When it comes to helping to protect your business with the right cover for you, there are some instances where standard insurance policies may not be the best fit, and you might need cover that has been specifically designed for your industry or business type. For example, some businesses struggle to get cover due to their claims history. Even if you don’t have a claim history, sometimes factors such as your services and activities, having a high income, industry, and your legislative and contractual requirements can mean you are unable to find an insurer willing to cover your business. This is where an insurance broker can add value to your business to help you work out the right policy for your business. Here are the ways an insurance broker can help your business when off-the-shelf insurance won’t do…

• Understanding your business If your insurance needs are slightly more complex, a thorough assessment of your business’s operations is a wise first step . An experienced broker with a strong eye for risk, and thorough knowledge of insurance may be best placed to help you carry out this assessment. Your insurance broker can use the outcome of this assessment to then present your business to insurance companies in the best possible light, and help ensure you secure a policy that is appropriate for the risks commonly faced by your industry and provides good value.

• Access to a broad market If your business has complex insurance needs, or has had multiple previous claims, you may face challenges in securing adequate insurance for your business. A broker can work to educate insurance companies on your risk profile in order to present your risk in a favourable way. Aon brokers have access to insurance companies and policies that may not be available directly to the general public. This means no matter how complex your insurance needs are, you will most likely be able to secure some form of cover, as well as have the assurance of being protected with quality cover for the risks commonly faced by your industry.

• Competitive Premiums Businesses with a history of multiple claims often find their insurance premiums higher than usual. Insurance premiums are calculated based on your risk profile, and if your business requires complex insurance, or you have a history of frequent claims, insurers may consider this to be a ‘higher risk’. This is another area where an insurance broker may be able to help you get a better outcome. Your broker may be able to leverage their relationship with insurance companies, and negotiate a competitive premium on your behalf. For example, Aon brokers can negotiate premiums with insurers due to their scale, which can help make sure you pay an appropriate price for your policy.

• Understand your cover While premiums are important, the cover your business is issued with is just as, if not more important. A broker can identify the main areas of risk for your particular industry and help find cover to meet these needs. As a business owner, it is also beneficial for you to make sure you fully understand the ins and outs of your insurance cover, and your broker can help here as well. Your insurance broker can take the time to explain in plain English the salient points about your cover.

• Claim support Having complex insurance needs means that if you need to make a claim, the situation and circumstances of the claim may not be so straight forward. Having a broker by your side during claim time can help ensure all the relevant information is presented accurately to the insurer. Needing to make a claim can be a stressful time, so having a broker to champion your case to help ensure a favourable outcome can greatly reduce this stress and enhance the outcome of the claim.

• Protection beyond insurance Protecting your small business goes beyond insurance. Aon brokers can provide advice on overall market conditions and risk mitigation. These can in turn help to reduce your insurance premiums. This is because in some cases, having certain risk mitigation strategies in place can help to reduce your premium, and your Aon broker will be able to advise on which strategies may help your business.