Small business insurance in Raleigh, from a local independent agency

Around Raleigh

• Downtown Raleigh
• North Hills
• Glenwood South
• Six Forks Road
• Capital Boulevard
• NC State Centennial Campus
• Research Triangle Park

Leases, contracts and certificates of insurance

Many Raleigh businesses first shop for insurance because someone asks for proof of it. Commercial landlords in Downtown Raleigh, North Hills and the shopping centers along Six Forks Road and Capital Boulevard commonly require general liability insurance before you get the keys, and often ask to be named as an additional insured. General contractors, property managers and larger clients usually ask the same of the contractors and vendors they hire.

We read the insurance section of your lease or contract, match the limits and wording it asks for, and issue certificates of insurance once a policy is in force. Getting the policy in place before you sign keeps a move-in date or a first job from slipping.

General liability and the business owners policy (BOP)

General liability covers claims that your business caused bodily injury or property damage to someone else, such as a customer who falls in your shop or damage you cause at a client’s home. It is the starting point for most small businesses.

A business owners policy packages general liability with commercial property (your equipment, inventory, furniture and improvements to leased space) and business income coverage, which helps replace lost income if a covered loss forces you to close temporarily. Offices, retail shops, salons, restaurants and many service businesses qualify; whether yours does depends on its size, operations and the insurance company.

Workers’ compensation in North Carolina

Under the North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Act, businesses that regularly employ three or more people, including part-time employees and family members on the payroll, generally must carry workers’ compensation insurance. Some employers must carry it with fewer employees, and the NC Industrial Commission enforces the requirement.

A BOP does not include workers’ compensation, so it is a separate policy. Subcontractors are a common gap: if a subcontractor you hire has no coverage, their workers can become your responsibility. We help you collect and check certificates from the subs you use.

Vehicles, data and the rest of the program

Personal auto policies often exclude or limit business use, and vehicles titled to the business need a commercial auto policy. If employees run errands in their own cars, hired and non-owned auto liability can protect the business.

If you keep customer names, card numbers or other personal information, North Carolina’s Identity Theft Protection Act can require you to notify affected people after a security breach. Cyber liability insurance can help pay for that response. Professional liability (errors and omissions), commercial umbrella and flood coverage round out the program for businesses that need them; flood is excluded from standard commercial property policies, which matters for spaces near Crabtree Creek and Walnut Creek.

Home-based businesses

Running a business from a Raleigh home is common, but a homeowners policy usually provides only limited coverage for business property and little or no liability for business activities. Depending on what you do, a home business endorsement, an in-home business policy or a BOP may fit. Tell us what you do and where, and we show you the options side by side.