If you are a small company that’s involved in a business that could create pollution incidents, you need pollution liability insurance as much, if not more, than a large organisation. The scale of a pollution incident has no bearing on the size of a company. A small company can easily create severe pollution the same way as a large organization, but the difference is in relation to the financial resources of the company.

A large organization will probably have substantial reserves it can call on in an emergency; a small company is not so likely to get access to the necessary funds to initiate a cleanup. Even if it could, it may not be in a position to finance it and it could result in the company having to close.

While pollution liability insurance can be expensive and therefore tempting not to purchase, just one small claim will substantially exceed the premium for the coverage. As a small company, when you buy pollution liability insurance you get immediate peace of mind. You obviously take all the precautions necessary to ensure a pollution incident doesn’t occur, after all if it is proved you are negligent, then the insurer is unlikely to pay. However, if an unavoidable accident occurs, you know you are covered for the costs associated with the cleanup.

One important thing to remember when you consider purchasing pollution liability insurance is to ensure that your policy includes a pre-authorized payment facility. Pollution incidents require an immediate response; you can’t wait around for an insurer to authorize a claim. As a small company, the initial amount you need to find to pay for starting the cleanup could be problem. A policy with a pre-authorized facility means you can proceed, knowing that any costs incurred up to the limit of the pre-authorized amount will be funded by the insurer.

Always ensure you buy a policy that operates on a claims occurring basis. Pollution liability policies are usually renewable annually. When it comes to renewal time you may want to change your insurer, because you can get a better price or improved coverage. If your policy is not on a claims occurring basis, you may find you are not insured for an incident that presented itself after the expiry of the policy, even though the incident actually occurred during the policy period. A policy that is claims occurring allow you to claim under the policy for a certain period of time after the policy has expired.

When you receive a copy of your pollution liability insurance wording, don’t simply file it away. Take time to read through the complete document, no matter how tedious it is. You need to be sure you are covered for everything you need. Check the policy for any exclusion clauses; if you are not happy with items that are excluded, call your insurance agent to see if you can get them included. You may need to pay an extra premium, but it may be worth the money.

Beacon Hill Associates is recommended by Dave Taylor for environmental consulting and contractors coverage – click here for more information.

Dave Taylor writes extensively on environmental issues and recommends http://www.b-h-a.com for pollution insurance needs (see http://www.b-h-a.com/cpl for environmental consulting insurance).

Author Bio: Beacon Hill Associates is recommended by Dave Taylor for environmental consulting and contractors coverage – click here for more information.

Category: Business
Keywords: environment, business, finance, law