There's no single 'business insurance' policy. It's a stack of coverages you assemble based on your operations. Here's the working checklist we walk every new WA business client through.
1. General Liability — third-party bodily injury and property damage. The starting point.
2. Commercial Property — your building, equipment, and inventory.
3. Business Owners Policy (BOP) — GL and property bundled for small businesses.
4. Workers' Comp — WA state requirement through L&I once you have employees.
5. Commercial Auto — vehicles used for work; personal auto policies exclude business use.
6. Professional Liability / E&O — advice, service, or design errors.
7. Cyber Liability — breach response, ransomware, business email compromise.
8. Umbrella — extra liability limits above GL, auto, and employer liability.
9. Employment Practices Liability — wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination claims.
Not everything applies to every business, but you should be able to say 'yes we have it' or 'no and here's why' for each.