Workers’ Compensation Insurance

Accidents happen in the workplace, no matter what precautions you have in place. Workers’ compensation insurance is designed to help cover the costs associated with a work-related injury or illness. We’re here to help you sort through business insurance, including workers’ compensation insurance benefits. Contact us today to get started.

What Is Workers’ Compensation Insurance?

Workers’ compensation insurance is a type of business insurance policy that provides benefits to employees if they suffer work-related illnesses or injuries. Workers’ compensation benefits typically include coverage for paying for medical care and lost wages from time missed from work.

Employers also benefit from workers’ compensation insurance, as it can help protect your business from lawsuits and keep it compliant with state regulations.

What Are Workers’ Compensation Benefits?

Workers’ compensation may provide various benefits to employees who experience an injury or illness, including:

• Medical benefits—Employees may receive compensation to cover doctor appointments, hospital visits and medications.
• Wage-loss benefits—If an employee cannot return to work at total capacity, wage-loss benefits may help them supplement their lost income. This benefit may last until the employee has recovered or until the wage-loss benefit limit has been reached.
• Vocational rehabilitation benefits—Employees may receive access to vocational rehab services to help them learn new skills and reenter the workforce after an injury.
• Death/dependent benefits—If an employee loses their life because of a work-related injury or illness, workers’ compensation may help cover funeral costs and lost income. These benefits are typically provided to the spouse or dependents of the deceased.

Worker’s compensation laws vary by state, which may impact the limits and duration of benefits and the type of employers required to have it. Reach out to an agent to discuss specific requirements for your business.

How to Get Workers’ Compensation

We’re ready to help you secure workers’ compensation coverage for your business. Contact Hjorth Insurance Independent/Broker Commercial & Personal today for more information or a quote.

Trucking Insurance

All owner-operators and trucking companies must carry commercial auto insurance with adequate liability coverage. This insurance helps protect the owner-operator or motor carrier from liability lawsuits if the truck driver causes an accident resulting in third-party injuries or property damage.

Contact us today to learn more about the commercial truck insurance your organization needs and get a personalized quote.

Why Do Truck Drivers Need Commercial Truck Insurance?

Federal law requires motor carriers and owner-operators to purchase public liability insurance for their DOT-regulated commercial motor vehicles. However, regardless of DOT regulations, most states require all tractor trailers to have commercial auto coverage, even for leased units. Your options for commercial truck depend on the needs of your trucking business, the truck driver and the type of goods you haul.

Commercial Trucking Insurance Coverage

The liability insurance portion of a trucking insurance policy helps pay for third-party injuries and property damage caused by the truck driver. With a commercial liability policy, there are two types of liability coverage:

• Bodily injury liability insurance helps cover medical bills if other people involved in the accident are injured and the tractor trailer driver is at fault.
• Property damage liability insurance helps pay to repair or replace someone else’s property after an accident caused by a commercial truck driver.

An independent insurance agent can help you determine which types and amounts of insurance may best serve your trucking business. They can help you choose from several commercial truck insurance providers. Your agent may also recommend additional commercial truck policies to help protect your business.

Other coverages under commercial auto insurance include:

• Comprehensive insurance. This coverage may help pay for damages to the tractor trailer unrelated to an accident, such as weather damage, fire or vandalism.
• Collision insurance. This policy may help repair or replace the tractor trailer after an accident.
• Medical payments. This coverage may help cover medical bills up to a specific dollar limit if a passenger or the tractor trailer driver is injured in an accident. It could also cover lost income.
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance. This policy may help pay to repair or replace a tractor trailer after an accident caused by an uninsured or underinsured third party.

What Types of Commercial Truck Insurance Are Available for Tractor Trailer Drivers?

Your agent may recommend the following additional commercial trucking insurance policies, depending on your situation:

• Trailer interchange. This policy helps pay to repair or replace a trailer when someone other than the owner uses it.
• Bobtail. This policy helps cover damages caused when the truck does not have a trailer attached
• Cargo insurance. This policy helps cover financial loss incurred from damaged or lost cargo.

Get the Trucking Insurance You Need Today

At Hjorth Insurance Independent/Broker Commercial & Personal, we understand that tractor trailer owners and drivers have specific insurance needs. Contact us today to learn more about how insurance can help provide financial protection for your trucking operation and to get a quote for truck insurance.

