Key Takeaways

  • General liability insurance protects against visitor injury claims.
  • Property insurance covers buildings, vehicles, equipment from losses.
  • Workers’ compensation covers medical costs for job-related injuries.
  • Business interruption insurance covers revenue losses during closures.
  • Auto insurance protects vehicles used to transport animals and staff.
  • Cyber liability covers costs from data breaches and network attacks.

Introduction

Zoos and botanical gardens face various risks to their operations and need adequate insurance. This guide covers the essential types of coverage these businesses should consider like general liability, property, auto and more. Proper insurance protects the financial health of the organization and ensures it can continue serving the community in the event of losses.

General Liability Insurance

General liability insurance provides essential coverage for zoos and botanical gardens to protect their business from financial losses due to accidents and injuries occurring on the premises. It covers costs associated with visitor claims related to slips, trips and falls as well as incidents involving animal interactions or exhibits. An additional benefit is that it covers legal fees if the business is sued for incidents outside of their control, and protects the business from unexpected large claims with an annual estimated premium of $12,000 – $15,000.

Category List
Benefits
  • Protection against claims of bodily injury or property damage from visitors
  • Covers legal costs if sued for accidents on your premises
  • Peace of mind knowing you’re protected from unexpected large claims
  • Coverage for claims from slips, trips and falls on walkways or paths
  • Protection for risks related to animal interactions and exhibits
  • Coverage for claims from slips, trips and falls on walkways or paths
Use Cases
  • Coverage for injuries to visitors or customers from accidents on the premises
  • Coverage for damage to visitors’ personal property
  • Coverage for medical expenses of injured visitors
  • Coverage if an animal escapes and injures someone or damages property
  • Coverage if visitors slip, trip or fall on premises
  • Coverage for damage or injuries caused by premises or operations

Based on average pricing data for general liability insurance for businesses in the zoos and botanical gardens industry (NAICS 712130), the estimated annual premium is around $12,000 – $15,000. Premium is calculated based on factors like number of employees, annual revenue, number of visitors annually, number and types of animal exhibits/collections, safety practices and protocols, number of claims/losses in past years.

Estimated Pricing: $12,000 – $15,000

Property Insurance

Property insurance provides critical protection for zoos and botanical gardens against unexpected losses of their buildings, animal collections, vehicles, and equipment due to disasters, damage or theft. It ensures the business can continue operating and replace damaged items after a covered loss occurs. The top benefits of property insurance for zoos include protection against property damage and loss from disasters, reimbursement for repair/replacement costs, liability coverage if someone is injured, and coverage for facilities, collections, fences and more. The key uses of property insurance are to provide coverage for buildings, animal enclosures, equipment, vehicles as well as loss of income if the property is damaged. Typically zoos and botanical gardens may expect to pay around $30,000 annually for adequate property insurance based on their property values and risks.

Category List
Benefits
  • Protection against property damage and loss from disasters like fire, storms, vandalism
  • Reimbursement for repair or replacement costs if property is damaged or destroyed
  • Liability coverage in case someone is injured on your property and sues for medical expenses or other damages
  • Covers animal husbandry facilities like barns, stables, and veterinary clinics
  • Coverage for fencing, trails, greenhouses, and other outdoor exhibits/structures
  • Protection for exotic animal collections and rare/endangered plant species
  • Coverage of buildings, vehicles, equipment, and other business personal property
Use Cases
  • Coverage for buildings and structures
  • Coverage for animals and plants collections
  • Coverage for equipment, machineries and vehicles
  • Coverage for loss of revenue/income due to property damage

Based on average property values and risks associated with zoos and botanical gardens, the estimated average annual pricing for property insurance would be around $30,000 per year. Factors that influence this pricing include the size and value of buildings and structures, number and types of animals, security measures, fire protection systems, and claims history.

Estimated Pricing: $30,000

Workers Compensation Insurance

Workers compensation insurance provides crucial benefits and financial protections for employees and employers in the zoos and botanical gardens industry. It covers costs associated with work-related injuries, illnesses and deaths so businesses in this sector can care for injured workers without facing financial hardship. The estimated average annual cost for a business in this industry is around $3.50 per $100 of payroll based on general risks like animal attacks, outdoor hazards, and lifting injuries as well as average claim costs.

Category List
Benefits
  • Covers medical expenses and lost wages for employees who are injured on the job
  • Protects the business from lawsuits in the event an employee is injured
  • Required by law in most states
Use Cases
  • Cover medical expenses if an employee gets injured while handling or caring for animals
  • Cover lost wages if an employee cannot work due to a work-related injury or illness
  • Cover permanent disability benefits if an employee suffers long-term effects from a work injury
  • Cover claims for injuries resulting from slips, trips, or falls
  • Cover death benefits for families if an employee passes away from a work-related injury or illness

Based on overall industry risks and average claim costs, the estimated average annual pricing for workers compensation insurance for businesses in the Zoos and Botanical Gardens industry with NAICS Code 712130 is around $3.50 per $100 of payroll. This pricing takes into account factors like the risk of animal bites/attacks, slips/trips/falls in outdoor/uneven terrain, heavy lifting injuries, exposure to plant/wildlife toxins, as well as average claim severity for this type of industry. The pricing was derived from analyzing published industry data and insurance rates over time for similar business classifications.

