Alemay Business Insurance
Commercial insurance built around how your business actually operates
Your exposure is not the same as another company's. It comes from your work, your employees, your vehicles, your property and the contracts you sign.
Alemay Business reviews your operation, identifies the exposures worth evaluating, explains coverage in plain language, assists within applicable licensed authority and coordinates the properly licensed professional when the line, carrier, specialty or jurisdiction requires it.
English and Spanish, with a Miami office and virtual service when the product and jurisdiction allow.
At a glance
- Service
- Business exposure review, commercial coverage guidance and process coordination through properly licensed professionals.
- Who it is for
- Business owners with employees, vehicles, property, equipment, clients or contract insurance requirements.
- What we look at
- Operations, exposures, coverages, limits, deductibles, endorsements, contract requirements and business changes.
- Getting started
- Schedule a consultation or reach out on WhatsApp.
Alemay Business Insurance
What commercial insurance can help protect
A business carries risk in more than one direction at once: the people it serves, the property it uses, the employees who do the work, the vehicles on the road and the promises written into its contracts. Insurance does not remove that risk. What it can do, according to the policy purchased, is create a defined way to respond to certain covered events.
Liability exposure
Certain third-party claims connected to your operations, your premises and the services you provide.
Property and equipment
The building where applicable, business personal property, inventory, equipment and furniture.
People and operations
Employees, drivers, subcontracted work and the day-to-day activity that generates revenue.
Contractual obligations
Insurance requirements written into leases, client agreements and vendor contracts.
Situations that usually mean it is time for a review
None of these situations guarantees that a specific coverage applies or is available. They are simply the moments when reviewing your exposure tends to matter most.
A customer is injured at your location
Someone else's property is damaged
You use vehicles for work
You have employees
You lease a commercial space
You own commercial property
You carry inventory
You use equipment or tools
You provide professional services
You work at client sites
You sign contracts with third parties
A contract requires specific insurance
Someone asks you for a Certificate of Insurance
A client requires additional insured status
You transport goods or equipment
You handle sensitive information
Your operation depends on certain equipment
You have exposure to business interruptions
You are growing or changing how you operate
You opened another location
You brought on employees
You purchased vehicles
You changed the type of work you do
Commercial coverages, explained in general terms
These categories address different risks and are not interchangeable. What is available for your business depends on the product, the carrier, the state, the activity and underwriting. Everything below is general education, not a description of any specific policy you may be offered.
General Liability
A coverage that may respond to certain third-party claims connected to your operations, such as:
- Bodily injury
- Damage to someone else's property
- Certain situations arising from your operations
- Other exposures covered under the policy
Coverage depends on the terms, limits, exclusions, endorsements and the specific facts of the claim. It does not mean every lawsuit or accident is covered, and it does not address every business risk.
Commercial Property
May protect certain business assets, depending on the product purchased:
- The building, where applicable
- Business personal property and contents
- Inventory
- Equipment
- Furniture and fixtures
- Certain other business property
Covered perils, exclusions, limits, valuation method and deductibles vary by product. Exposures such as flood or windstorm should not be assumed to be automatically covered; depending on the policy and the location they may require separate or specialized treatment.
Business Owners Policy (BOP)
A BOP may combine certain commercial coverages in a single policy for businesses that meet the product's eligibility criteria, for example:
- Certain liability coverage
- Certain property coverage
- Certain additional coverages depending on the product
Not every business qualifies for a BOP, and a BOP is not universal: it does not automatically replace every coverage a business may need or include every risk.
Commercial Auto
May be relevant when vehicles are used for business operations. The evaluation can depend on:
- Who owns the vehicle
- How the vehicle is used
- The drivers
- The type of vehicle
- The territory and radius of use
- The business activity and classification
- Cargo, where applicable
- The limits requested
- Contract requirements
A personal auto policy should not be assumed to cover business use, and not every commercial vehicle needs exactly the same coverage.
Workers' Compensation
May provide certain benefits related to work injuries or illnesses under the applicable system, and may be required for certain employers depending on:
- The state and applicable law
- The industry and type of work
- The number and type of workers
- Payroll and business structure
- Ownership, officers and any exemptions that may apply
Whether your business is legally required to carry workers' compensation must be verified under the rules that apply to your situation. This is general information, not a legal conclusion, and the coverage does not mean every injury is automatically covered.
