
Business contents insurance is a type of insurance that protects your business from damage or loss to your physical assets. This can include everything from office equipment and furniture to stock and inventory.
You can get business contents insurance to cover your business premises, including the building itself and any contents within it. This is especially important if you have a physical storefront or office.
Business contents insurance can also cover your business's movable assets, such as equipment and furniture, that are taken off the premises. This can be especially useful if you have a mobile business or work from home.
Typically, business contents insurance policies have a limit on the amount of coverage you can get. This limit is usually based on the value of your business's contents.
What Is Business Contents Insurance?
Business contents insurance is built to cover the integral parts of your business, such as furniture, projectors, and printers.
Whether you work in an office or remotely, this policy can cover the costs of damaged or stolen equipment. Cover for important documents and cash can also be included.
This type of insurance can cover furniture in your office that is harder to remove, like chairs, desks, storage, and printers.
What Is Content?
Business contents insurance covers a wide range of assets, including computers, office furniture, and equipment.
Your commercial property's assets are protected by business contents insurance, which includes inventory or merchandise and fixtures & fittings, also known as tenants improvements.
This type of insurance helps repair or replace damaged or stolen items, so you can get back to business as usual.
Explained
Business contents insurance is a type of policy that protects the assets inside or on your commercial property.
It covers the cost of repairing or replacing your computers, office furniture and equipment, and inventory or merchandise and fixtures & fittings.

This type of insurance can also cover portable equipment like laptops and phones, as well as important documents and cash.
You can take out a business contents insurance policy that covers damage, loss, and forcible and violent theft.
Your policy can cover the furniture in your office that is harder to remove, such as chairs, desks, and storage.
The policy can also cover your work phones, laptops, and tablets, and the costs of repairing or replacing them.
Business contents insurance can be taken out whether you work in an office or remotely.
Your important documents and money stored in the office can be added as an extension when you take out a business contents insurance policy.
This type of insurance is similar to home contents insurance, but specifically designed for businesses.
Coverage Options
Business contents insurance provides protection for the tangible items at your business, such as computers, office furniture, and equipment.
You can choose to insure your business property for either its actual cash value or its replacement value.
If you insure your property for actual cash value, the insurance company will consider the price of buying a similar item, its age, and the amount of depreciation to determine the assessed value of your claim.
On the other hand, if you insure your property for replacement value, the insurance company will cover the cost of buying a brand-new replacement, which can be more costly for them.
Claims based on replacement value can be more expensive for the insurance company, so opting for actual cash value coverage can help you save money on property insurance.
You can also add various options to your business contents coverage to better meet your specific needs.
Here are some common examples:
- Replacement cost reimbursement: This option allows you to receive the full replacement cost of your items at today's prices, rather than their depreciated value.
- Enhanced water protection: This option provides additional protection against water and flood damage, including sewer backup, overland flooding, and groundwater damage.
- Equipment breakdown coverage: This option protects against sudden, accidental damage to your electrical, mechanical, and other equipment.
- Installation floater: This option is necessary if your business has materials that come and go to worksites, such as flooring, lumber, or paint.
- Tools and equipment coverage: This option is necessary if your business requires you to bring tools and equipment with you outside your office or shop.
Cost and Payment
The cost of business contents insurance can vary significantly, but a good rule of thumb is that it's typically lower than the cost of property insurance. For example, a commercial property policy that covers your building can cost as much as $67 per month.
Several factors can affect your premium, including the type of business you're in, the products and services you provide, and your insurance claims history. This means that different insurance companies may offer different premiums for the same policy.
Here are some factors that can influence the cost of your business contents insurance:
- The type of business
- The products and services you provide
- Where your business is located
- Your insurance claims history
It's worth noting that you can get a better idea of the costs involved by shopping around and comparing quotes from different insurance providers.
Cost
Business contents insurance costs vary depending on several factors, including the type of business, products and services provided, location, and insurance claims history.
Different insurance companies offer different premiums, and Zensurance has over 50 insurance providers in their partner network, allowing them to provide tailored content coverage options to suit your requirements and budget.
The cost of business contents insurance can be determined by the type of coverage you choose, with actual cash value coverage often being less expensive than replacement value coverage.

