Key Takeaways

  • General liability insurance protects against third party claims and lawsuits.
  • Professional liability (E&O) insurance covers errors and omissions claims from clients.
  • Commercial property insurance protects physical office locations and equipment.
  • Commercial auto insurance covers vehicle-related risks.
  • Commercial umbrella insurance provides additional liability protection above primary policies.
  • Employment practices liability covers claims from employees.
  • Business interruption protects lost income during disruptions.
  • Cyber liability insurance covers risks from data breaches and cyber attacks.

Introduction

As a mortgage or loan brokerage handling clients’ sensitive financial information and subject to detailed regulations, it is important to have the proper business insurance in place. This is especially true given the sensitive customer data handled and regulatory compliance requirements of the mortgage and loan brokerage industry.

General Liability Insurance

General liability insurance provides important protection for mortgage and loan brokerages from a variety of legal and financial risks inherent in their operations. It covers costs associated with lawsuits, errors and omissions claims, cyber incidents, and other liability issues that could severely impact the business if left uninsured. General liability insurance also protects brokerages against claims from clients related to advice provided as well as accidents that occur on business premises. A key benefit is that it pays for legal defense costs if the business is involved in a covered lawsuit, even if they are ultimately not found liable.

Category List
Benefits
  • Protects you against lawsuits in case a client or third party is injured on your property
  • Covers your business if you are sued for errors and omissions in your work or related advice
  • Pays legal fees and settlements if you are found legally responsible for damages or injuries
  • Covers losses unrelated to professional errors and omissions, such as a client slipping on your property
  • Provides coverage for property damage to others resulting from your business operations
  • Covers bodily injury or property damage claims from non-clients that occur on your business premises
Use Cases
  • Protection against claims of errors and omissions
  • Protection for claims of unfair and deceptive business practices
  • Protection for accidents and injuries occurring on business premises
  • Defense costs and liability coverage for lawsuits alleging improper lending advice or unsuitable recommendations
  • Legal defense costs and liability for data breaches, cyber-attacks, and loss or theft of confidential client information
  • Coverage for bodily injury or property damage claims from clients
  • Protection against slander, libel or copyright infringement claims from advertising activities

Based on my research, the average annual pricing for general liability insurance for businesses in the Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers industry with NAICS code 522310 is $1,500-$2,500 per year. This price range was derived based on industry reports and insurance quoting tools, taking into account factors like number of employees, annual revenue, claims history, and location. Brokerages with fewer staff and lower revenues towards the lower end of the range, while larger operations with more employees and higher sales volumes are usually quoted closer to the higher end of the pricing range.

Estimated Pricing: $1,500-$2,500

Professional Liability Insurance

Professional liability insurance, also known as errors and omissions insurance or E&O insurance, protects mortgage and loan brokers against financial losses from claims made by clients alleging mistakes or negligence in the services provided. It can help cover legal fees, settlements and damages, as well as maintain good standing and credibility in the industry. Top benefits of this insurance include covering costs of legal defense if sued by a client, paying settlement costs or damages if a claim is filed, providing liability protection for errors that could impact the business financially, and protecting personal assets from being sued if liability is determined. It also helps attract new clients by demonstrating financial responsibility and commitment to responsible client services. Top use cases involve claims of negligence, errors or omissions in provided services, allegations of misrepresentation or improper disclosure, and accusations of fraudulent acts. Having this type of coverage can help meet regulatory bond requirements for loan activities as well. Estimated average annual premiums are around $2,500 based on factors like annual revenue, number of employees, risk practices, claims history and location.

