Key Takeaways

  • General liability insurance protects against lawsuits from injuries on premises or third party property damage from operations.
  • Property insurance covers repairs/replacements if buildings, equipment or vehicles are damaged by events like fires or storms.
  • Commercial auto insurance provides liability protection and coverage for company vehicles used daily.
  • Workers compensation covers medical and wage benefits if employees are hurt on the job.
  • Umbrella insurance provides excess liability coverage above standard policies’ limits.
  • Directors and officers insures leadership from lawsuits related to business decisions.
  • Cyber liability covers costs of data breaches, network failures and ransomware attacks.

Introduction

Businesses in the fossil fuel electric power generation industry face unique risks that require careful consideration of insurance needs. As utilities that rely on specialized equipment, vehicles, and infrastructure to produce electricity, damages or lawsuits could threaten financial stability and operations. This article explores the top business insurance policies these companies should maintain to protect against operational hazards and modern liabilities.

General Liability Insurance

General liability insurance provides essential protection for fossil fuel power generation businesses against the risks of their high-hazard operations. It covers lawsuits for injuries, property damage, environmental impacts and other liabilities that could otherwise jeopardize the company’s ability to operate. Additionally, general liability insurance estimates an average annual cost of $150,000-$250,000 for a business in this industry with $50 million in annual revenue.

Category List
Benefits
  • Protects your business from third-party lawsuits in the event someone is injured on your property or by your operations
  • Covers bodily injury and property damage claims from accidents, pollution events, fires or other incidents at your facilities
  • Pays legal defense costs if you are sued for damages and helps indemnify any settlements or awards
  • Provides access to risk management services and expertise from your insurer to help prevent injuries and losses
  • Demonstrates to customers, vendors and partners that you have responsible business practices in place to handle operational risks
  • Covers your legal liability if a contractor or transportation company causes damage while working with or transporting your materials
  • Insures against product liability claims if a defect in one of your power plant components causes harm
  • Covers liability claims from unintentional pollution and environmental damage caused by operations
Use Cases
  • Protect against third-party bodily injury and property damage claims from incidents on the business’ premises
  • Cover liability claims from carbon emissions, air and water pollution from operations
  • Cover liability claims from public endangerment due to accidents or hazards from power generation process and waste disposal
  • Cover liability claims from damage to customers property during delivery or servicing activities
  • Protect against lawsuits from environmental groups regarding the business’ impact on climate change

Based on industry research and analysis of similar businesses in this industry, the estimated average annual pricing for general liability insurance would be around $3-5 per $1000 of revenue. The average revenue for businesses in this NAICS code is around $50 million. So for a business with $50 million in annual revenue, the estimated annual general liability insurance pricing would be $150,000-250,000.

Estimated Pricing: $150,000-250,000

Property Insurance

Property insurance provides important financial protections for businesses in the fossil fuel electric power generation industry. This industry relies on expensive specialised equipment, buildings and other property to generate electricity from fossil fuels like coal, natural gas and oil. Damage to any of these assets could be very costly to repair or replace without proper insurance coverage. Key benefits of property insurance for these businesses include protection against property loss or damage, coverage for equipment breakdown, repair/replacement costs, business interruption insurance, and pollution liability coverage. The estimated average annual pricing for property insurance in this industry is $2.50 per $100 of property value based on historical loss ratios.

Category List
Benefits
  • Protection against property loss or damage from events like fire, storms, explosions, etc.
  • Protection of equipment, buildings, and other property from unforeseen events
  • Financial protection from expensive property repairs or replacements in case of disasters
  • Covers equipment breakdown and mechanical failures
  • Pays for lost business income or extra expenses if the property is unusable after a covered loss
  • Covers liability in case a covered loss damages neighboring properties or injuries others
  • Protects investments in costly power generation assets like boilers, turbines, generators
Use Cases
  • Protection against property damage from disasters like fires, floods and storms
  • Coverage for equipment breakdown or mechanical failures
  • Replacement or repair costs for damaged buildings and other property
  • Business interruption insurance to cover lost income if operations are disrupted
  • Pollution liability coverage in case of environmental accidents and contamination
  • Cyber liability insurance to protect against data breaches and network security failures

After reviewing average property values and losses for businesses in the NAICS 221112 Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation industry, the estimated annual pricing for property insurance would be $2.50 per $100 of property value. This price was calculated based on an industry average loss ratio of 0.6% of property values over the past 10 years.

Estimated Pricing: $2.50/$100 property value

Commercial Auto Insurance

Commercial auto insurance is crucial for companies in the fossil fuel electric power generation industry due to their use of specialized commercial vehicles in daily operations. It protects the business financially against lawsuits and repair costs from accidents while allowing vehicles to be used freely for duties like emergency response efforts. These businesses often rely on large commercial vehicles to transport necessary equipment, staff, fuel, waste and supplies between different worksites.

