Product liability insurance protects manufacturers and sellers against lawsuits arising from the manufacture or sale of a company’s products. It covers liability for bodily injury or property damage a third party might sustain due to a product defect or malfunction.
Product Liability Claims
Retailers, wholesalers, distributors, and resellers, as well as manufacturers, are vulnerable to product liability lawsuits. These claims are typically based on alleged manufacturing defects, design defects, or defective or insufficient warnings and instructions.
Damages awarded in a product liability lawsuit may include medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Punitive damages (to punish the defendant for wrongdoing) and attorney fees may also be awarded in some cases.
Manufacturers and sellers can be sued based on strict liability, which is a liability in the absence of negligence and not based on fault. When product liability claims are consolidated in a class-action lawsuit, it is not uncommon that the company goes out of business.
It is essential for product manufacturers and sellers to have sufficient product liability insurance. Our agent at Don Marsh Agency in Oneonta, New York, can help ensure that your company is fully covered.
Product Liability Insurance Costs
The type of product your company manufactures or sells will impact your rate for product liability insurance. The insurer categorizes and assigns your business a class code. Coverage for hazardous products is more expensive.
Typically, the premium you pay at the beginning of the policy period is based on estimated sales and adjusted by your insurer after an annual audit. Our agent at Don Marsh Agency will work with you to get the coverage your company needs at the lowest available rate.