LFG - Business continuation insurance

Managing your business

Business continuation insurance

Business continuation insurance protects your company from financial loss caused by the death or the long-term disability of a key employee.

Should you have it?

Yes, if you have a major financial interest in a company that could be jeopardized by the death or disability of a partner or other key employee. There are essentially four types of business continuation insurance:

  • Business overhead expense (BOE) insurance — This is a special form of disability insurance that provides a means of paying your company's overhead expenses, such as rent and utilities, during the time that you're disabled.
  • Key person disability insurance — This type of insurance protects your business in the event that you (or any partners) are unable to perform critical contributions required for the success of the firm.
  • Key person life insurance — This provides funds to surviving owners of your business to pay for losses incurred by the death of a key employee or partner. Examples might include the need to hire temporary help or consultants or to train a new employee. Proceeds from key person life insurance can also be used with a buy and sell agreement to help you, the surviving owner, purchase the stock of the deceased without selling assets of the firm.
  • Life insurance and disability insurance to fund a buy-sell agreement — Provides the liquidity needed in the event of death or a long-term disability. The buy out can be with business partners, family members, key employees or even a competitor.
For more information about business continuation insurance, consider consulting a financial advisor.