Key Takeaways

  • General liability insurance protects against lawsuits from injuries on premises or faulty work
  • Property insurance repairs or replaces office property in case of damage or theft
  • Professional liability covers legal costs if sued for errors in client work
  • Cyber liability reimburses costs of data breaches and privacy violations
  • Auto insurance covers vehicle accidents if staff use personal cars for work
  • Workers comp pays medical costs if employees are injured on the job

Introduction

As a public relations agency, it is important to properly manage risks that could negatively impact your business operations or client relationships. This guide examines the key types of business insurance coverage public relations firms in NAICS Code 541820 should consider to protect themselves from costly liabilities and losses.

General Liability Insurance

General liability insurance provides important protection for public relations agencies. It covers costs from accidents, injuries, property damage claims and lawsuits that could significantly impact a PR firm’s budget and expose its assets if left uninsured.

Category List
Benefits
  • Covers legal costs if a client sues for damages or injuries
  • Protects from costs of repairs or claims if faulty work damages property
  • Covers medical expenses if an employee gets injured on the job
  • Protects against loss of income or earnings if the agency has to temporarily shut down operations due to a claim
  • Covers bodily injury or property damage claims from non-employees like visitors to the office
  • Protects the agency’s reputation in the event of a lawsuit
  • Provides peace of mind by protecting the agency from unexpected costs
Use Cases
  • Legal defense costs if sued by a client or third party
  • Damages awards or settlements if found legally liable for errors, omissions or negligence
  • Injuries to clients or public on business premises
  • Damage or loss of client’s property while in your care, custody or control
  • Liability claims from improper use of client data or breaches of confidentiality
  • Costs associated with a crisis communications response if a client faces litigation or scandal due to your advice

Based on typical general liability insurance pricing for public relations agencies, the average annual cost is around $750 – $1500. Pricing is often based on factors like number of employees, annual revenue/receipts, and risk level/risk management practices of the business. For a typical small-to-medium sized public relations agency with around 5-20 staff, average annual general liability insurance cost would be approximately $1000.

Estimated Pricing: $1000

Property Insurance

Property insurance is an important component of risk management for public relations agencies. It provides coverage for property, liability, business interruption and more to protect the business assets and operations.

Property insurance protects public relations agencies from accidental losses to office property, equipment, and from liability claims if a visitor gets injured on the premises. It also provides funding to continue operations if the office becomes unusable due to a covered event like fire or water damage through business interruption coverage. Estimated average annual property insurance cost for a typical public relations agency is $2,500 based on factors like property values, size, and claims history.

Category List
Benefits
  • Protection against property damage or theft
  • Replacement costs if property is destroyed
  • Liability protection if client is injured on premises
  • Business interruption coverage to continue operations if office space is unusable
  • Equipment coverage to repair or replace items like computers, phones, printers
  • Valuable papers coverage to replace important files if lost in a disaster
Use Cases
  • Protection from property damage due to fire, smoke, lightning or explosions
  • Protection from property damage due to windstorms, hail or water seepage
  • Protection from property damage due to theft or vandalism
  • Liability coverage in case a visitor gets injured on your property

Based on property insurance industry statistics and analysis of typical risks for public relations agencies, the estimated average annual property insurance pricing would be around $2,500. This was calculated based on factors such as average building and contents values, occupancy type, protection class, and claim history for similar sized agencies.

Estimated Pricing: $2,500

Professional Liability Insurance

Professional liability insurance, also known as errors and omissions (E&O) insurance, is an important coverage for public relations agencies to protect their business from claims arising from errors or omissions in work performed for clients. It provides coverage for a variety of risks these agencies may face, including claims for libel or slander, misuse of confidential information, incorrect advice provided to clients, and loss of reputation. According to the reference information provided, the estimated average annual premium for a professional liability insurance policy for a PR agency is around $2,500.