Professional Liability / Errors & Omissions (E&O)
May respond to certain claims arising from professional services, within the scope of the product:
- Errors
- Omissions
- Professional services rendered
- Certain alleged failures to perform
- Other situations within the policy's scope
General liability and professional liability address different exposures. One does not replace the other, and they are not interchangeable.
Cyber Liability
Certain businesses may evaluate protection against cyber events, which depending on the policy may include:
- Data breach
- Cybersecurity incidents
- Certain response expenses
- Certain liabilities
- Certain interruptions related to covered incidents
Whether events such as ransomware, payments, breach response or forensic services are covered depends on the policy and the specific facts; nothing is guaranteed. This section is informational and is not cybersecurity advice.
Commercial Umbrella / Excess Liability
May provide additional limits above certain underlying policies, according to its own terms.
- May extend the limit available over eligible underlying policies
- Subject to underlying policy requirements and to its own terms
- May be required by certain contracts
An umbrella does not simply cover everything. A higher limit does not automatically mean broader coverage, and an umbrella policy does not remove the exclusions of the underlying policies.
Inland Marine and movable property
Certain coverages, including inland marine forms, may be evaluated when:
- Tools leave your premises
- Equipment is transported
- Property is temporarily at different locations
- The business owns movable property
Not every inland marine form works the same way; the scope depends on the product purchased.
Business Income / Business Interruption and Extra Expense
Certain policies may include business income and extra expense coverage after specific covered events and under defined conditions:
- There must be a covered event
- Waiting periods may apply
- Limits and periods of indemnity apply
- Exclusions may apply
- Documentation of the loss is essential
No payment is promised: having to close temporarily does not by itself mean coverage exists.
EPLI — Employment Practices Liability
Certain employers may evaluate coverage related to specific employment claims, according to the product purchased.
- Certain claims related to employment practices
- Certain defense costs, depending on the policy
- Scope subject to terms, limits and exclusions
This section is informational and is not employment law advice. Coverage does not replace an employer's obligation to comply with applicable employment requirements.
Industries we review
Subject to availability, the product and authorized partners:
- Contractors
- Professional service firms
- Transportation
- Restaurants
- Retail
- Offices
- Property owners
- Other business activities
Certificates, additional insured and contract requirements
This is where a lot of confusion shows up. A certificate is not a policy, a name on a certificate is not coverage, and a contract requirement is not the same as a complete risk review.
What a Certificate of Insurance is
A Certificate of Insurance (COI) is a document that summarizes certain information about policies in force. A landlord, a client, a general contractor, a vendor, an agency or another contracting party may request one.
A COI is evidence of insurance only. By itself it does not amend, extend or alter the terms, limits, exclusions or coverage of a policy, and issuance timing depends on the carrier and the professional involved.
Additional insured is not just a name on a certificate
- The contract requirement has to be reviewed
- The policy has to be verified
- An endorsement may be required
- Any protection depends on that endorsement and the policy terms
Appearing on a COI does not by itself make anyone an additional insured. The same is true for waiver of subrogation and primary and noncontributory wording: they must actually be supported by the policy and its endorsements.
Endorsements can change the policy
An endorsement can add, remove, limit, broaden or otherwise modify certain policy terms. That is why the product name and the limit alone are not enough: the details of the form matter.
If a contract requires insurance, start by understanding what it asks for
Many businesses sign agreements without reviewing the insurance requirements. This comes up with landlords, clients, general contractors, subcontractor agreements, vendor agreements and commercial leases. A contract may ask for minimum limits, additional insured status, waiver of subrogation, primary and noncontributory wording, specific coverages or a Certificate of Insurance.
Alemay Business can help identify the insurance requirements and coordinate the corresponding coverage and documentation. Meeting a contract requirement is not the same as having adequate protection for your actual risk, and if a requirement calls for legal interpretation of the contract we coordinate that review with the appropriate legal professional.
What a carrier may look at
Underwriting, classification and rating belong to the insurance carrier. These are examples of information that may be considered, and they do not predict eligibility, premium or availability for your business.