Category List
Benefits
  • Liability protection in case of at-fault accidents
  • Medical payments coverage for injuries sustained in covered accidents
  • Collision coverage to repair or replace company vehicles in an accident
  • Comprehensive coverage for other losses like fire, theft or weather damage
  • Additional coverages like rental reimbursement when vehicles are in the shop for repairs
  • Covers vehicles used outside normal business operations for emergency response
  • Guarantees the company’s ability to operate freely with the proper auto insurance in place
Use Cases
  • Coverage for company vehicles like trucks used to transport equipment, fuel, waste, and staff to worksites
  • Liability coverage for accidents involving company vehicles
  • Coverage for emergency vehicles at worksites

Based on industry data and averages, the estimated annual pricing for commercial auto insurance for businesses in the fossil fuel electric power generation industry (NAICS code 221112) would be around $1,500 – $2,500 per vehicle. Pricing can vary based on number of vehicles, driver history, coverages/limits selected, and other individual business factors. Generally this industry has higher than average commercial auto insurance costs due to operating large trucks and equipment on public roads each day.

Estimated Pricing: $1,500 – $2,500

Workers Compensation Insurance

Workers compensation insurance provides crucial benefits and protection for employers and employees in the high-risk fossil fuel electric power generation industry. It covers medical expenses and lost wages for injured workers while protecting businesses from costly lawsuits. Given the hazardous nature of work in power plants, it is important for businesses in this industry to carry adequate workers compensation coverage that matches their risk level and payroll amounts to ensure compliance and fair treatment of injured employees.

Category List
Benefits
  • Provides wage replacement and medical benefits to employees injured on the job
  • Covers legal liability if an employee is injured because of employer negligence
  • Reduces absenteeism and turnover from job-related injuries
  • Meets state law requirements for workers compensation coverage
  • Protects the employer from third party lawsuits
  • Lowers the employer’s costs of insurance and risk compared to not having a policy
  • Improves employee morale and loyalty through fair treatment of injured workers
Use Cases
  • Providing benefits to employees who are injured or become ill in the workplace
  • Protecting businesses from liability lawsuits filed by employees due to workplace injuries or illnesses
  • Covering medical expenses, rehabilitation costs and wages lost due to work-related injuries or illnesses for employees
  • Insuring jobs that involve heavy machinery operation, equipment repairs and maintenance around high voltage electrical systems
  • Providing coverage for employees exposed to noise, air pollutants and other hazardous substances common in coal and natural gas power plants

Workers compensation insurance pricing for businesses in the fossil fuel electric power generation industry is generally high due to the hazardous nature of the work. The average total payroll for this industry is around $15 million. Using an experience modifier of 1.5 and applying the national average rate of $2.50 per $100 of payroll, the estimated annual workers compensation insurance premium would be around $675,000.

Estimated Pricing: $675,000

Umbrella Insurance

Umbrella insurance is an important excess layer of liability protection for businesses in high-risk industries like fossil fuel electric power generation. It provides coverage for costs and claims exceeding the limits of underlying commercial policies that may result from accidents and incidents involving pollution, emissions and other operational risks common to this industry.

Key reasons these businesses purchase umbrella insurance include covering gaps in primary policies, protecting against wrongful acts and injuries from pollution events, covering third-party claims from emissions/discharges/releases into the environment, and covering contractors involved in their operations. Estimated pricing is $10,000-$20,000 annually based on factors like revenue, employees, property values, loss history and operations.

Category List
Benefits
  • Provides additional liability coverage above your standard business insurance policies
  • Protects personal assets in the event of a costly lawsuit related to your business operations
  • Covers liability gaps not included in standard commercial policies like libel, slander, invasion of privacy
  • Indemnifies directors and officers from personal liability claims for business-related issues
  • Can provide higher limits of liability than standard commercial general liability policies (usually $1 million or above)
  • Covers legal costs like attorney fees if you are sued
  • Pays claims not covered by underlying commercial general liability, auto, property and employers liability policies
  • Fills gaps left by deductibles or policy limits in underlying insurance
  • Protects non-owned property and equipment used in business operations
Use Cases
  • To provide additional liability coverage above the limits of the underlying business or commercial general liability policies
  • To cover wrongful acts or injuries from pollution events
  • To cover third-party bodily injury and property damage claims from emissions, discharges or releases into the air, water or soil
  • To cover contractors and subcontractors on jobsites

Based on industry research, umbrella insurance for businesses in the fossil fuel electric power generation industry with NAICS code 221112 typically range from $10,000-$20,000 per year. Premium pricing is usually based on factors like a company’s annual revenue, number of employees, property values, loss history, and types of core business operations that pose higher risks.