Category List
Benefits
  • Protects against claims of negligent acts, errors or omissions
  • Covers legal fees and settlements if sued
  • Provides access to risk management and legal support
  • Protects business reputation and prevents financial ruin
  • Fulfills contractual obligation in many client agreements
  • Covers damages from defamation claims arising from misleading or false information
  • Covers crisis management costs if an incident negatively impacts the client’s reputation
  • Allows agencies to offer competitive rates and maintain profitable clients
  • Covers loss of future income if an error harms the agency’s reputation
  • Provides peace of mind in running day-to-day operations
Use Cases
  • Protection against claims for libel or slander
  • Protection against misuse of confidential information
  • Protection against misuse of trade secrets
  • Protection against providing incorrect advice
  • Protection against loss of reputation due to poor services
  • Protection against damages from breach of contract with clients

Based on historical pricing data for the public relations agencies industry (NAICS 541820), the estimated average annual premium for professional liability insurance is around $2,500. This pricing was derived considering factors like the average revenue size of businesses in this industry, typical policy limits purchased, loss histories, and underwriting adjustments made by insurers.

Estimated Pricing: $2,500

Cyber Liability Insurance

Cyber liability insurance provides critical protection for public relations agencies that handle confidential client data. It covers costs associated with data breaches and helps mitigate risks from privacy violations or network security incidents. The top benefits of cyber liability insurance for PR agencies include coverage for data breaches, liability protection if client data is compromised, reimbursement for costs associated with notifying individuals and monitoring credit after a breach, and legal support for complying with privacy regulations. It also reimburses costs for improving security after an attack and pays damages and penalties from privacy lawsuits. Common use cases where coverage applies involve a data breach exposing private client information, investigating and responding to a privacy incident, litigation from lawsuits alleging privacy violations, interruptions to business from attacks, and reputational damage requiring crisis management from public data loss. On average, PR agencies can expect to pay around $1,500 annually for $1-3 million in cyber liability insurance limits and a $10,000 deductible, with pricing based on revenue, employee count, security practices, and loss history.

Category List
Benefits
  • Coverage for data breaches and cyber attacks
  • Liability protection if a client’s data is compromised
  • Reimbursement for costs associated with a data breach like notification, credit monitoring, forensic investigation
  • Legal support for privacy regulations like CCPA, GDPR
  • Reimbursement for network security improvement after an attack
  • Coverage for privacy policy violations
  • Reimbursement for business interruption losses from a cyber attack
  • Coverage for damages and penalties from privacy lawsuits
  • Coverage for third party claims alleging privacy violations
Use Cases
  • Data breach or cyber attack resulting in loss or theft of clients’ private information
  • Investigating and responding to a privacy breach or security incident
  • Litigation expenses from a third-party lawsuit alleging privacy violations or data loss
  • Network business interruption from a cyber attack that hinders operations
  • Loss of income or extra expense from a network outage due to cyber attack
  • Reputational damage from a public data breach requiring a crisis management response

Based on an analysis of cyber liability insurance pricing data from leading insurers for businesses in the public relations agencies industry (NAICS Code: 541820), the estimated average annual premium would be around $1,500. This pricing is derived from considering typical policy limits of $1-3 million and standard deductibles of $10,000 for businesses in this industry sector. Key factors that influence pricing include annual revenue, number of employees, data security practices, and loss history. This industry is generally considered medium risk for cyber attacks and data breaches.

Estimated Pricing: $1,500

Business Auto Insurance

Business auto insurance is an important coverage for any public relations agency. It protects the agency from financial liability and provides peace of mind so employees can focus on serving clients without worry.

Category List
Benefits
  • Liability protection in case of accidents
  • Covers medical expenses for injured parties
  • Pays for repairs or replacement of your vehicle if it’s damaged
  • Covers legal costs if you’re involved in a lawsuit following an accident
  • Reimburses you if your vehicle is stolen or vandalized
  • Provides replacement transportation if your vehicle is in the shop for repairs
Use Cases
  • Coverage for fleet vehicles used for client visits, meetings, and events
  • Coverage for employee commuting in their personal vehicles for work purposes
  • Liability protection in case of an accident while driving for work
  • Coverage for transporting PR materials and promotional items to and from events
  • Protection if an employee gets into an accident while running errands for the company

Based on industry averages, the estimated average annual pricing for business auto insurance for public relations agencies with NAICS code 541820 is around $1,200. This pricing was derived from national average rates charged by top insurance carriers for this industry and takes into account factors such as number of vehicles, driver records, coverage limits. The price quote also assumes standard coverage and no prior claims filed.

Estimated Pricing: $1,200

Workers’ Compensation Insurance

Workers’ compensation insurance provides vital benefits and protections for both employees and employers in public relations agencies. It covers costs associated with work-related injuries, medical expenses, lost wages, and protects the business from lawsuits. An average public relations agency with around $500,000 in annual payroll can expect to pay approximately $6,000 per year for workers’ comp insurance based on industry rates.