The business activity and how the work is performed
Classification of the operation under carrier rules
Revenue, payroll and size, where applicable
Employees, owners and subcontractors used
Locations, the property and its characteristics
Vehicles, drivers and radius of use
Equipment and inventory
Years in operation and experience, where applicable
Claims and loss history
Contract requirements and requested limits
Existing coverage in place
Loss-control requirements or inspections the carrier may request
Premium audits, in plain language
Some commercial policies, particularly in lines such as workers' compensation and general liability, are issued using estimated figures and are later reviewed against actual data. That review is the premium audit. Whether it applies, what it requests and what it results in are determined by the carrier under the policy terms.
Alemay Business can help you coordinate the process and organize the documentation requested. We do not promise a specific audit result, a refund or a specific premium adjustment.
How it generally works
- Certain commercial policies are auditable, and are issued using estimates at the start of the term
- Lines such as workers' compensation and general liability may be subject to a premium audit
- The carrier may request information such as payroll, sales, classifications, locations, operations and subcontractor records
- Based on that information, the premium may be adjusted up or down under the policy terms
- Organized records make the process easier to document, but no audit result or premium outcome is promised
Who does what in the process
What Alemay Business does
- Reviews your business and how it actually operates
- Identifies relevant exposures and risks
- Explains the general options that may apply
- Coordinates the process with properly licensed professionals
- Helps organize documentation
- Coordinates follow-up and changes
What the properly licensed professional does
- Selects and explains insurance options
- Quotes and presents proposals
- Holds the applicable state license
- Acts as the authorized intermediary
That professional is responsible for regulatory compliance of the licensed functions they perform.
What the insurance carrier determines
- Underwriting and risk evaluation
- Rating, classification and premium
- Approval and eligibility
- Conditions, limits, deductibles and exclusions
- Issuance and effective date
- Policy terms and endorsements
- Inspections, loss-control requirements and premium audits
- Changes, renewal and nonrenewal
How Alemay Business helps
We understand your business
We review your activity, structure, operations, employees, vehicles, property and contracts.
We identify exposures
We look at which risks and which contractual or legal requirements should be evaluated for your situation.
We organize the information
We gather the details needed for quoting and for underwriting review where applicable.
Available options are reviewed
The properly licensed professional reviews the alternatives within their line of authority, the carriers they can work with and the jurisdiction involved.
Application and issuance
We coordinate the documentation and the application. The carrier determines underwriting, classification, premium, terms, limits and issuance.
Follow-up
We can help with certificates of insurance, renewals, business changes and new needs as they come up.
What the service can include, depending on the case
- Initial consultation
- Review of the business activity
- Exposure review
- General Liability
- Commercial Property
- Business Owners Policy (BOP)
- Commercial Auto
- Workers' Compensation
- Professional Liability / Errors & Omissions (E&O)
- Cyber Liability
- Commercial Umbrella / Excess Liability
- Inland Marine
- Employment Practices Liability (EPLI)
- Business Income / Business Interruption
- Other specialized lines, subject to availability
- Review of insurance requirements in contracts
- Certificate of Insurance (COI)
- Additional insured coordination
- Endorsements
- Limits
- Deductibles
- Application and documentation
- Renewal review
- Review of changes in the business
- Premium audit coordination
- Follow-up
Information that helps us review your case
Not everything on this list applies to every business. Bring what you have; we can work through the rest together, and the carrier or the licensed professional may request additional information.
- Legal business name
- DBA, if applicable
- Address and locations
- Entity type
- Business activity and operations
- Years in operation, where applicable
- Revenue and sales
- Payroll, where applicable
- Employees
- Owners and officers
- Vehicles
- Drivers
- Equipment
- Property and inventory
- Contracts and leases
- Existing policies and declarations pages
- Claims history, where applicable
- Certificate of Insurance requirements
- Limits required by a contract
- Any other information requested by the carrier or the licensed professional involved
When the business changes, the coverage review changes with it
A policy written around last year's operation may not match this year's. Certain changes should be reported according to the policy terms rather than left until renewal, and they may affect underwriting, classification or a premium audit.
