e-Insurance Online

When you create a commercial liability insurance policy; you create it not because you think you will use it daily. Instead, you create it as a safety net praying to never need it. However, more often than not your safety net will pan out, and a claim is submitted. Depending on your insurance carrier there is often multiple ways to submit a claim. The easiest is to get a hold of your agent.

Traditionally most businesses would go through an agent when purchasing business liability cover; however more conventionally online insurances have become more popular and thus it is possible for an agent to be absent in the entire process. Websites for popular companies allow you to purchase general commercial liability insurance straight from the source. In some cases however, an agent will be assigned to follow-up on your application, but this doesn’t always happen.

Insurance is a complex industry and it is therefore advantageous to have an expert on hand whom you can consult with. Typically an agent is licensed by the state and has a contract with one or more insurance companies, giving him/her in-depth market knowledge that you’re unlikely to acquire even after substantial research. The bonus is since an agent is paid by the insurance providers he represents, it doesn’t cost you anything to make use of this knowledge.

To report a business liability claim, you can communicate directly with the claims department of the carrier which wrote your policy, or you can submit the claims information via the company?s website. However, submitting a claim via the internet can be a difficult and time-consuming process. Indeed, submitting a general liability claim through a company?s website form can consume hours, especially if you do not have your policy documentation in hand.

In addition to supplying basic information such as your policy number, the amount of your deductible, your occurrence limits and if you have extended coverage; you’ll also have to input the personal and company identifying information that you’ve previously provided such as your company address, phone number, and other data. This, your business liability insurance agent can simplify.

Although your agent will have access to your policy number, its limits of liability and its deductibles, he will still need to ask you factual questions about the specific loss in question. However, since the agent will have an understanding of your business, even those questions will be shorter and more to the point. In fact, a professional agent with established insurance company relationships will likely be an invaluable partner for you to contact for assistance for many years to come.

While your agent is helping you steer through the claims process; don?t think your agent will turn their back on you when the provider needs to pay. Instead, a claims adjuster will be assigned. The claims adjuster will investigate the claim to figure out if the policy covers the loss and to the extent it is covered. The adjuster will also authorize all valid payments. The claims process is a mixed bag. It can be both a laborious process, or easily dealt with. The allegedly injured individual can decide to bring the issue to the court and the adjuster will work with both the witnesses and attorneys. Your agent will stand by you in the claims process and help unravel an often confusing process.

Susan Reynolds is the content coordinator for a leading South African Insurance Provider who specialises in Business Insurance Policies.