I have a detached garage that I run a small retail shop from.
Checking into insurance with my regular carrier, I've been informed that not only can they not insure my business, but that they can drop my homeowners and flag me for 'underwriting violation', making it difficult/expensive to be reinsured.

So, not only can I not insure my business (I was mainly interested in liability), but it seems if I want to keep my business, I can't insure my home either.

Just a word, if you have inventory and/or customers that visit your home based business (avon, tupperware, sewing, CPA, you name it), you might be without insurance of any kind should you ever need to file a claim.

Not sure what to do, I can't afford to move to a retail space (yet) as that would raise my monthly expenses by *at least* $750, and yet I don't want to be uninsured either and I have too much invested (over 20k) in this to just close up.

 

Call an independent ins. agent. They can often tailor a policy to fit your situation because they deal with several companies. An agent with one company is more limited.

 

I called around and was referred to a place that might be able to and was an independant. Their indication was, probably not, and that I might have to fence off the rest of the property to get it.

I've decided to just move, I managed to locate a place only a few miles from where I am now with a rent that I can probably manage (since it includes utilities). It's not stylish, but it's not a converted garage either...

 

Is that a Florida thing?

A detached garage means customers are not in your house
I'd try some more places, I have a few friends that entertain customers and store product in their homes and garages, and it has never been problem one
One runs a hair salon in her converted garage
It has a separate entrance from the main home so she was fine
Insurance was not an issue at all

Maybe ask for a recommendation from you local C of C for biz ins.

 

>Is that a Florida thing?

I don't know, but I doubt it.

>A detached garage means customers are not in your house

But they are still on the property, which was the main point. I too thought it being detached would mean something.

>I have a few friends that entertain customers

I think the difference is in 'entertaining' versus 'retailing'.
I was curious as well, what about all the Avon, Tupperware, CPA's and simular that have customers and products in their home.

> and store product in their homes and garages

I'd suggest they read their policy, mine *clearly* states that items used for business are NOT covered (which I knew).

>It has a separate entrance from the main home so she was fine
>Insurance was not an issue at all

Maybe you can get the name of her insurance?

 

Specifically, the best example I have to compare would be the hair salon
Most other friends that have customers in thier home/home office, I think it's not S.O.P. and probably not Ins.Co. approved

It is in an attached garage, a part of which has been finished off with a separate entrance
The driveway is large, almost like a small 6 car parking lot, and the garage still houses 2 cars
The customers and residents share the driveway
She provides a service ands sells retail products
Mine does not say that
I do store product but do not have it insured
I would not expect the home policy to cover it
My tools, however, are covered under a business policy
I certainly will ask her

 

I can't speak for homeowner and business ins, but I remember that Fla was not a state that auto insurers liked to do business in. That was a few decades ago though.