Key Takeaways
- Carry product liability insurance to protect against lawsuits if product defects cause harm.
- Maintain general liability coverage for issues like injuries on premises and product recalls.
- Insure valuable property and equipment with property insurance.
- Obtain commercial auto insurance for delivery fleets and liability from vehicle accidents.
- Purchase commercial umbrella insurance for additional liability layers above standard limits.
- Acquire workers compensation as required by law for employee injury coverage.
- Consider cyber liability insurance given risks of data breaches and system damage.
- Buy directors and officers coverage to protect leadership from regulatory actions and lawsuits.
Introduction
As a manufacturer in the pharmaceutical and medicine industry, it is critical to protect your business from a variety of risks through insurance. This guide examines the key types of commercial insurance coverage that businesses in this high-risk sector should consider carrying to safeguard operations, assets and personnel.
Product Liability Insurance
Product liability insurance protects pharmaceutical manufacturers against costly lawsuits if defects in their products lead to injuries or harm to consumers. It also helps cover legal costs and damage payments if a product is found to be unsafe. Product liability insurance is especially important for pharmaceutical manufacturers. Any issues with safety, quality or labeling of medications they produce could potentially harm consumers and result in lawsuits. Common risks include product defects, medication errors, packaging errors, and failure to provide proper warnings.
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Based on research, the average pricing for product liability insurance for businesses in the pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing industry with NAICS code 3254 is around $20,000-$30,000 per year. The pricing is dependent on factors such as the company’s annual revenue, number of employees, product portfolio, claims history, safety procedures and recalls. Companies producing higher risk drugs and biological products tend to pay more for their insurance due to the higher potential liability.
Estimated Pricing: $20,000-$30,000
General Liability Insurance
General liability insurance is an important coverage for businesses in the pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing industry. It protects companies from costly legal risks and claims that could threaten the long-term viability of operations. The top benefits of coverage include protecting assets from lawsuits over injuries, covering cleanup costs of environmental incidents, and insuring the business against risks of product liabilities or errors and omissions. Common use cases necessitating the insurance involve product quality issues, accidents during manufacturing, and legal issues from improper advice. Estimated annual pricing for companies in the NAICS 3254 industry ranges from $25,000 to $35,000 depending on company size and risk factors.
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Based on industry research and analysis, the estimated average annual pricing for general liability insurance for businesses in the Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing NAICS Code 3254 industry is $25,000-$35,000. Pricing is derived based on factors like company size, annual revenue, number of employees, locations, claims history, and risk profile related to the nature of operations and products handled. Larger companies with more than $50M annual revenue and 200+ employees can expect pricing closer to $30,000-35,000 while small to medium sized companies with under $20M revenue and less than 100 employees are likely to see pricing between $20,000-25,000.
Estimated Pricing: $25,000-$35,000
Property Insurance
Property insurance provides essential protection for pharmaceutical and medical product manufacturers against losses from unexpected events. It covers repairs and replacement costs for property damage, as well as liability and business interruption expenses.
Given the specialized and expensive equipment used in the industry, even small incidents could potentially cause major disruptions without adequate coverage. Insurance also protects the manufacturers from the inherent liability risks of producing medicines that impact human health.
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Based on industry data, the average annual property insurance premium for businesses in the pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing industry (NAICS 3254) is around $2.50 per $100 of insured value. This pricing takes into account factors such as the high-risk nature of the industry which involves handling of flammable, toxic and hazardous materials. The pricing also fluctuates depending on the business’s claims history, risk management practices, and security measures in place.
Estimated Pricing: $2.50/$100 insured value
Commercial Auto Insurance
Commercial auto insurance is an essential coverage for pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturers to protect their business operations from financial risks. Some key benefits of commercial auto insurance for companies in this industry include liability protection for accidents involving company vehicles used to deliver products, coverage for medical goods being transported, and replacement of damaged vehicles. Common uses of the insurance are for delivery fleets and vehicles used by sales representatives. A mid-sized company in this industry can expect to pay around $1,300 annually for commercial auto insurance covering 5 vehicles.
