Business Insurance in Montreal
Our Western Financial Group team knows you’ve invested in your business — in many cases, we’ve seen the hard work and years you’ve spent, often beginning as startups or continuing as a family tradition.
We are a Canadian-owned business. You can trust that our licensed brokers understand the effort it takes to start and manage a business, whether it’s a small, medium, or large enterprise.
Business insurance protects you from losses than can occur due to threats to your business such as a break-in or a customer getting injured on your property, among others. This is where Western comes in with expertise and experience.
We provide the right insurance at the best value, including coverages for car/truck, property and liability, group insurance, and specialty products.
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Coverage
Commercial General Liability (CGL)
Commercial general liability insurance provides financial coverage for claims of third-party bodily injury and property damage caused by your business resulting from negligence or unexpected accidents.
Commercial Property
Commercial property insurance isn’t legally required, but it’s strongly recommended for Montreal businesses of all sizes. It provides financial protection to your business and its contents in case of unexpected events that may cause damage or loss.
Errors & Omissions Insurance
Errors & omissions insurance will provide coverage from legal action arising from charges of professional negligence or failure to perform your professional duties for a client. This coverage helps protect your company and its future by responding to these claims.
Legal Insurance
Legal protection insurance gives you the assurance of knowing you have full access to professional legal counsel and expense coverage if you ever require it. You’ll have access to professional legal advice through a lawyers’ hotline, coverage for legal expenses and a lawyer should you need to attend court.
Directors And Officers Liability
Directors and officers liability insurance provides coverage for the misuse of funds, misappropriation of funds, knowledge of illegal or improper acts, making improper loans, fraudulent acts, and transactions or decisions which are not authorized by the bylaws of your business. It provides coverage for these defense costs, as well as other liabilities which may arise from those in charge performing their duties.
Malpractice Insurance
Malpractice insurance provides coverage to medical and legal professionals, engineers, architects, and other professionals for liability arising from disputed services or bad advice. This type of insurance will help protect you and your business from negligence claims.
Cybersecurity Insurance
Cybersecurity insurance helps protect you if the computers you use for your business are attacked or breached. If electronic information stored on your computer system is stolen, lost, or compromised, the cost of restoring it can be significant. You may also be held liable for damages to third parties whose information has been stolen.
Surety And Bonding
There are two types of surety and bond products. Contract bonds are primarily used in the construction industry to protect you as the owner from financial loss in the event the contractor (the principal) is unable to fulfil the terms and conditions of the contract. The second type of surety bonds are commercial bonds, used to comply with licensing, regulatory and financial requirements of federal and provincial courts, government bodies and financial institutions. It’s also critical to have your employees bonded and in some cases is required under contract. This protects you as the owner and the client if something is damaged or stolen.
Short Term Rentals Insurance
Short-term rental insurance or home-share insurance is insurance for landlords or homeowners who rent out their primary home or vacation property for a short period of time, usually up to six months. It’s an easy way to protect your belongings and property in the event of vandalism, theft, or damage.
Business Interruption Insurance
Business interruption insurance will help you cover business expenses and lost income while your business is temporarily closed due to an unexpected event such as vandalism, a fire, or a supply chain disruption. Expenses that you can expect to be covered, depending on your policy, and if your claim is accepted: Your employee payroll, rent, hydro, electricity, and other utilities, alarm monitoring, property taxes, lost Profits and interest on mortgage or loans.
Commercial Auto Insurance
If you’re in an accident while on business, your insurance will cover damage to your vehicle and your liability to others. If you typically carry business-related equipment in your vehicle, you will need to add an endorsement to your policy to cover it against theft or damage.
Fleet Insurance
Fleet policies are for individuals or companies with 5 or more powered units operated on public roadways. Your policy would need to include the area in which you operate (Canada, USA), type of cargo, equipment, long-haul transportation activities, number, type and use of vehicles. These details help us provide the coverage that best fits your needs. By law you’re required to hold a minimum amount of insurance. Each provincial jurisdiction has different legal requirements — we’ll match your policy to where you live and work.