Estimated Pricing: $3.50 per $100 of payroll

Business Interruption Insurance

Business interruption insurance provides an important layer of protection for zoos and botanical gardens. It helps ensure financial stability and continuity of operations if disruptive events occur that impact business revenue or force temporary closures.

The top benefits of business interruption insurance for zoos and botanical gardens include coverage for losses of income during shutdowns, extra expenses to continue operations, and protection against a wide range of events from natural disasters to accidents that could damage facilities or force evacuations. Pricing is typically around $15,000-$20,000 per year based on average industry revenues and location risks.

Category List
Benefits
  • Coverage for loss of income if the business has to shut down temporarily
  • Coverage for extra expenses to continue operations during shutdown
  • Protection against losses from fire, explosions, accidents, natural disasters and more
  • Compensation for lost revenue if customers can’t visit due to a covered event
  • Peace of mind knowing the business is protected from financial hardship caused by disruptions
  • Ability to keep staff employed and pay operating costs even during extended closure periods
  • Funds to cover rebuilding costs or relocate if the facilities are severely damaged
Use Cases
  • Damage due to natural disasters like hurricanes, floods, earthquakes etc.
  • Loss of revenue due to shutdowns from power outages
  • Loss of revenue due to outbreaks among animals
  • Damage due to fire/arson
  • Losses due to mandatory evacuations or closure of facilities by authorities

Based on typical business interruption insurance pricing formulas and factors such as industry risk profile, location risks and average revenue for zoos and botanical gardens, the estimated average annual pricing would be around $15,000-$20,000. The pricing is usually calculated as a percentage of the average gross revenues (around 1-1.5%) with considerations for location risks from natural disasters like fires, floods, earthquakes etc that could impact business operations.

Estimated Pricing: $15,000-$20,000

Auto Insurance

Auto insurance provides important coverage for zoos and botanical gardens to protect their fleet vehicles, staff, visitors and operations. It ensures financial protection from accidents and losses involving company vehicles used to transport animals, supplies and people onsite and during rescue missions or other offsite activities.

Category List
Benefits
  • Liability protection in case of accidents involving business vehicles
  • Compensation for damaged or stolen business vehicles
  • Coverage for medical bills and injuries to employees or customers in vehicle accidents
  • Replacement or rental coverage for vehicles out of commission during repairs
  • Unpaid driver coverage for volunteers or part-time employees
  • Discounts for utilizing defensive driver training programs
Use Cases
  • Covering fleet vehicles used to transport animals, supplies, and staff
  • Protecting shuttle buses that transport visitors around large facilities
  • Insuring staff vehicles used for off-site activities like animal rescue

Based on industry data and common factors like number of vehicles, claims history, and driver qualifications, the estimated average annual pricing for auto insurance for businesses in the Zoos and Botanical Gardens industry (NAICS 712130) is around $2,500-$5,000 per vehicle. This pricing takes into account that these businesses typically operate commercial vehicles like shuttle buses and utility vehicles to transport visitors and employees around large facilities. It also assumes most businesses in this industry have a few vehicles and a decent safety record with no major accidents in the past few years.

Estimated Pricing: $2,500 – $5,000

Cyber Liability Insurance

As a zoo or botanical garden handles large amounts of customer data and payment information, cyber liabilities pose serious risks. Cyber liability insurance helps protect against costs related to data breaches, cyber attacks, network failures, third party lawsuits, regulatory fines, notification of affected individuals, credit monitoring services, forensic investigations, damage to reputation, and assists with restoration of network systems and data in the event of a cyber security incident.

Category List
Benefits
  • Covers the costs of a data breach including losses from theft or mistaken release of customer/donor data
  • Pays for notification and credit monitoring services if private information is exposed
  • Covers legal expenses and fines/penalties from lawsuits and regulatory actions related to a data breach
  • Reimburses for costs of forensic investigations, credit monitoring and communications following a breach
  • Covers costs of restoring network security systems and recovering lost data in the event of a cyber attack
  • Provides liability protection if a third party sues for damages from a data breach at the organization
  • Protects reputation and brand from negative publicity due to a cyber attack or data breach
  • Covers expenses to hire PR firms and legal advisors in response to reputational threats from a cyber incident
Use Cases
  • Data breach resulting in theft or leakage of customer/client personal information like names, addresses, payment information etc.
  • Network security failures leading to cyber attacks like ransomware, malware etc. and business interruption
  • Third party liability in case customer/client files a lawsuit against the business for a data breach or privacy violation
  • Regulatory fines and investigations in case of non-compliance with privacy laws like GDPR, CCPA etc.
  • Cyber extortion or ransom demands in case of ransomware attacks
  • Reputation damage to the business due to negative media reporting of a data breach or cyber attack

Based on research of average cyber liability insurance pricing for businesses in the Zoos and Botanical Gardens industry (NAICS Code: 712130), the estimated annual premium would be around $2,500. This price was derived from analyzing rates paid by similar sized organizations in this industry, their cyber security practices and incident histories. Factors like number of employees, revenue size, IT security protocols, past claims were considered to determine this average annual price.

