A wide range of businesses handle chemicals that are harmful to the environment, and businesses can be held financially liable if any of these chemicals do find their way into the environment. Pollution liability insurance may help Massachusetts businesses protect themselves from liability lawsuits related chemical-related pollution that a business is accused of being responsible for.
Pollution liability insurance is a highly specialized kind of commercial liability coverage. If a business is accused of polluting the environment, a policy might help cover legal fees as well as cleanup costs.
The coverages contained in a pollution liability policy can often be tailored to meet a particular business’ needs, so policies don’t always provide the same set of protections. Nevertheless, there are several coverages that many policies make available as standard or optional coverage for:
For companies that provide environmental cleanup services, policies may also have errors and omissions coverage. This coverage usually protects businesses in the event that they make an error in their professional advice or services.
Policies frequently offer coverage for chemicals that were used by a business before the full effect of those chemicals were known.
Environmental impact liability policies may be similar to pollution liability policies in some ways, but the former frequently offers more protection than the latter.
For example, the two types of policies might differ in how much coverage they offer for environmental contamination cleanups. While pollution liability policies might provide enough cleanup coverage for most businesses, they might not cover large-scale cleanups. Companies that handle vast amounts of chemicals and may have to fund a major cleanup effort might need an environmental impact liability policy that affords extra protection.
Businesses that aren’t sure which of these two insurance options is right for them should speak with an insurance agent who specializes in pollution liability coverage. A specialized agent will know what protections are available through pollution liability policies and what the limits of these policies are. They’ll be able to help companies determine how they can best protect themselves.
Most Massachusetts businesses that handle chemicals and other materials which may be harmful to the environment can benefit from getting a pollution liability policy. This includes, but isn’t limited to, the following:
In some cases, even businesses that use only chemicals which are deemed safe today might want to purchase pollution liability coverage. Although chemicals might be thought to be safe right now, future research could prove that they’re harmful to plants, animals or the environment at large. If it does, having coverage in place could help a business avoid potentially devastating cleanup and legal costs.
For help finding pollution liability insurance that’s right for your Massachusetts business, contact the team at Haberman Insurance Group. Our independent insurance agents are familiar with the nuances of pollution liability coverage, and they can help you make policy selections that’ll ensure your business is well protected.