Life Insurance

Life insurance can help provide financial security for you or your loved ones by replacing lost income and covering various expenses after your death or when the policy’s term is up. If you’re looking for life insurance, we’re here to help. Our agency is ready to discuss your life insurance needs and help find a policy that’s right for you.

What Is Life Insurance?

Life insurance is a contractual agreement between you (the policyholder) and the insurance company. In exchange for paying the insurer a regular premium, your beneficiaries will receive a lump-sum death benefit when you pass away or after a specific amount of time has passed.

What Are the Types of Life Insurance?

There are two primary types of life insurance, including:

• Term life insurance—A term life policy provides a death benefit to your loved ones if you die during the policy’s term. This term might be a period of 10, 20, 30 or more years, depending on the expiration date of the policy. If you do not die during this time, the policy does not pay and will expire when the term ends. You will also have to reapply for a new policy if you want to continue to have coverage.
• Whole life insurance—A whole life policy will last for the remainder of your life once you enroll. It will not expire unless you stop paying for it. Additionally, such a policy offers cash value investment opportunities. This cash value component can enable you to receive a source of income during your lifetime (in addition to the eventual death benefit).

Several other types of life insurance also exist. Speak to one of our agents to determine which type of coverage suits your particular needs.

How to Get Life Insurance

If you’re in need of a life insurance policy, we’re here to help. Give Hjorth Insurance Independent/Broker Commercial & Personal a call or request a quote online to get started.

General Liability Insurance

Commercial general liability insurance can cover your business and clients by providing financial assistance when the unexpected happens. Our team can help you secure the insurance your business needs. Contact us today to get started.

Commercial General Liability Coverages

Commercial general liability insurance typically provides coverage for:

• Third-party property damage. Commercial general liability insurance may provide repair or replacement costs if your business is responsible for damaging others’ property.
• Third-party bodily injury. Commercial general liability coverage may pay for medical expenses if your business is responsible for a third-party bodily injury (e.g., an injury occurring at your business).
• Personal and advertising injury. Commercial general liability insurance may provide coverage if your business is sued for a personal or advertising injury (e.g., slander, libel or copyright infringement).

In addition to providing compensation for damages, commercial general liability insurance may pay associated legal fees (e.g., attorney fees, settlements and judgments). Speak with your agent for more information on coverages, limits and exclusions.

Why Commercial General Liability Insurance Is Important

Although commercial general liability insurance typically isn’t required by law, some business licenses may require coverage. Or a landlord may require proof of insurance before offering a lease.

Commercial general liability coverage may also help you avoid paying for unexpected losses out of pocket. Reach out to your agent for additional information on how commercial general liability insurance may mitigate your business’s risks. We can help you secure the coverage that is right for you.

How to Get Commercial General Liability Insurance

Our team can help you obtain your commercial general liability insurance policy. Contact us today for additional information or a quote.

Contractors Insurance

As a contractor, you face many risks as part of your job, no matter your trade. Securing comprehensive business insurance for your operations can help mitigate the financial losses from these hazards. If you’re a contractor and need insurance solutions, we are ready to help. Contact Hjorth Insurance Independent/Broker Commercial & Personal today for more information.

What Types of Insurance Coverages Are Available for Contractors?

Whether you are a general contractor or an artisan contractor, business insurance can provide coverage for several exposures, which can help reduce your out-of-pocket burden. The coverages contractors select vary. Several types of insurance are typically available, including, but not limited to:

• Commercial property insurance—Commercial property insurance protects your business’s physical assets (e.g., your building and its furnishings) if they are damaged by covered perils, such as fires or storms. It may provide repair or replacement costs.
• Builder’s risk insurance—Builder’s risk insurance can provide coverage during a construction project. It may provide coverage if the building under construction, materials or supplies are damaged by a covered cause of loss (e.g., fire). Coverage may apply to property at the job site or temporarily stored off-site.
• Contractor’s tools and equipment insurance—This may pay repair or replacement costs if your portable tools or equipment are damaged, lost or stolen.
• Commercial auto insurance—If your business owns vehicles, commercial auto insurance may provide coverage if they’re damaged or in an accident. Hired and non-owned auto insurance (HNOA) may also be available to cover vehicles your business rents or leases.
• Liability insurance—If your business is held legally responsible for property damage or injuries to third parties, liability insurance may compensate them for their losses. It may also cover the associated legal fees. Several types of liability insurance may be available, including:
  • Commercial general liability insurance
  • Products liability insurance
  • Pollution liability insurance
  • Cyber liability insurance
  • Completed operations liability insurance
  • Professional liability insurance
• Umbrella insurance—If a significant liability claim exceeds the limits of your other liability policies, umbrella insurance may fill in the gap.
• Workers’ compensation—If an employee suffers a work-related injury or illness, workers’ compensation may provide wage replacement or payments for medical expenses.