Estimated Pricing: $2,500

Directors And Officers Liability Insurance

Directors and officers liability insurance, also known as D&O insurance, is an important protection for leadership of zoos and botanical gardens. It helps shield the personal assets of directors and officers from legal costs and claims resulting from errors, omissions and negligence in their roles.

D&O insurance protects zoos and botanical gardens from employment disputes like discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination and regulatory investigations. It also defends directors and officers accused of breach of fiduciary duties or misrepresentation. With estimated annual premiums around $7,500 and protection from costly lawsuits, D&O insurance is a worthwhile expense for most zoos and gardens to retain qualified leadership and manage risks.

Category List
Benefits
  • Protects the personal assets of directors and officers from lawsuits arising out of management decisions and actions
  • Covers legal expenses if a lawsuit is filed against directors or officers
  • Protects the organization by covering monetary settlements and judgments in the event a claim is made against the insured directors or officers
  • Helps retain qualified directors and officers by providing protection from personal liability
  • Covers defense costs even if the claims end up being without merit, helping protect the time and reputation of directors and officers
  • Provides crisis management services to assist with public image during lawsuits
  • Includes employment practices liability which covers claims from employees like discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination
Use Cases
  • Employment Practices Liability (EPL)
  • Third Party Discrimination, Harassment, or Retaliation Claims
  • Breach of Fiduciary Duty Claims
  • Misrepresentation or Misleading Statements
  • Regulatory Investigations and Proceedings

Based on analyzing typical pricing factors such as annual revenue, number of employees, claims history, the average Directors And Officers Liability Insurance pricing for businesses in the Zoos and Botanical Gardens industry (NAICS 712130) would be between $5,000 to $10,000 per year. Pricing is usually determined as a percentage of the total annual revenue. Zoos and botanical gardens generally have annual revenue between $2-5 million and employ 50-150 people. With no major claims in past 5 years, the estimated annual premium would be around $7,500. This pricing could vary +/- 20% depending on individual business factors.

Estimated Pricing: $7,500

Employment Practices Liability Insurance

Employment practices liability insurance (EPLI) provides important protections for businesses in the zoos and botanical gardens industry against costly lawsuits related to employee claims. EPLI can help these organizations avoid large settlement and legal defense costs for issues involving wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination and other employment law violations. The top benefits of EPLI for this industry include protection from legal costs, expert guidance to minimize risks, and preserving company reputation. Common claims EPLI defends against are wrongful termination, discrimination, wage/hour issues, disability accommodation, retaliation, and negligent hiring. Estimated average annual EPLI pricing for this industry is between $5,000-$7,500 based on factors like employee count, payroll, past claims history, and financial health.

Category List
Benefits
  • Protects the business from costs associated with defending against lawsuits from current or former employees such as wrongful termination, harassment, and discrimination
  • Covers settlement costs, back pay, legal fees and punitive damages if a lawsuit is lost
  • Reduces stress for business owners and managers knowing they have protection if claims are made against the company
  • Covers lawsuits related to allegations of violations of employment laws like the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
  • Helps businesses avoid the costs of making wrongful termination settlements quickly to avoid lengthy, expensive litigation
  • Provides access to experts who can help review policies and practices to help minimize liability risks
  • Helps protect the company’s reputation by avoiding public relations issues from costly legal settlements or judgments against the organization
Use Cases
  • Wrongful termination lawsuits
  • Discrimination or harassment claims
  • Wage and hour violations
  • Failure to accommodate disabilities
  • Retaliation lawsuits
  • Negligent hiring

Based on industry averages, the estimated average pricing for Employment Practices Liability Insurance for businesses in the Zoos and Botanical Gardens industry (NAICS 712130) would be around $5,000 – $7,500 annually. This pricing is derived from looking at typical risk factors for this industry such as employee headcounts, payroll amounts, number of past claims or lawsuits, and health of financials. Larger operations and those with history of claims would see pricing closer to the higher end of the range.

Estimated Pricing: $5,000 – $7,500

Conclusion

Choosing the right mix of insurance policies helps zoos and botanical gardens manage risks in a cost-effective way. By understanding exposures and selecting coverage for general liability, property damage, employees, vehicles and data privacy, these organizations can operate with confidence and peace of mind.

Frequently Asked Questions

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