Louisiana general liability coverage is designed to protect your business if you’re accused of causing an injury or destroying property. It can help you pay for medical care and to repair or replace damaged items, and can help cover legal defense costs if you’re sued.

Here’s an example of how general liability could help a small business in Louisiana:

A New Orleans homeowner claims that a plumbing company damaged a hardwood floor while repairing a sink. General liability insurance could help the plumbers pay to replace the client’s floor.

Cleaning and construction companies in Louisiana may want to include optional tools and equipment coverage with their policy. It can help repair or replace work gear that is lost, stolen or damaged outside of normal wear and tear.

Keep in mind that many commercial landlords and clients will require proof of business liability insurance before they’ll sign a contract with your business.

Louisiana requires most businesses with employees to carry Louisiana workers’ compensation insurance.

If an employee gets hurt on the job, workers’ compensation insurance can help cover medical costs, physical therapy and a portion of lost wages while they recover.

For instance, a worker at a Lafayette construction company is hurt by a falling object at a job site, needs an ambulance and stays in the hospital overnight. Workers’ comp coverage could help pay for the employee’s medical expenses and help cover lost wages while they’re unable to work.

If your business involves driving, you’ll want commercial auto insurance. This kind of coverage is important because personal auto insurance won’t cover work-related accidents.

If someone at your company has an accident in a company-owned vehicle, commercial auto insurance can help pay bodily injury and property damage costs.

For example, an employee of a Lake Charles specialty store has an accident while making a delivery in the company-owned truck and hurts another driver. Commercial auto insurance could help the retail business pay for the other driver’s medical bills and damages to the vehicles.

Small businesses that ask employees to drive their own vehicles or rent cars for business will want hired and non-owned auto coverage. This optional add-on is designed to pay for accident damages in vehicles that aren’t titled to your business.

Louisiana commercial property insurance, sometimes called business property insurance, can help pay for business property that’s damaged or destroyed after a covered event, such as water, fire or wind incidents.

For example, a kitchen fire at a Shreveport family restaurant damages the grill. Commercial property coverage could help pay to repair the cooking station and replace cookware that was ruined.

It’s important to read your policy documents carefully to make sure there aren’t exclusions for your business. It’s common for insurance carriers not to cover flooding or hurricane damage.

Professional liability coverage, also known as E&O or errors and omissions insurance, can help your business if you’re accused of professional negligence. It can help pay legal defense fees or settlements after claims of work mistakes, missed deadlines or incomplete work.

For example, a client says that a self-employed IT consultant in Baton Rouge failed to properly configure a network, which caused a work delay and lost revenue. The client’s legal team threatens a lawsuit to recover financial damages.

E&O coverage could help the consultant pay to settle the claim out of court. It could also help cover attorney fees, court costs and any damages if the case ended up in front of a judge.