Claims based on replacement value are more costly for the insurance company, so opting for actual cash value coverage can save you money on property insurance.
The amount of contents coverage is up to you, and a commercial insurance broker can help you decide on your contents limit by doing a walkthrough of your company premises with you.
Here are some factors that can affect the cost of business contents insurance:
- The type of business
- The products and services you provide
- Where your business is located
- Your insurance claims history
It's worth noting that you may not be able to buy business contents insurance as a standalone product, and it's often included in a commercial property insurance policy.
BPP Cost
The cost of BPP insurance can vary significantly. The median cost of policies bought by Insureon's small business customers is $58 per month for a BPP endorsement.
Several factors can affect your premium, including industry and risks, property value, business location, coverage limits and deductible, and claims history.
The cost of commercial property insurance can be higher, ranging from $58 to $67 per month. This is based on the median cost of policies bought by Insureon's small business customers.
Here's a breakdown of the factors that can affect your premium:
- Industry and risks
- Property value
- Business location
- Coverage limits and deductible
- Claims history
What's Included

Business personal property insurance covers a wide range of items used to run your business, including office supplies, furniture, computers, electronics, and heavy equipment.
Your asset list for business personal property might include office supplies like pens, staplers, and calculators, as well as furniture such as chairs, desks, and tables.
Computers, electronics, and heavy equipment like forklifts and excavators are also typically covered under this type of insurance. It's essential to consider how expensive it would be to replace these items if they were damaged or stolen.
Here is a breakdown of some common items covered under business personal property insurance:
- Office supplies: Pens, staplers, and calculators
- Furniture: Chairs, desks, and tables
- Computers: Desktops and laptops
- Electronics: Smartphones and tablets
- Heavy equipment: Forklifts and excavators
What It Covers
Business personal property insurance covers a wide range of items, including office supplies, furniture, and electronics. From pens and staplers to computers and smartphones, your business assets are protected.
Your asset list for business personal property might include office furniture, such as chairs, desks, and tables, as well as furnishings like rugs, blinds, and curtains. These items can be costly to replace, so having them covered by insurance is a smart move.

Business personal property insurance also covers heavy equipment, like forklifts and excavators, and machinery, such as 3D printers or manufacturing equipment. This means that if your business relies on specialized equipment, you'll be able to recover the cost of replacing it if it's damaged or stolen.
Here's a breakdown of the types of items covered by business contents insurance:
- Inventory: merchandise you sell to customers
- Equipment: fixed assets, including machinery, tools, and fixtures
- Business contents: computers, office furniture, photocopiers, fax machines, and point-of-sale terminals
This insurance doesn't cover everything, though. It won't pay for damages to your business property's physical structure, which is covered by commercial property insurance.
What's Included in Personal Property
Business personal property insurance covers a wide range of items you need to run your business.
Your tangible assets, such as office supplies, furniture, and electronics, are included in business personal property insurance. This includes items like pens, staplers, calculators, chairs, desks, tables, rugs, blinds, curtains, computers, smartphones, and tablets.
Business personal property insurance also covers heavy equipment, machinery, and any other movable items used by your business.

