Graphic designer insurance

$25.83

$25.83

Karen Guglielmo

Karen Guglielmo

Why Do I Need Graphic Designer Insurance?

What Type of Graphic Designer Insurance Do I Need?

What Kind of Insurance Do I Need for My Graphic Design Business?

The kind of graphic designer insurance you’ll need for your business can include various policies. Each type of coverage can protect you from everyday risks and liabilities you may face in your line of work. The plans we recommend as part of your foundational coverage include:

Professional Liability Insurance

What happens if a client claims you were careless with their project or that you made an error that harmed their business? Professional liability insurance (PL), also known as errors and omissions insurance (E&O insurance), can protect you from these situations.

Professional liability insurance is a policy that protects your business in the event a client alleges you made an error in the services you provided. In other words, graphic designer professional liability insurance can cover you and your business if your client claims you were negligent. It also can protect any employees you may have working for you.

How is PL applied in a real situation?

Let’s say you inadvertently made an error in a design for a client. As a result of the mistake, your client’s image is tarnished, and they lose business as a result of it. The client is upset and sues you for negligence. What happens next?

If you have professional liability insurance, the cost of hiring a lawyer to defend your business may be covered, as well as other expenses associated with the claim.

Here’s what professional liability insurance for graphic designers can cover:

  • Negligence or alleged negligence
  • Legal defense costs
  • Omissions or alleged omissions
  • Claims and damages
  • And more

Keep in mind that professional liability insurance usually doesn’t cover:

  • Intentional acts and omissions
  • Property damage
  • Medical expenses
  • Bodily injury
  • And more

Commercial General Liability Insurance

Do you have an office where clients meet with you to discuss projects? If you do, it’s a smart idea to invest in a commercial general liability insurance policy. This type of insurance — commonly referred to as general liability (GL) insurance — can cover the costs related to third-party accidents, property damage, or bodily injuries to a client, vendor, or other third party.

GL insurance is a core policy for many businesses because it can protect you from major claims and costs. Plus, with the average customer injury or damage claim running $30,000 — claims that you would likely have to pay out of pocket — businesses can’t afford not to have general liability insurance.

What might GL look like in a real business situation? Imagine that a client wants you to come into their office to help them work on a project. While in the office together, you knock over your coffee and damage several computers.

What now?

If you have general liability insurance, your policy may cover the cost of the computers, as well as any legal fees that arise if your client takes you to court (up to your policy limits).

To summarize, here’s what general liability insurance typically can cover:

  • Bodily injury to another person
  • Third-party property damage
  • Personal and advertising injury
  • Medical expenses
  • And more

Here’s what general liability insurance usually doesn’t cover:

  • Damage to your own property
  • Professional services
  • Workers compensation or injury to your employees
  • Damage to your work
  • Automobiles while in business use
  • Expected or intentional injury or damage
  • And more

Workers Compensation Insurance

If you employ any part-time, full-time, or even temporary employees, you may be required to carry workers compensation insurance. Workers compensation — or workers comp — can cover the costs associated with employee injuries or illnesses while on the job.

Most states require small business owners with employees to carry workers compensation insurance. To see your state’s requirements, check here.

Aside from state requirements, why is workers compensation insurance important for graphic designers? It’s estimated that the average work injury cost is $41,000.

Having to pay a claim of that size out-of-pocket could be detrimental to a business. Therefore, it’s essential to have workers compensation insurance even if you have only a few employees.

Workers compensation for graphic designers can cover:

  • Medical payments
  • Lost wages
  • Rehabilitation expenses
  • Death benefits
Female graphic designer working with pen and paper

Why Should I Get Insurance for My Graphic Design Business?

Maybe you’re wondering if you really need business insurance. Or perhaps you’re just getting started as a business owner and aren’t ready to add another expense to your list.

No matter how careful you are or how many years of experience you have as a graphic designer, it’s imperative to protect the business you’re working so hard to build. And the truth is, the amount you’ll pay in premiums is minimal in comparison to the costs you could face if you aren’t covered.

What will you do if you break your client’s external hard drive while they’re on-site at your studio?

Or you’re sued because a design you created has a negative impact on your client, even through no fault of yours?

We may be able to minimize our liabilities and risks, but they can still happen. It’s best to be prepared for any situation you may face as a small business owner.

Here are some of the most common incidents small business owners can encounter, including their average costs:

  • Reputational Harm — $50,000
  • Client Injury or Damage — $30,000
  • Client Slip and Fall — $20,000

As you can see, these situations come with significant costs. But if you have protection with graphic design insurance, your policy could cover some or all of the costs of these claims, as well as the costs of any lawsuits you might face (up to your policy limits).

How realistic is it that you may find yourself involved in a lawsuit? The answer might surprise you. Up to 43% of small business owners have reported being threatened or involved in a civil lawsuit at some point. A client could take you to court for something like negligence — even if you did everything right.

Don’t put your hard work at risk. With Simply Business, we make it easy to find the insurance coverage that works harder (and smarter) for your business, at the right price. Just answer a few questions about your business, and you can start comparing quotes in less than 10 minutes.

Plus, we can provide you with a certificate of insurance (COI), so you can begin showing proof of coverage right away.

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Depending on the nature of your business, you may be required to carry some insurance coverage but not others.

For instance, your state may require workers compensation insurance if you have employees, but not professional liability insurance.

Generally, the cost of your graphic design insurance is tax-deductible by the IRS. We recommend checking with an accountant if you have any questions regarding your deductible expenses.

The amount of insurance coverage you may need will depend on several things:

  • The size of your business
  • Your business’s location
  • Your annual revenue and payroll
  • And more

If you aren’t sure what type of insurance you need, we’re here to help! Our quote form is designed to let you compare multiple policy offerings, letting you pick the right coverage based on your business’s needs.

If you have additional questions, our licensed insurance agents are available and happy to assist you.

If you’re ready to see your free quotes, we recommend having the following information available:

  • Annual revenue estimates
  • Payroll estimates
  • Information on any previous claims

It can, depending on your state’s insurance requirements for graphic designers (especially for workers compensation insurance).

Graphic design insurance coverage depends on the policies bundled together per your business’s needs. If you opt for all three — professional liability, general liability, and workers compensation — insurance for graphic designers can cover:

  • Bodily injury
  • Accidents and damages
  • Employee injuries
  • Negligence or alleged negligence
  • And more
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Karen Guglielmo

Karen Guglielmo

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