General liability insurance, also known as business liability insurance, is a prudent purchase for all small businesses in Virginia. It can help protect your company if someone says that you caused an injury or property damage.

For instance, a building owner in Norfolk accuses a construction company of improperly fixing a steel column during renovations, which requires expensive repairs to remediate structural damage.

General liability insurance in Virginia could help the construction company pay to repair the damage. If the owner sues, it could also help cover court costs, legal fees and any damages for which the construction company is held responsible.

Owners of cleaning and construction businesses in Virginia can also add optional tools and equipment coverage to their general liability policy. This upgrade can help pay to replace or fix business gear that is stolen, damaged or lost.

Virginia requires most businesses with employees to carry workers’ compensation coverage. When staffers get hurt in the workplace, this type of business insurance can help pay medical bills and cover lost wages while the employee recovers.

Virginia workers’ comp insurance could provide coverage in the following situation:

A summer employee at a Richmond-based landscaping company needs medical care for heat exhaustion and has to take three days off to recover. Workers’ compensation could help the business owner pay for the employee’s medical bills and lost wages.

Commercial auto insurance is a crucial form of coverage for Virginia-based companies that own vehicles. That’s because personal car insurance won’t cover business-related auto accidents.

Here’s an example of how commercial auto insurance could benefit a small business:

A shuttle driver at a small hotel in Charlottesville has a minor accident while dropping off guests at a restaurant. Commercial auto insurance could help the hotel owner pay for damage to its shuttle and other vehicles, and help cover any related medical expenses.

Small businesses that ask employees to drive their own vehicles for work or use rental cars will want to add hired and non-owed auto coverage to their commercial auto policy. This optional insurance can help cover accident damages in these situations.

Virginia commercial property insurance can help pay to replace or repair business property that’s damaged or destroyed after a covered event, such as water, fire or wind damage.

For example, an electrical fire at a Tysons fast casual restaurant damages the storage and prep area in the kitchen. Commercial property coverage could help pay to repair the damage and replace any food inventory that was ruined.

It’s important to read your policy documents carefully to make sure there aren’t exclusions for your business. Some locations prone to flooding or hurricane damage might have limited coverage.

Small businesses, especially those in professional services fields, may want professional liability coverage, which is also known as E&O or errors and omissions insurance.

This type of policy can help protect business owners if they face claims of poor or incomplete work that causes a client or other party financial losses. It can help pay for damages even if the accusations are unfounded.

For example, a high-profile government contractor claims that an Arlington-based accounting firm made a tax error, which resulted in lost revenue and negative publicity. Professional liability insurance could help the accounting firm cover damages and pay legal defense costs if the contractor sued.