AmTrust currently underwrites over 350 class codes, which makes us an ideal fit for a vast number of small businesses. While not all inclusive, our BOP coverage is particularly well-suited for the following classes:

• Professional offices
• Business and personal services
• Retail
• Restaurants
• Wholesale
• Habitation/apartment/condo

Even though you often can customize your businessowners policy, there are certain types of coverages that are not included, which you must purchase separately. Examples include workers' compensation and auto insurance.

It's not unusual for business leaders to be unsure of how much coverage they need under a businessowners policy, or whether they can benefit from customization. After all, each business has unique considerations needing to be considered. The market is also in a constant state of flux, which can change business goals and requirements, as well as valuations.

The following exposures are generally ineligible for our BOP coverage:

• Manufacturing
• Contractors
• Hotels and motels
• Buildings with more than 25% vacancy
• 24-hour retail
• Seasonal operations
• New ventures with less than 3 years’ experience in general management of another operation of similar type and size
• Businesses located in Alaska, Florida or Hawaii

Knowing what our preferred exposures are will help you market our BOP coverage more effectively. A more targeted approach to potential accounts will help you save time while also maximizing the possibility of earning higher commissions.

Like any other form of insurance, businessowners policies enable business leaders to protect companies from a variety of risks, hedging against potential financial losses and improving stability. This protection is especially important for smaller or midsize companies, who often don't have extra funds to recover as well from disasters.

Secondly, bundling coverages is usually less expensive than buying many separate policies. In this way, the practice isn't much different than what cable, Internet, and phone companies do, or how you can save on most products by buying in bulk quantities. Premiums on this type of insurance also may be deductible as a business expense on your company's taxes.

You also might find that your BOP is easier to deal with from both a logistical and time perspective. You work with the same provider for all included coverages and have fewer documents to reference and track.

Lastly, by purchasing a BOP from AmTrust, you gain peace of mind knowing that, should something go wrong, you'll be in a financial position to rebound well. With that worry out of the way, your focus can stay where it should—on growing your company so that it can thrive.

Premium is based on your unique exposures and values, but a BOP premium can be as low as $500.

Most small business and depending on your business and unique exposures may be able to write sales as high as $7.5M and combined building and contents limits as high as $5M.