, as it relates to enterprises, refers to your organization’s legal responsibility for third-party losses. You run the danger of liability whether you’re a startup attempting to get off the ground or a seasoned businessperson. In some cases, even if your company doesn’t do anything wrong, you could nevertheless get caught up in a legal dispute.
Having appropriate insurance coverage like production liability insurance for your company and goods can help you reduce the losses brought on by liability claims.
Leave a Comment