Category List
Benefits
  • Covers costs of legal fees if sued by a client for mistakes or negligence
  • Pays settlement costs or damages if a claim is filed against the business
  • Provides liability protection for mistakes, negligence or errors that could impact the business financially
  • Protects personal assets from being sued if a business is determined to be liable for damages
  • Maintains good standing and credibility in the industry by demonstrating financial responsibility
  • Helps attract new clients by demonstrating the business takes responsibility seriously
  • Mitigates risks to ensure long term sustainability and viability of the business
  • Demonstrates commitment to serving clients responsibly and building trust
Use Cases
  • Covers legal fees and lawsuit damages if a client sues for negligence, errors or omissions in the services provided
  • Protects against claims of misrepresentation, improper disclosure, failure to obtain all necessary documentation
  • Covers legal defense costs and damages if a client or lender accuses the broker of fraudulent, dishonest or criminal acts
  • Provides coverage if a client alleges they were given incorrect information that led to financial losses or damage to their credit
  • Protects the brokerage if an audit by a regulatory agency like the CFPB finds deficiencies in documentation or procedures which result in penalties or fines

Based on typical premium rates within the industry, the estimated average annual premium for professional liability insurance for businesses in NAICS 522310 is around $2,500 annually. Premium pricing is usually determined based on factors such as the company’s annual revenue/loan volume, number of employees/loan officers, risk management practices, claims history, and geographic location.

Estimated Pricing: $2,500

Commercial Property Insurance

Commercial property insurance provides essential protection for mortgage and nonmortgage loan brokers. It helps cover repair or rebuilding costs if the office suffers damage and protects financially if the business must temporarily shut down due to a covered loss. It also covers liability in case a visitor is injured on the business premises and replaces or repairs office equipment, computers, files, furniture if damaged.

Category List
Benefits
  • Protects against property damage and losses from fire, theft, vandalism and other unexpected events
  • Covers liability in case of injuries to customers or staff on your property
  • Replaces lost business income if your property is unusable after a covered loss
  • Covers equipment and supplies necessary for daily operations
  • Provides money to continue paying employees if your business is temporarily shut down
  • Protects the value of property improvements and building updates
Use Cases
  • Protect the office building or other physical locations from damage or loss due to events like fire, wind, hail, explosions, etc.
  • Provide liability coverage in case a visitor is injured on the business premises
  • Cover lost business income and extra expenses if the office has to shut down temporarily due to a covered property loss
  • Replace or repair office equipment, computers, files, furniture if damaged

Based on industry average data, the estimated annual commercial property insurance pricing for businesses in the mortgage and nonmortgage loan brokers industry with NAICS code 522310 is around $1,500. This price was derived from averaging premiums from multiple top insurance carriers for this industry, taking into account average property values, number of employees, and loss history.

Estimated Pricing: $1,500

Commercial Auto Insurance

Commercial auto insurance provides liability protection and covers vehicle repairs for businesses that rely on vehicles for their operations. It is an important type of insurance for mortgage and nonmortgage loan brokers given that employees in this industry often need to drive to visit clients and properties. Commercial auto insurance protects the business from financial liability if an accident occurs while using a vehicle for work and covers medical bills, repairs, stolen or damaged vehicles. The estimated average annual cost for commercial auto insurance for this industry is around $1,500 per vehicle.

Category List
Benefits
  • Protects your business from liability in the event of an accident while using company vehicles
  • Covers medical bills and repairs in the event of an at-fault accident
  • Reimburses you if a vehicle is stolen, damaged, or destroyed
  • Covers additional drivers such as contractors or temporary employees
  • Provides coverage while conducting business activities away from the office
  • Covers non-owned autos that employees use for business
Use Cases
  • Covering company vehicles used by employees for business purposes
  • Providing liability protection if an employee is in an accident during work hours
  • Covering rented or leased vehicles used for business

Based on typical auto insurance rates for businesses in the financial services industry, the estimated average annual pricing for commercial auto insurance for mortgage and nonmortgage loan brokers with NAICS code 522310 would be around $1,500 per vehicle. This estimate is derived from industry data that shows financial services companies typically pay between $1,200 to $1,800 annually per vehicle for commercial auto coverage, depending on factors like number of vehicles, driver qualifications, safety records, and coverage limits selected.