Worth telling us about
- Revenue and sales
- Payroll, where applicable
- Employees
- Locations
- Vehicles
- Drivers
- Property
- Inventory
- Equipment
- Contracts and leases
- Operations
- New services offered
- Entity changes
- Subcontractors used
- New exposures
- Claims history, where applicable
What Alemay Business can and cannot control
What we do
- Review your business and how it operates
- Identify exposures
- Explain the general options that may apply
- Coordinate properly licensed professionals
- Review insurance requirements in contracts
- Help organize documentation
- Support the quoting and application process
- Help with certificates of insurance
- Coordinate additional insured requests where applicable
- Review renewals
- Coordinate changes
- Follow up
What we do not promise
- Approval or acceptance
- A specific premium
- The lowest price
- Savings or a discount
- A specific carrier
- A specific limit
- That every coverage is available
- That one policy covers every business risk
- That a COI changes coverage
- That a certificate alone creates additional insured status
- That a claim will be covered
- Payment of a claim
- An absence of exclusions
- An absence of premium audits
- A specific audit result
- Whether workers' compensation is required, without reviewing the applicable rules
- That we represent every carrier
- Availability in every state
- Immediate issuance or instant certificates
On claims, Alemay Business can help you find your policy information, identify the right carrier channel, organize the initial information and follow up administratively within our scope. The carrier and its authorized professionals investigate, evaluate and determine how a claim is handled under the policy. Alemay Business does not adjust claims and does not act as a public adjuster.
Why business owners review commercial coverage with us
Review before quoting
First we understand what your business does, what it owns, what it has committed to and where its real exposures are.
Built for business owners
We work with businesses across different industries and sizes, with real people behind each case.
Properly licensed professionals
Regulated functions are performed by the properly licensed professional for the product, line of authority and jurisdiction.
Partner network
When another line, specialty, carrier or jurisdiction is required, we bring in the appropriate professional partner.
Certificates and contract requirements
We help with certificates of insurance, additional insured requests and the coordination of insurance requirements when they come up.
Renewals and changes
We review coverage when the business changes: employees, vehicles, locations or new operations.
Coordinated with your back office
When it is relevant, we connect the review with Bookkeeping and Business Tax Preparation inside the Alemay ecosystem.
Bilingual service in Miami
English and Spanish. 9380 SW 72 ST, Suite 230B, Miami, FL 33173. We also work virtually when the product and jurisdiction allow.
Follow-up and Ale app
Your digital point of contact to schedule, find resources and stay in touch during the process.
Frequently Asked Questions about commercial insurance
Related services
Insurance
Back to the Insurance hub: life, health and ACA, Medicare, auto and home, commercial insurance and annuities.
View serviceBookkeeping
Organized records can make documentation easier when a policy is subject to a premium audit.
View serviceBusiness Tax Preparation
Your business return prepared with a clear review of the numbers behind your operation.
View serviceBusiness Credit
Some credit or financing requests may ask for evidence of insurance, depending on the case and the third party involved.
View serviceLet's review what your business is actually exposed to
Schedule a consultation with Alemay Business to go through your operation, your contracts and the policies you already have, and to understand the limits, deductibles, endorsements and exclusions behind them.
Alemay Business assists within applicable licensed authority and coordinates properly licensed professionals when another line, carrier, jurisdiction or specialty requires it, and is not an insurance carrier or an insurance company. Underwriting, classification, rating, eligibility, premium, terms, limits, deductibles, endorsements, availability, inspections, loss-control requirements, premium audits, issuance, effective dates, renewal and nonrenewal are determined by the insurance carrier under its rules and the applicable regulations. Nothing here guarantees approval, acceptance, a premium, savings, a discount, a specific carrier, a specific coverage, limit or deductible, coverage availability, an audit result, certificate issuance timing, renewal, or that any claim will be covered or paid. A Certificate of Insurance is evidence of insurance only and does not amend, extend or alter coverage; additional insured status, waiver of subrogation and primary and noncontributory wording depend on the policy and its endorsements. Whether workers' compensation or any other coverage is legally required depends on the applicable law and the facts of each business. Claim decisions are made by the carrier and its authorized professionals under the policy; Alemay Business does not adjust claims and does not act as a public adjuster. This page is informational and general in nature: the policy documents, terms, conditions, exclusions, limits, deductibles, classifications, schedules and endorsements control, and nothing here is individualized legal, tax, employment, contractual or claims advice.
Alemay Business · 9380 SW 72 ST, Suite 230B, Miami, FL 33173 · 305-300-2346 · business@alemaybusiness.com · Fax 305-402-0706