Estimated Pricing: $15,000

Directors And Officers Insurance

Directors and officers (D&O) insurance provides crucial protection for corporate leadership and helps organizations attract and retain talented executives. It covers legal costs and damages from lawsuits alleging wrongdoing by those in management roles. This type of coverage is especially important for companies in high-risk industries like fossil fuel power generation that face significant regulatory and litigation risks. D&O insurance can also help protect a company’s directors and officers from liability related to cyber incidents, data breaches, environmental contamination and other modern risks inherent to the utility business.

Category List
Benefits
  • Protects directors and officers from personal liability in the event of a lawsuit
  • Reimburses legal defense costs if the company cannot
  • Covers costs and settlements if allegations prove founded
  • Attracts qualified directors and officers by mitigating risk
  • Helps retain talent by providing security
  • Covers wrongful termination, harassment, and discrimination claims against management
  • Insures against liability from regulatory non-compliance and permits
  • Indemnifies losses related to data privacy breaches and cyberattacks
  • Covers liability related to pollution incidents and environmental contamination
Use Cases
  • Protect directors and officers from liability in the event of lawsuits alleging wrongful acts
  • Cover legal fees and other costs associated with defending lawsuits
  • Reimburse losses in the event a suit is lost, such as damages and settlement amounts

Based on industry research and analysis, the estimated average annual premium for Directors And Officers Insurance for companies in the fossil fuel electric power generation industry (NAICS 221112) is around $250,000-$500,000. Pricing is dependent on factors like the company’s revenues, market capitalization, geographic footprint, ownership structure, and claims history. Companies with over $1 billion in annual revenues or that are publicly traded can expect to pay closer to the higher end of the range given increased litigation risks.

Estimated Pricing: $250,000-$500,000

Cyber Liability Insurance

Cyber liability insurance provides important coverage for companies in the fossil fuel electric power generation industry, as their reliance on technology and electronic systems leaves them vulnerable to cyber attacks. The insurance can help cover costs from incidents like data breaches, ransomware infections, and power disruptions caused by network security failures or compromised operational systems. Maintaining reliable electricity while protecting sensitive data, operational systems, and physical infrastructure requires comprehensive cyber liability insurance. After examining typical pricing factors like revenue, number of employees, industry, location, and risk profiles, the estimated average annual premium for cyber liability insurance would be around $150,000 for businesses in the fossil fuel electric power generation industry (NAICS 221112). This estimate was derived based on power companies typically having large revenue and employee counts, operations that involve critical infrastructure, and the risks associated with potential cyber attacks on utility systems.

Category List
Benefits
  • Coverage for data breach response costs such as legal services, customer notification, and credit monitoring.
  • Coverage for cyber extortion, including ransom payments to regain access after a ransomware attack.
  • Coverage for liability claims by customers, suppliers or other third parties alleging economic losses due to a cyber event.
  • Coverage for costs to restore or recover electronic data and computer systems to their pre-loss condition in the event of a cyber attack.
  • Coverage for breach of privacy and network security liability.
  • Coverage for loss of income or extra expenses due to the necessary suspension of business operations caused by a cyber attack.
  • Coverage for fraudulently induced wire transfers or the theft of funds from electronic bank accounts.
  • Coverage for liability arising from failing to prevent a third party cyber attack due to inadequate network security.
  • Coverage for costs of notifying regulators and restoring regulatory compliance after a data breach.
Use Cases
  • Data breaches involving customer or employee personal information
  • Network security failures leading to operational technology/systems compromise
  • Ransomware or malware infections disabling critical infrastructure
  • Failure to safeguard protected health information of employees
  • Unintentional disclosure of confidential corporate information
  • Damage to physical assets or disruption of power generation/distribution due to a cyber attack

After examining typical pricing factors like revenue, number of employees, industry, location, and risk profiles, the estimated average annual premium for cyber liability insurance would be around $150,000 for businesses in the fossil fuel electric power generation industry (NAICS 221112). This estimate was derived based on power companies typically having large revenue and employee counts, operations that involve critical infrastructure, and the risks associated with potential cyber attacks on utility systems.

Estimated Pricing: $150,000

Conclusion

By ensuring robust insurance coverage is in place for exposures like general liability, property damage, auto accidents, worker injuries, leadership decisions and cyber threats, fossil fuel power generation firms can focus on delivering reliable energy safely and compliantly. Comprehensive risk management through insurance safeguards assets, limits costs of unplanned events, and ultimately strengthens long-term viability in an evolving industry.

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