There are a lot of emotions that come with starting and running a business. Excitement. Anticipation. Nervousness. When you start to look at your to-do list, you may even feel a bit overwhelmed.

Kansas business insurance is uncharted territory for many business owners. It doesn’t have to be so challenging, though. Once you know the basics, you can decide for yourself and your business.

Kansas Business Insurance: The Basics

You’ve likely had an auto or health insurance policy. What about homeowners insurance? If you understand one type of insurance, then you’ll likely know at least the basics for all of them. While the situations vary with what each policy covers, most insurance (including for your business) typically works in a similar way:

1. You choose a plan that fits your needs and budget
2. You pay the premiums to maintain coverage
3. You file a claim for an accident, injury, or damage

While your business can’t break its arm, your work could lead to a customer breaking an arm. In that scenario, a Kansas business insurance policy could help pay for medical expenses, damages, and lawsuits (up to your policy limits).

Without insurance, a customer injury claim with an average price tag of $30,000 could potentially be business-ending. If you don’t have money set aside to cover accidents, you may need to take on debt or even file for bankruptcy.

Beside the more obvious financial benefits of having Kansas business insurance, having a policy could help you:

• Build trust with potential customers
• Set yourself apart from competitors or scammers
• Apply for business financing or rental space
• Attract and retain the best employees
• And more

As you’ll see below, some businesses need to get specific policies to operate legally – depending on their location and trade. If you don’t have coverage requirements, you can still opt into coverage to protect what you’ve built.

Kansas general liability insurance

If you’re going to get one type of policy, Kansas general liability insurance might be your best bet. This type of policy covers a range of situations that can occur in just about any business.

General liability insurance usually covers:

• Third-party property damage
• Medical expenses
• Bodily injury
• Claims from defective products
• Personal and advertising injury
• And more

What do these terms really mean? Let’s look at a few scenarios:

• A pressure washing company is working at a customer’s home when a hose pushes against an expensive planter and knocks it over. The planter shatters, and the homeowner is irate.

In this case, general liability insurance may cover the cost of replacing the expensive planter.

• A nutritionist reviews a new meal plan with a client when suddenly a piece of plaster from the office ceiling falls on the client’s head. The client is bleeding badly and they have to take an ambulance to the hospital for medical attention. Since the ER and medical treatment bills are high, the client sues the nutritionist.

Without insurance, the business owner would have to pay the hospital and legal bills. But fortunately, a Kansas general liability policy could cover those costs (up to the policy limits).

• An esthetician accidentally drops a solution on the spa’s floor, leaving a large, noticeable stain. The building owner is furious and demands that the esthetician pay to have the damaged floor replaced.

If the esthetician had insurance, they could likely file a claim to cover the damages up to their policy limit.

Small bumps or spills in a business could quickly turn into a big headache in the hands of upset clients or landlords. Since accidents can happen to anyone, Simply Business works with more than 80 types of businesses.

Business owners want to know if insurance is a “must-have” or a “nice to have.”

Depending on your business type, there are typically no statewide requirements for Kansas general liability insurance generally. However, some business owners may still need to show proof of coverage to operate legally.

The most common factors that determine requirements are:

• Your business location
• The type of work you do

Typically, you’ll usually find your insurance requirements on business license applications. Since you might need a license at either the state or local level for your occupation, or both, make sure you check thoroughly for your requirements.

Examples of jobs with Kansas general liability insurance requirements include:

• Pesticide applicators need to show a Certificate of Insurance (COI) to be insured by the Kansas Department of Agriculture.

• Operators of haunted houses in Wichita need to submit proof of at least $500,000 in liability coverage with their city business license application.

• Mobile food vendors in Kansas City have various coverage requirements for liability coverage to operate legally.

If you’re not sure if you need a business license, you can check our guide to contractor licensing or review the resources at the bottom of the page. Additionally, our licensed insurance agents are happy to answer your questions at 855-563-0412.

Another way to explore insurance options for your business is to compare free quotes now.

Kansas professional liability insurance

If you spend most of your time in an office or at a computer, client bumps and bruises may seem improbable. But businesses that offer advice or services could benefit from Kansas professional liability insurance.

Professional liability insurance typically covers:

• Negligence or alleged negligence
• Legal defense costs
• Copyright infringement
• Claims and damages
• Slander and/or libel claims
• And more

In short, Kansas professional liability insurance could potentially help you pay for damages and lawsuits if a client claims your work harmed them.

