Your possessions are your work tool
Premises, furniture, machines, computers, installations, goods, raw materials and stock often represent an essential part of the capital of an SME. Replacing them after a claim can be expensive, but stopping business sometimes costs even more.
Good coverage is therefore not limited to “reimbursing the equipment”. It must make it possible to restart operations quickly, pay fixed costs and limit the loss of turnover.
What property or business insurance covers
- Fire and natural events: fire, lightning, explosion, storm, hail, flood or other events insured according to the contract.
- Water damage: pipes, infiltrations, technical installations, freezing or flow of liquids.
- Theft and break-in: goods, equipment, monetary values and damages related to the intrusion.
- Broken glass: display cases, glass partitions, sanitary installations or furniture glazing.
- Operating inventory: machines, furniture, tools, computer equipment, installations, consumables and equipment.
- Goods: finished products, raw materials, spare parts, seasonal stock or entrusted goods.
Operating loss: the guarantee not to be forgotten
After a claim, inventory insurance replaces damaged goods. But if the machines are not delivered for two months or if the premises must be renovated, your turnover drops while rents, salaries, leasing and charges continue.
The operating loss can cover the loss of profit, fixed costs and additional costs necessary to maintain the activity: temporary premises, equipment rental, temporary subcontracting or exceptional logistics costs.
Tenant or owner: responsibilities change
If you rent your premises, the lease may require an insurance certificate, a company liability certificate or specific guarantees. You must also check who is responsible for the fittings, transformations, display windows, fixed installations and damage caused to the building.
If you own your premises, building insurance, building owner liability and loss of rental income may become essential. Cantonal rules and building-related obligations must be checked.
Machines, technology and IT
Basic insurance does not always cover internal damage to a machine, handling errors, breakdown of technical equipment or data recovery. Production, craft, health, catering, IT or commerce companies often need to add technical, electronic, machinery or transport modules.
Points to check before signing
- Sum insured: replacement value, market value, average stock or maximum seasonal stock.
- Underinsurance: Undervalued inventory can reduce compensation at the time of the loss.
- Deductibles: amount per event, per guarantee or per site.
- Compensation deadlines: advances, expertise, supporting documents and payment conditions.
- Off-site assets: equipment at a customer's premises, on site, in transport or teleworking.
- Exclusions: wear, lack of maintenance, internal breakdown, cyber, handling errors or special goods.
Common errors
- Insure the furniture but forget the stock or entrusted goods.
- Do not update amounts after purchasing machines or growing stock.
- Confusing property insurance with business interruption.
- Forget the rental arrangements paid for by the company.
- Do not cover equipment used outside the premises.
- Discovering after a claim that the technical failure or electronics were not included.
Our support
Finwise inventories your critical assets, analyzes your premises, your lease, your machines, your stock and your operational dependency. We compare property, trade, technical, transport and operating loss guarantees to build coverage consistent with your activity.
Protect my premises and equipment See trade insurance See technical insurance