Today dental lab owners and lab technicians can be sued. But it is never late to give your business insurance a check-up and determine the type of liability insurance you need to have and then to make sure you have it.

The good place to begin with is to check the NADL (National Association of Dental Laboratories) or your state dental laboratory association. If you are a member of NADL than you can talk to their membership service rep and review what kind of coverage you should look for and what questions you should ask, especially if you opt to go with an independent agent that might not be familiar with insurance needs specific to the lab industry. The most important thing is to proceed and make sure you have the coverage you need.

Tough times are over, but even with the bad economy, you don’t have to have a deep pockets to afford the cost of liability insurance. The policy premiums can be as low as $425 a year, which is well worth when a lawsuit comes up.

The most suggested insurance for dental lab is business liability (3-rd party injury and property damage coverage), business personal property (coverage for your tools, equipment, stock and similar property, including property in transit), workers compensation (coverage for employees’ injuries and deceases), commercial auto (if you offer pick-up and delivery services), and last but not least professional liability / errors & omissions insurance.

First, let’s go with what your state may require: to carry workers’ compensation based on the number of employees or size of payrolls. As licensed insurance professionals we can explain your responsibility to your employees in this regard.

If you have financed your building, equipment or may be paying rent for a space in a building insurance requirements are most likely listed in your contract.  We recommend to review how your current insurance policy would respond to claims related to tenant’s betterments and improvements.

Whereas, many dental labs buy insurance only to satisfy the requirements and don’t think about other possibilities, let’s review some possible situations that could cause great financial loss or cause the lab to cease operations: theft, fire on your premises or accident at vendor’s, loss of key employees,  lawsuit by an employee or customer. Another major exposure is Professional Liability. Many insurance carriers offer an endorsement, with the following coverage explained: The carrier will pay on behalf of the insured dental lab those sums that the lab becomes legally obligated to pay as damages because of “Bodily Injury” or “Property Damage” caused by an “occurrence “arising out of the rendering or failure to render professional services as a “dental laboratory”. Dental lab professional liability insurance is termed “errors and omissions” liability, when liability is confined to acts of negligence. Beware: most insurance policies exclude professional liability coverage. And finally, a new trend and all-increasing exposure of data breach.

Product liability insurance (also called Products/Completed Operations) will provide coverage for injuries and property damages resulting from manufacturing flaws, design defects, defective warnings or instructions.

Myths and believes.

Don’t think that if you have an insurance policy so it must be covered. Give your business insurance a check-up now! Talk to a licensed insurance professional to determine your current coverage needs and demands. Don’t overpay for insurance. Insurance markets respond to changes very quickly: something that was more expensive a few years ago, could have become much more affordable now.

In the end, the best risk management advise we can give to a dental lab is to review their operations and risks and work on implementing and adhering to a safe work environment and a safe product to the market place.

Highlights of the latest package include:

• Customer Loyalty Program: The new customer rewards program includes accident forgiveness, specialized claims service and minor violation forgiveness.
• Pet Injury Coverage: Progressive provides up to $1,000 to help pay the medical bills for a dog or cat if they’re injured while riding in a covered vehicle.
• Expanded Truck Cargo Coverage: Progressive has expanded acceptability to include owned goods, increased coverage limits up to $250,000 and added refrigeration breakdown.
• New Programs:
  -For-hire debris and garbage removal
  -Gas and oil well drilling
  -Wholesale route distributors
• Primary liability limits of $1.5 million and $2 million: Will allow matching limits on uninsured motorists, any auto, hired auto and non-owned coverages.
• Temporary Substitute Auto Coverage: Progressive now offers both liability and physical damage coverage on rental vehicles while the covered auto is in the shop.
• Financed Value Coverage: Following a total loss, Progressive bridges the gap between the truck’s current value (actual cash value) and the balance on the lease or loan, up to the stated amount.

Chances are your landlord’s insurance won’t cover your personal property if there’s a fire or break-in. By getting renters insurance for as little as $0.57/day, you can protect your belongings and help make sure you can replace them if something happens.

When you get renters insurance through Paperless Insurance Services, you’ll be able to:

► Save time — you’ll receive instant multiple quotes within minutes.
► Find affordable rates — choose from several options (coverage and carriers)
► Buy easily — purchase online or over the phone.
► Save even more — up to 20% total premium discount available when you combine renters insurance with auto coverage.

Contact us to find out how we can help you protect your belongings.

Get it Covered

Renters insurance helps you replace your belongings if they are stolen or damaged. It also includes personal liability someone is injured at your place.
Use this handy list to estimate how much renters insurance coverage you might need.

What would it cost to replace your:
Clothes _____
Media _____
Computers and Electronics _____
Jewelry _____
Furniture _____
Kitchenware ____

Total $_______

Request a quote online, or call 877-239-0067 to talk with insurance agent at Paperless Insurance, weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time.

Want to get a quote for your Homeowners’ Insurance? Visit our website or call 877-239-0067.

Paperless Insurance Services, Inc. is a licensed agency that represents — and is compensated by — the insurer based on the amount of insurance sold.