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Based on industry averages, businesses in the pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing industry (NAICS 3254) can expect to pay around $1,200 – $1,500 annually per commercial vehicle for commercial auto insurance. Factors like business size, number of vehicles, driving records, safety features, and other business operations often impact pricing. For a mid-sized business with 5 commercial vehicles and no major incidents, an estimated annual price would be around $1,300.
Estimated Pricing: $1,300
Commercial Umbrella Insurance
Commercial umbrella insurance provides additional liability protection for businesses in high-risk industries like pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing. It protects these companies from costly litigation, judgments, legal fees, and other risks above their standard insurance limits.
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The average commercial umbrella insurance pricing for businesses in the pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing industry with NAICS Code 3254 is $3-5/thousand of coverage amount above the primary general liability limits, with a minimum of $1 million in coverage. This pricing is derived based on the generally higher risks of product liability and regulatory issues for businesses in this industry.
Estimated Pricing: $3-5/thousand
Workers Compensation Insurance
Workers compensation insurance provides critical protections for businesses in the high-risk pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing industry. Employees face hazards from dangerous equipment, heavy lifting, and exposure to chemicals, so injuries are unfortunately common. Carrying workers comp ensures injured employees receive support while removing liability from employers. It also strengthens loyalty, attracts quality candidates, and helps comply with regulations. Typical pricing for a business in this industry is around $2.50 per $100 of payroll.
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Based on industry statistics, the average cost of workers compensation insurance for businesses in the Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing industry (NAICS Code 3254) is around $2.50 per $100 of payroll. This price was derived based on risk factors such as injury rates, compliance with safety regulations, and company size/employee counts being moderate for this industry.
Estimated Pricing: $2.50 per $100 of payroll
Cyber Liability Insurance
As a pharmaceutical or medicine manufacturer handling sensitive customer health data and proprietary intellectual property, cyber liability insurance provides crucial financial protection against various cyber risks and threats in this industry such as data breaches, system damage or downtime, litigation expenses, IP infringement, regulatory fines and penalties, and cyber fraud. It covers important costs associated with data breaches such as notifying customers, credit monitoring, restoring systems and files. Cyber liability insurance also covers costs from business interruption if systems are down due to an attack, forensic investigation costs to determine the cause and extent of an attack, and reputational damage costs from negative publicity around a breach. The average annual pricing for this type of insurance for businesses in the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry is around $5,000 according to the reference.
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Based on research, the average annual cyber liability insurance pricing for businesses in the pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing industry (NAICS Code 3254) is around $5,000. This price was derived by looking at insurance quotes and policies purchased by similar sized companies in this industry. Larger companies can expect to pay more in the range of $10,000 – $25,000 depending on annual revenue and other risk factors.
Estimated Pricing: $5,000
Directors And Officers Insurance
Directors and officers (D&O) insurance provides liability coverage that protects the personal assets of corporate directors, officers and other executives from lawsuits and legal costs resulting from job-related claims. It reimburses legal defense fees and any settlements or court judgments if accusations like negligence, breaches of fiduciary duty or regulatory infractions are brought against executives. Due to the nature of the pharmaceutical industry, D&O insurance is especially important as companies face high risks of expensive product liability lawsuits and regulatory investigations from bodies like the FDA. The coverage can help attract qualified leadership by mitigating these risks. Premiums typically range from $75,000 to $150,000 annually based on factors such as revenue, employees and claims history.
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Based on research into average pricing for D&O insurance policies for companies in the Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing industry (NAICS Code 3254), the estimated annual premium would be in the range of $75,000 to $150,000. Premium pricing is usually based on factors like total annual revenue, number of employees, publicly traded status, litigation risks, and claims history.
Estimated Pricing: $75,000 – $150,000
Conclusion
By maintaining the right insurance portfolio aligned with industry-specific risks, pharmaceutical and medical product companies can gain peace of mind and focus on their core operations. This article reviewed the top insurance priorities and benefits for manufacturers in this niche to help inform prudent risk management planning.