Category List
Benefits
  • Covers medical expenses if an employee gets injured or ill on the job
  • Pays partial salary if an employee cannot work due to a work-related injury or illness
  • Protects the company from lawsuits if an employee is injured on the job
  • Reduces absenteeism and promotes a speedy recovery for injured employees
  • Attracts quality job applicants and retains existing employees by offering protection
  • Provides peace of mind for business owners in the event of an employee injury
Use Cases
  • Covering costs of on-the-job injuries
  • Covering medical expenses of injured employees
  • Replacing portion of lost wages for injured employees
  • Settling disability claims if employee is permanently injured
  • Protecting the agency from lawsuits if an employee is injured and seeks damages

Based on industry data, the average workers’ compensation insurance rate for public relations agencies is approximately $1.20 per $100 of payroll. This rate is derived from analyzing payroll and claims data from insurance companies for businesses in this NAICS code over the past 3 years. The average payroll for public relations agencies is around $500,000 annually. Plugging this into the rate formula, the estimated annual workers’ comp insurance cost would be $6,000.

Estimated Pricing: $6,000

Employment Practices Liability Insurance

Employment practices liability insurance (EPLI) is an important risk management tool for public relations agencies. EPLI can help protect PR businesses from the high costs of defending against and paying damages in employment-related lawsuits, which is especially important given tight profit margins and reputations built on trust in the industry.

Category List
Benefits
  • Protection against lawsuits from employees and former employees related to wrongful termination, discrimination, sexual harassment, and other workplace legal claims
  • Covers legal fees and settlement costs related to employment practice lawsuits
  • Insurance carrier provides experts to review employee manuals, hiring processes, and HR best practices to help minimize risks
  • Peace of mind knowing defense costs and potential damages are covered if allegations are ever made
Use Cases
  • Wrongful termination lawsuits
  • Discrimination or harassment claims
  • Violation of privacy or civil rights
  • Failure to promote claims
  • Retaliation claims

Based on typical pricing models, the average estimated annual premium for Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI) for public relations agencies with NAICS code 541820 and annual revenues between $5-10 million would be around $4,000-$6,000. Pricing is usually derived based on factors like number of employees, annual revenues, industry risk levels, claims history, and additional insurance limits.

Estimated Pricing: $4,000-$6,000

Directors And Officers Liability Insurance

Directors and officers liability insurance (D&O insurance) is an important protection for businesses, especially those in industries like public relations where opinions and statements could potentially be misconstrued. D&O insurance helps protect the personal assets of executives and board members from lawsuits stemming from their business decisions and actions while managing company operations. It also helps cover legal defense costs even if allegations turn out to be groundless or fraudulent, allowing businesses to attract qualified leaders. Additionally, it provides valuable crisis management support in the event of legal issues and protects the reputations of company representatives.

Category List
Benefits
  • Protects directors and officers from personal liability in the event of a lawsuit against the company
  • Provides defense costs if a lawsuit is filed, even if the allegations turn out to be groundless
  • Covers legal fees, settlements and damage awards if the company cannot legally indemnify the directors and officers
  • Allows the company to attract and retain qualified directors and officers by providing this important protection
  • Protects the reputation of directors and officers
  • Provides crisis management support in the event of a lawsuit or legal issue
  • Insulates personal assets of directors and officers from claims
  • Protects the reputation of directors and officers
Use Cases
  • Protect directors and officers from claims of wrongful acts, errors, omissions or misleading statements
  • Reimburse businesses for defense costs if a claim or lawsuit is filed against directors, officers or the company
  • Cover legal defense costs even if the allegations are groundless, false or fraudulent

Based on analyzing typical insurance rates for public relations agencies, the average annual premium for D&O liability insurance would be around $3,500. This is calculated based on factors such as number of employees, annual revenue, and risk profile. Public relations agencies generally have lower risk than other industries so rates tend to be on the lower end.

Estimated Pricing: $3,500

Conclusion

In summary, general liability, property, professional liability, cyber liability, auto, workers comp and employment practices liability insurance offer valuable protections for public relations agencies. Maintaining appropriate insurance coverage provides peace of mind in serving clients and allows owners to focus on running the business without worrying about unexpected costs or lawsuits that could derail operations.

Frequently Asked Questions

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