Additional policies and endorsements may be available. Speak with our team to discuss options, limits and exclusions.

How to Get Contractors Insurance

Hjorth Insurance Independent/Broker Commercial & Personal is well versed in the unique risks a contractor may face, and we’re here to help you get adequate protection against your exposures. Contact us today to discuss your insurance needs and to get a quote for coverage.

Commercial Auto Insurance in Seattle

Businesses that rely on vehicles for their operations should consider purchasing a commercial auto insurance policy. Certain federal or state laws may mandate that commercial vehicles and drivers have adequate commercial auto insurance. If you need commercial auto insurance or want to ensure your business is in compliance with applicable regulations, contact Hjorth Insurance Independent/Broker Commercial & Personal today.

What Is Commercial Auto Insurance?

A commercial auto insurance policy can help cover the costs (e.g., damaged property and/or medical expenses) of an auto accident that may be caused by you or another employee. Generally, commercial auto coverages include liability, collision, medical, comprehensive and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. There are additional coverages a business may need to add to their commercial auto insurance coverage. Our agency can help you review your business’s insurance needs and ensure you have the appropriate coverages.

What Does Commercial Auto Insurance Cover?

Commercial auto insurance comprises various coverages, including:

• Liability coverage may provide repair costs for the other person’s vehicle or property. It also can provide coverage for the legal fees associated with a lawsuit for personal injury.
• Comprehensive coverage can provide complete protection for damages unrelated to an accident, such as losses related to theft, floods, vandalism and fires.
• Collision coverage may cover vehicle repair costs if an insured vehicle collides with another vehicle or object. Collision insurance may also help replace a totaled vehicle.
• Medical payment may provide coverage for passengers and the driver when there is a need for medical care resulting from an accident.
• Uninsured motorist coverage provides bodily injury coverage if an uninsured driver hits a business’s vehicle and injures its driver and passengers. Some uninsured motorist coverage also covers damage to the company vehicle.
• Underinsured motorist coverage provides coverage if an underinsured driver hits a business’s vehicle and injures its driver and passengers. Some underinsured motorist coverage also covers damage to the company vehicle.

Policy endorsements may be available to your business to help round out your policy. Add-ons may include roadside assistance coverage, towing reimbursement, hired non-owned coverage, rental reimbursement and gap coverage for auto loans or leases.

How to Get Commercial Auto Insurance

If your business needs commercial auto insurance, we’re here to help. Contact Hjorth Insurance Independent/Broker Commercial & Personal today for a quote or to discuss your commercial auto insurance needs.

Business Owners Policy (BOP) Insurance

A business owners policy (BOP) is several insurance policies your insurance company combines and offers at a discount. A BOP usually includes general liability insurance, property insurance and business interruption insurance.

Since the insurer designs the BOP, they also set the criteria for qualifying to purchase a BOP. Not every small and medium-sized business is eligible to purchase this insurance package.

Contact Hjorth Insurance Independent/Broker Commercial & Personal to find out if a BOP is a good fit for your organization.

What Is Covered Under a BOP?

A BOP typically provides the following three essential insurance policies:

• Property insurance helps cover the costs of replacing or repairing company property after a covered incident.
• General liability insurance helps cover a company’s legal liability after accidental third-party property damage or injury.
• Business interruption insurance helps cover regular bills such as rent and payroll if a company must temporarily close to allow for repairs after a covered event.

Your agent can help you tailor your BOP by adding endorsements or other insurance policies to help mitigate additional risks.

Depending on your industry and the size of your operation, your agent may recommend the following:

• Employee practices liability
• Business vehicle insurance
• Cyber liability and cyber risk insurance
• Flood insurance
• Equipment breakdown insurance
• Employment practices liability insurance
• Workers’ compensation insurance
• Umbrella insurance

Who Is Eligible for a Bop?

BOPs generally work best for small and medium-sized businesses in low-risk industries. Insurance companies set the criteria to qualify for a BOP. Your agent can help you understand whether this coverage is appropriate for your organization.

How to Get a BOP

Contact Hjorth Insurance Independent/Broker Commercial & Personal today to learn about qualifying for a BOP and tailoring your coverage to meet the insurance needs of your business.