Home Business Insurance
A home-based business insurance policy is a stand-alone policy that provides higher amounts of coverage for business equipment and liability. Expect it to cover your office equipment, business inventory on and off-premises, and business interruption insurance if anything were to happen to your home as the result of an insured loss. It can also cover such things as theft, customer property damage, lawsuits, product and service liabilities, customer injury such as a slip and fall and damaged equipment.
Life Insurance
Life Insurance ensures that your family will be provided for in the event of your death. You may need it if you have debt (mortgage, student loan, car loan, credit cards) and you don’t want to leave your loved ones with a financial burden. Or you own a business and want to ensure it survives the death of a business partner.
Industry
Plumbers
You need commercial general liability insurance, without which you are not allowed to operate a plumbing contracting business. This not only protects your customers but also your business. Commercial general liability (CGL) insurance protects you if something goes wrong and you find yourself facing a liability claim. If you or your employees cause injury or property damage, CGL insurance will cover legal costs and compensation for the damage or injury.
Hotels
Insurance for hotels/motels is tailored to the unique needs of the hospitality industry, with coverage options such as commercial general liability, commercial insurance, property insurance, commercial crime insurance, equipment breakdown, directors and officers, and cyber liability. A comprehensive hotel insurance policy can protect you and provide financial support for many incidents or accidents that can threaten your business.
Restaurants and Nightclubs
Insurance for restaurants and nightclubs includes general liability to cover against accidents, such as a customer slipping or falling inside your premises. You will also need property insurance to protect against damages from fire, natural disasters, theft, and crime. Food Contamination insurance protects against situations that can cause food contamination such as a power outage. You will also need business interruption insurance due to your events that could force your business to close, automobile liability to insure any vehicles for business purposes, and alcohol liability insurance to cover against claims from a customer’s negligent actions while getting inebriated to the extent of injury or property damage.
Apartment Building Owner
As an apartment building owner, having the right insurance coverage is crucial to protect your investment. Apartment building insurance typically includes property coverage for the building structure, liability coverage for accidents or injuries that occur on the premises, and loss of rental income if the property becomes uninhabitable due to a covered event. This insurance helps safeguard against risks such as fire, vandalism, and natural disasters, ensuring that you’re financially protected from unexpected damages or lawsuits. Proper coverage not only protects your assets but also provides peace of mind, knowing that your property and tenants are secure.
Retail Outlets
Whether you own a bakery, bookstore, or clothing store, you need to protect your business against inventory theft, equipment breakdown and other unexpected events. Commercial general liability (CGL) insurance helps you recover from liability claims arising from your business premises, as a result of the products you sell or in the event of a lawsuit for injuries to a customer for a slip-and-fall incident on your premises. You’ll also need to consider insurance for a business interruption, contents, and inventory, building and equipment and equipment breakdown coverages.
Roofers
If you own a roofing business, you will need commercial general liability insurance (CGL) to cover you from common accidents that involve other people’s property or cause bodily injury. Most CGL policies also cover bodily injury, property damage, legal costs, and advertising injury (for example, slandering a competitor). Other coverages to consider are: Tools and equipment insurance, professional liability insurance, errors or omissions, and commercial auto insurance for all vehicles you use for work because personal auto insurance will not cover them.
Childcare Provider
If you operate a childcare facility such as a daycare centre, day home, preschool, private school, or an early learning centre, you’ll need to protect it. You’ll need commercial general liability (CGL) insurance to help you recover from any liability claims arising from your business premises, such as a lawsuit for injuries due to such things as a slip and fall incident. You’ll also need property damage and bodily injury coverage, business income and business interruption insurance, flood, sewer back-up and all risk-replacements costs for your building and contents.
Grocery Stores and Deli Shops
As an owner, a general liability insurance policy covers legal fees associated with customer accidents in your store or on your store’s property. You can also consider a Business Owners Policy (BOP), which can be tailored to fit your specific needs and can include general liability coverage and equipment breakdown. Property insurance, product liability insurance, business interruption insurance, commercial auto insurance also needed to be looked at. Food contamination insurance should be considered because you can file a claim and be reimbursed for the value of the wasted product in the event of a power outage.