For example, a client could allege negligence if:

• An accountant made a miscalculation on an income tax return
• A booking error left a travel agent’s clients without a hotel room reservation when they arrived at their vacation destination
• A photographer inadvertently sends photos to the wrong client

In all of these scenarios, a client could claim the business cost them money, caused them distress, and more. Then the company could need to defend itself in court. Even if the business is innocent, they’d still be on the hook for legal defense bills.

If these businesses had Kansas professional liability insurance, they might be able to use their policy to pay the claims.

Typically, it’s up to the business owner to decide if they want Kansas professional liability insurance. If your competitors are uninsured, you could use your Certificate of Insurance (COI) to differentiate your business to clients.

Kansas workers compensation insurance

The kinds of insurance we just reviewed have complex requirements that you have to search for. That’s not the case with Kansas workers compensation insurance.

If you have employees, chances are you need a Kansas workers compensation insurance policy. Insurable employees include part-time help and seasonal workers, but exclude some employees such as agriculture companies with a gross annual payroll of $20,000 or less.

Kansas workers comp benefits both the employer and employee, as it covers the costs resulting from a workplace injury or illness. Employees know that they’ll be looked after if they have a workplace injury, and employers can avoid paying out of pocket the $41,000 that an average workers comp claim can cost.

Workers compensation insurance can cover:

• Lost wages
• Rehab costs
• Medical payments
• Death benefits

Other types of business insurance in Kansas

Every business is different, so there are plenty of different types of insurance to cover unique situations. Here are a few other policies that Kansas suggests:

• Home-based business insurance: If you work from home, you should talk to your homeowner or renters insurance agent. Often, these policies exclude home offices, so you may need to have home-based business insurance coverage.

• Property insurance: Your tools and equipment help you get the job done, and a property insurance policy could help you replace something if they’re damaged or stolen.

• Business interruption insurance: Your business can only make money when it’s up and running, but sometimes property loss can get in the way. A business interruption policy could recoup lost earnings during downtime.

Kansas Workers Compensation: What You Need to Know

Unless you fall into a particular employer category where you don’t need coverage or can self-insure, employers should expect to get Kansas workers compensation coverage.

So what goes into premium costs? Factors that determine what you pay typically include:

• Your location
• Your industry
• How many employees you have/payroll size
• Your safety history

Generally, you can assume that more employees mean more coverage. Industries that insurance companies deem accident-prone also may have to pay higher rates. If you want to keep your Kansas workers compensation costs down, you should focus on safety. Training employees on safe practices and enforcing good practices can keep work accidents to a minimum.

How Much Does Kansas Business Insurance Cost?

There are probably many business upgrades you’d like to have, but can’t allocate the money for them right now. The cost of Kansas business insurance could be a deal-breaker if coverage for your business/location is optional. But if you need to get a policy, you probably want to find a price you can afford.

We can’t give a more specific price until we know a little more about your business, since not everyone’s perfect policy looks the same. Pricing depends on the type of work you do, location, your business size, and which policies you choose.

If you’re unsure if Kansas business insurance is in the cards for you right now, take a few minutes to get free quotes. You can speak with one of our licensed agents at 855-563-0412 or use our free quote comparison tool.

There also are ways to save money on insurance, like bundling policies, choosing a higher deductible, and comparing costs between annual or monthly premiums.

How Do I Get Business Insurance in Kansas?

You have the basics of Kansas business insurance down, so now it’s time to turn talk into action. Here’s how to find requirements and compare policies.

1. Look for insurance requirements on business license applications. Often, business license applications mention insurance requirements (if there are any). Start your search on this guide to licensing and list of common business licenses. It’s also useful to reach out to trade organizations or local business owners to talk to them about their insurance choices and likes.

2. Check for license and insurance laws with your local government. Your business may have state or local insurance and license requirements, or neither, or both! Consult county websites and city governments. The Kansas Business Startup Wizard can also help you navigate requirements.

3. If you have employees, check to see if they’re insurable. This FAQ page is a good starting point to learn about Kansas workers compensation.

4. Compare free insurance quotes. You have the final say of which plans you choose. Get free custom quotes to compare insurers and find the policies you’re comfortable with. If you have any additional insurance questions, give our agents a call at 855-563-0412.

Insurance Is an Investment in Your Future

Thinking about potential accidents or lawsuits isn’t fun. It’s easier to set up a solution now than when you’re in the thick of a lawsuit, though. It’s never been easier to compare quotes and get insured, and you’ll gain peace of mind that your business is protected.

If you want to learn more about protecting your business, check out our blog.

This content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is not intended to provide legal, tax, accounting, investment, or any other form of professional advice.