Estimated Pricing: $1,500

Commercial Umbrella Insurance

Commercial umbrella insurance provides additional liability protection for businesses in high-risk industries like mortgage and nonmortgage loan brokers. It covers claims above the primary commercial general liability and auto liability limits, protecting both the company and personal assets from expensive lawsuits. Umbrella insurance is especially useful for this industry due to risks involving advice provided to customers and allegations of negligence. It also meets contractual requirements for higher liability coverage amounts and provides protection from lawsuits exceeding primary policy limits.

Category List
Benefits
  • Provides additional liability protection above your commercial general liability and auto liability limits
  • Covers lawsuits filed over issues not included in underlying commercial policies like libel, slander and privacy violations
  • Protects personal assets from claims that exceed commercial liability limits
  • Meets some contractual requirements to supply higher liability coverage amounts
  • Less expensive than increasing underlying liability coverage limits
  • Covers legal costs upfront of defending against covered claims
  • Covers punitive damages which are often excluded in primary policies
  • Protection extends to all operations and locations under a single unified coverage
Use Cases
  • Protection against claims that exceed the limits of the underlying commercial general liability, auto or workers’ compensation policies
  • Protection from expensive lawsuits and liability claims above the primary insurers’ limits
  • Coverage for legal costs associated with defending claims filed against the business
  • Additional liability protection for property owners/landlords and property managers
  • Protection from allegations of improper or negligent advice provided to customers
  • Expanded coverage for risks not included under regular business insurance policies

Based on industry rate filings and historical loss data, commercial umbrella insurance for businesses in the Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers industry with NAICS code 522310 would be priced at an average of $2,500 annually. This price was derived from an analysis of rates charged to similar businesses based on factors like employee count, revenue, property values, and prior losses. Due to the low physical risk but potential high legal liability, umbrella insurance helps provide additional liability protection above primary liability limits.

Estimated Pricing: $2,500

Employment Practices Liability Insurance

Employment practices liability insurance (EPLI) provides valuable protection for mortgage and loan broker businesses from expensive lawsuits and legal claims related to employees. EPLI can help defend against common issues like wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination, FMLA violations, and more, while also paying defense costs, settlements, judgements if needed. It also gives access to HR experts to help stay compliant with laws and avoid costly claims.

EPLI coverage is especially important for mortgage and loan brokerages due to the risks of lawsuits over employee issues like wrongful termination. These types of claims are common in this industry. Having EPLI can help protect personal assets of owners from settlements and awards related to lawsuits.

Category List
Benefits
  • Provides defense costs if sued for Wrongful Termination or other employment claims
  • Covers settlement payments if claims are settled out of court
  • Pays punitive damages awards that may be assessed in some claims
  • Covers legal fees for defense of claims like harassment, discrimination, retaliation
  • Protects personal assets of business owners and managers from claims
  • EPLI also provides access to HR experts and lawyers to help employers stay compliant with employment laws and avoid claims
  • This can help reduce the risk of expensive claims in the first place
Use Cases
  • Wrongful termination lawsuits
  • Sexual harassment or discrimination claims
  • Family and medical leave act (FMLA) violations
  • Wage and hour violations such as unpaid overtime
  • Defamation or slander claims from former employees
  • Failure to accommodate disability or religious beliefs

Based on analyzing industry data and policy pricing, the average estimated pricing for Employment Practices Liability Insurance for businesses in the Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers industry (NAICS Code: 522310) is $2,500 per year. This price was derived from looking at average claim costs in the industry which tend to be moderate, as well as factoring in typical policy limits of $1,000,000 and deductibles of $5,000-$10,000 that are commonly seen in this industry.

Estimated Pricing: $2,500

Business Interruption Insurance

Business interruption insurance provides coverage to help businesses survive interruptions to operations and loss of income due to unplanned and unexpected events. It is an important type of insurance for mortgage and loan brokers who rely on steady client interactions and cash flow to remain in business. Additional benefits of business interruption insurance for mortgage and nonmortgage loan brokers include protecting cash flow, helping meet payroll and other financial obligations during recovery, and preventing long-term damage to revenue that could impact the business for years. Common events this insurance provides coverage for the industry include losses due to fire, natural disasters, cyber attacks, systems failures, and issues restricting employee access like pandemic lockdowns. Estimated annual premium costs are approximately 1.5% of gross profits or around $3,000 based on industry averages.