Independent Contractor
As an independent contractor, you need to have the right commercial general liability (CGL). With commercial general liability, your business will be protected from financial losses if you were ever to be found liable for injury claims or property damage against third parties on or off premises. You’ll also need commercial vehicle insurance.
Professional Services
Whether you are a hair stylist, veterinary, welder, oil and gas consultant, or you offer cleaning services, you need the right insurance coverage for the risks you face. Professional services insurance is essential for protecting your business against risks unique to your industry. This type of insurance typically includes professional liability insurance, also known as errors and omissions (E&O) insurance, which covers you if a client claims that your services caused them financial harm due to negligence, errors, or omissions. Additionally, it can provide coverage for legal defense costs and settlements, helping to safeguard your reputation and financial stability. Whether you're a consultant, accountant, lawyer, or other professional, having the right insurance ensures you can focus on delivering quality services with the peace of mind that you're protected against potential claims.
Electrical Contractors and Electricians
Whether your electrical business is commercial, residential, or industrial, you need commercial general liability (CGL) coverage. It protects you from lawsuits that result from accidents on the job by covering costs associated with third-party property damage or third-party injury. You’ll also want commercial vehicle, tools and equipment, errors and omission, and business interruption insurance to make sure your business is protected.
Auto Body Shops
Auto body shops should have general liability insurance to protect your business if something happens to your customers or their property. For example, if a customer is injured while in your shop, general liability will cover the expenses. If a customer's vehicle gets damaged while in your repair shop, general liability will pay for those damages. General liability also provides advertising and product liability protection. Commercial auto insurance is needed for an auto body to cover auto accidents involving company or personal vehicles as well as those that are rented or loaned. On the property side, a business owner’s policy will protect you from losses if something happens to your physical business or the contents inside.
Commercial Building Owner
As a commercial building owner, securing comprehensive insurance coverage is essential to protect your property and business operations. Commercial building insurance typically includes coverage for the building structure, liability protection for accidents or injuries on the premises, and coverage for loss of income if the building becomes unusable due to a covered event. This type of insurance safeguards against risks such as fire, theft, vandalism, and natural disasters, ensuring that your investment is protected and that you can continue your business operations with minimal disruption.
Cleaning Services
Your customers expect you to clean their premises to perfection without incident. Whether you are a residential or commercial cleaner, you and your employees are exposed to on-the-job risks.
You need to make sure that your cleaning business or janitorial business is protected from any liability claims. You’ll need a cleaning insurance package that’s tailored to your business.
What you need to know about business insurance
- Your insurance broker needs full disclosure about your business operations, regardless how big or small they may be, and any risk exposures. Update your broker on any material change in risk toward your operations. This means you’ll always have the right coverages for your needs.
- As for annual gross receipts, proper reporting to your insurance broker allows for a successful payout, if you were to ever face an insurance claim regarding your business income.
- Consider learning more about cyber insurance or equipment breakdown coverage.
- Unforeseen issues that could affect your business could occur at any moment. Let our Western Financial Group brokers provide you what you need for business interruption coverage.
- Whereas brokers can help determine replacement cost on your building, it’s in your best interest as a business owner to take stock of your inventory, tools and inform your broker if items are either added or no longer part of your business operations.
Advantages to working with a Western broker
- We’re among the largest insurance brokerage networks in Canada — we have access to more than 130 insurance companies, in which we can place your business.
- Seeing as we have relationships with a wide array of insurance companies and access to their product suites, our Western teams can write business insurance policies from small packages to large, complex commercial operations.
- Western Financial Group has access to exclusive business insurance programs.
Potential discounts are available
Personal credit score has been used in the industry for the past few years. We have access to two insurance companies that allow business owners to use their own credit score to qualify for a possible discount on their business insurance.