Some examples of business personal property include:
- Office supplies: Pens, staplers, and calculators
- Furniture: Chairs, desks, and tables
- Furnishings: Rugs, blinds, and curtains
- Computers: Desktops and laptops
- Electronics: Smartphones and tablets
- Heavy equipment: Forklifts and excavators
- Machinery: 3D printers or manufacturing equipment
These items are crucial to your business operations, and their loss or damage could have a significant impact on your bottom line.
Claims Examples
Commercial property insurance may pay to repair the damages to your office building if a severe wind and hailstorm damages the roof, allowing water to seep in that damages some of your office equipment and furniture.
The business contents portion of your policy may cover the cost to repair or replace your office equipment and furniture.
Your commercial property insurance may pay to repair the fire damage to the warehouse.
The business contents portion of your policy may cover the cost of replacing the damaged inventory.
If you have business interruption coverage as part of your policy, it may cover the net revenue you lose while you are closed, and repairs to the building are underway.
Commercial crime coverage in your commercial property policy may cover the cost of replacing the stolen goods.
Additional Coverage
Business contents insurance provides protection for your business property, but it may not cover everything. You may need additional coverage to mitigate risks specific to your industry, location, and unique needs.
Replacement cost reimbursement is a valuable option that ensures you're reimbursed for the full cost of replacing damaged items at today's prices, rather than their depreciated value.
Enhanced water protection is highly recommended to cover risks such as sewer backup, overland flooding, and groundwater damage, which are increasingly common.
Equipment breakdown coverage protects against sudden and accidental damage to electrical, mechanical, and other equipment, but it's not a substitute for regular maintenance.
An installation floater is necessary for contractors who transport materials like flooring, lumber, and paint to worksites. Standard business contents insurance only covers contents on your business premises.
Tools and equipment coverage is essential for contractors who bring tools and equipment outside the office or shop.
What Additional Coverage Do I Need?
You've got your business property insurance, but what else do you need to protect your business? Let's start with the basics. You may have customers coming into your store, and that's where liability insurance comes in. It covers injuries to customers on your property.
In some industries, you may need additional insurance to cover specific risks. For example, if you're a contractor, you'll need to consider equipment breakdown coverage. This protects you against sudden, accidental damage to your equipment. It's not a substitute for regular maintenance, so don't think you're off the hook if you don't take care of your gear.
If you have materials that come and go from your office or shop, you'll need an installation floater. This ensures they're protected while awaiting installation. And if you bring tools and equipment with you outside your premises, you'll need tools and equipment coverage. Standard business contents insurance only covers contents while it's physically on your premises.
Here are some common options to enhance your business contents coverage:
- Replacement cost reimbursement: This coverage reimburses you for the full replacement cost of your items at today's prices, not their depreciated value.
- Enhanced water protection: This option covers sewer backup, overland flooding, and groundwater damage, which are growing risks for businesses.
- Equipment breakdown coverage: This protects against sudden, accidental damage to your electrical, mechanical, and other equipment.
- Installation floater: This ensures materials are protected while awaiting installation.
- Tools and equipment coverage: This covers tools and equipment taken off premises.
Media Liability
Intellectual property, such as trademarks or patents your business may own, are not covered by business personal property insurance.
If you're a publisher or other media and advertising business, you'll need to look into media liability insurance or cyber insurance to protect yourself.
Media liability insurance is designed to shield you from lawsuits related to your business's content, such as libel or copyright infringement.
This type of insurance can be a lifesaver if you're involved in a dispute over your business's intellectual property.
Cyber insurance, on the other hand, can help protect you from cyber attacks and data breaches that could compromise your business's sensitive information.
Policy and Coverage Details
Business contents insurance is a crucial aspect of protecting your business from unexpected losses. It covers your business premises and contents against various risks, but you can enhance this coverage to better meet your specific needs.
Replacement cost reimbursement is an option that can be added to your policy, which will reimburse you for the full replacement cost of your damaged items at today's prices, rather than their depreciated value. This means that if your two-year-old laptops are damaged, you'll receive the cost of brand new ones.
You may need to opt for enhanced water protection, which covers your business premises and contents for sewer backup, overland flooding, and groundwater (where available). This is especially important in areas prone to flooding or water damage.
Equipment breakdown coverage is another option that protects your business against sudden, accidental damage to electrical, mechanical, and other equipment. However, it's essential to note that it's not a substitute for regular maintenance of your business equipment.
If you're a contractor with materials that come and go to worksites, you may need an installation floater to ensure they're protected while awaiting installation. This is a separate coverage from standard business contents insurance.
Standard business contents insurance only covers contents while they're physically on your business premises, so if you need to bring tools and equipment outside your office or shop, you'll need to have tools and equipment coverage.
Insurance Basics
Business contents insurance can be a lifesaver in case of unexpected events, such as theft or natural disasters. It's essential to understand the basics of insurance to make informed decisions.
A typical business contents insurance policy covers your business's physical assets, including equipment, furniture, and stock. This means you can focus on running your business without worrying about the financial impact of losses.
The policy's coverage amount, also known as the sum insured, should be enough to replace your business's contents in case of a disaster. This amount should be calculated based on the total value of your business's assets.
Covers Remote Work
Many businesses today work remotely, and our policy covers your portable equipment, such as laptops and tablets, as standard.
Our policy covers your portable equipment, such as laptops and tablets, as standard, so you can work confidently from anywhere.
You'll be able to view a summary of cover once you've completed a quote, but always refer to your policy documents for full details around exclusions, terms and limits of your customised cover.
Policy documents are essential to understanding what's covered and what's not, so take the time to read them carefully.
What Is Insurance?
Insurance is a type of protection that helps cover the costs of unexpected events, like damage or theft.
It's not just for homes; businesses can also have insurance to protect their equipment and contents.
Contents and equipment insurance can cover furniture, projectors, printers, and even laptops and phones.
This type of insurance can be especially helpful for remote workers who may be more vulnerable to theft or loss.
Important documents and cash can also be covered as an extension of a business contents insurance policy.
Damage, loss, and even forcible and violent theft are all covered by a policy like this.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a $1 million dollar business insurance policy cost?
A $1 million business insurance policy typically costs around $824 per year, or $69 per month, but costs may vary depending on your business's specific needs.
What is contents coverage in commercial insurance?
Contents coverage in commercial insurance protects your business assets, including equipment, furniture, and personal items, within the premises or up to 100 feet away
Sources
- https://www.insureon.com/small-business-insurance/commercial-property/business-personal-property
- https://www.zensurance.com/business-contents-insurance
- https://gosuperscript.com/business-insurance/business-contents-insurance/
- https://www.chubb.com/au-en/articles/business/how-much-insurance-do-you-need-to-protect-your-business-contents.html
- https://mitchinsurance.com/commercial-insurance/business-contents/
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