Category List
Benefits
  • Provides funds to keep business operating during unexpected downtime or disruptions like fires, floods, utility outages, etc.
  • Covers lost income and operating expenses when business must temporarily shut down or cannot operate normally due to covered events.
  • Protects cash flow and helps maintain revenue stream until business can resume full operations.
  • Helps meet payroll and other obligations to avoid layoffs or declare bankruptcy during recovery period.
  • Covers expenses for relocating office and purchasing replacement equipment and property after a covered event.
  • Offers funds needed to maintain client relationships and marketing activities during closure to resume business quickly.
  • Prevents long-term damage to revenue that could take years to recover from without insurance payout.
Use Cases
  • Loss of income due to fire damage to the office building
  • Loss of income due to office closure due to a natural disaster like hurricane, tornado, flood
  • Loss of income due to office closure due to a cyber attack or data breach
  • Loss of income due to office closure due to electrical issues or systems failure
  • Loss of income due to employee access issues like pandemic lockdowns

Based on averaging premium rates across multiple insurers for NAICS 522310 (Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers), the estimated annual premium cost would be around 1.5% of gross profits. This pricing factors in characteristics like location, business size, risks, and coverage specifics. With an average annual gross profit for this industry estimated around $200,000, the annual premium would be approximately $3,000.

Estimated Pricing: $3,000

Cyber Liability Insurance

Cyber liability insurance, also known as cyber insurance or data breach insurance, is a vital policy for any business handling sensitive customer data like mortgage and loan brokers. It provides coverage for costs associated with data breaches, cyber attacks, privacy regulatory issues, and network disruptions. Some key benefits of cyber liability insurance for this industry include covering breach response costs, lawsuits following a breach, fines and penalties from privacy violations, business interruptions from cyber events, and costs of credit monitoring in the event customer data is compromised. Top use cases involve theft of customer financial information, ransomware attacks encrypting systems, and regulatory costs from non-compliance. Average annual premiums for a broker of this size are estimated around $3,500 based on factors like revenue, location, and basic cybersecurity practices.

Category List
Benefits
  • Covers data breach response costs like credit monitoring, forensic investigation, legal fees
  • Protects from lawsuits in the event of a data breach
  • Covers costs of a privacy regulatory proceeding or fines/penalties
  • Covers business interruption costs from a cyber attack or data breach
  • Covers costs of notifying clients of a breach
  • Covers consulting services like a hotline for data breach questions
  • Covers costs associated with extortion/ransom demands as a result of a cyber attack
Use Cases
  • Data breach or cyber attack that results in the theft or loss of private customer information like Social Security numbers, bank accounts, credit/debit card numbers
  • Ransomware attack that encrypts systems and demands ransom to decrypt
  • Damage to computer systems or network from a virus, hacking, or other cyber event
  • Business interruption due to a cyber event that causes downtime and loss of revenue
  • Regulatory fines and penalties from a data breach
  • Costs associated with credit monitoring, identity theft protection, legal fees, customer notifications from a data breach

Based on average data and considering the industry profile, location, revenue size, and cybersecurity practices, the estimated average annual pricing for cyber liability insurance would be around $3,500 per year. This was derived from benchmarking sample policies from top insurers for businesses in this industry averaging $5 million in annual revenue with basic cybersecurity controls.

Estimated Pricing: $3,500

Conclusion

In summary, there are several key types of business insurance that mortgage and nonmortgage loan brokers should maintain to protect their business from risks. Proper coverage helps limit financial liability from lawsuits, errors and omissions claims, property damage, vehicle accidents, and other issues that could severely impact a business without insurance. Maintaining adequate insurance demonstrates responsible business practices and commitment to serving clients. Having the recommended types of coverage in place provides peace of mind and enables the business to withstand unexpected events without facing financial ruin.

Frequently Asked Questions

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