Maine general liability coverage is one of the most important types of insurance for small businesses. Sometimes called commercial general liability, it can help your business if a non-employee accuses you of causing injury or property damage or sues you.

In such situations, a business liability insurance can help pay for medical bills, the repair or replacement of damaged items and legal fees to defend your business.

For example, a prospective homebuyer trips over an end table at an open house in Portland, seeks medical care and later claims that the injury resulted from the real estate agent’s negligence.

The agent’s general liability insurance could help cover the doctor’s bills, even if the agent is not at fault for the accident.

Cleaning businesses and contractors can add optional tools and equipment insurance to their Maine general liability policy. This coverage can help replace important business gear that is lost, stolen or damaged.

Maine requires almost all businesses with employees to carry workers’ compensation insurance. This kind of coverage can help pay for medical expenses and lost wages if an employee is hurt on the job.

Workers’ comp could come in handy in the following situation:

An employee at a small carpentry firm in Ogunquit injures a hand while installing a piece of drywall and can’t work for two weeks. Workers’ compensation insurance could help cover the carpenter’s lost wages during recovery and pay their medical bills related to the injury.

If your business involves driving, you’ll want commercial auto coverage in Maine. The primary reason is that personal auto insurance won’t pay for accidents that happen when you’re behind the wheel for work purposes.

For instance, an Auburn-based plumber has an accident driving to a job site, sends another driver to the hospital and damages both vehicles. Commercial auto insurance could help the plumbing company cover the other motorist’s medical bills and pay to repair both vehicles.

Maine businesses that ask employees to drive their own cars for work or rent vehicles will need hired and non-owned coverage. This optional add-on can provide coverage for vehicles not titled to your company.

Maine commercial property insurance can protect the essential things you need to do business such as equipment, inventory and even your business location if you own the property.

For instance, a power surge fries the refrigerator in a Lewiston restaurant and all the perishable goods go bad. Commercial property coverage could help pay to repair the fridge and replace the food inventory that spoiled.

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

If someone says that your company made a professional error, missed a deadline or delivered incomplete work, you could be held liable in court.

Professional liability insurance can help cover expenses associated with allegations of professional negligence, including court costs, attorney fees and damages. This type of coverage is also known as errors and omissions insurance.

Here’s how professional liability insurance can help protect a small business:

A building owner claims that an Augusta security company didn’t properly guard the property, which led to a break-in and theft of computer equipment. The security company’s professional liability policy could help pay to replace the stolen items and repair building damage caused by the thieves.