Today, NEXT Insurance, a leading digital small business insurer, announced it is expanding its insurance offerings for small businesses with the launch of commercial umbrella/excess liability in 41 states, and the expansion of liquor liability coverage in 7 additional states. Commercial umbrella/excess liability insurance includes the same coverage, conditions, and exclusions as its underlying general liability policy, and provides coverage when that policy's per-occurrence or aggregate limits are exhausted. This expansion will be launched on a direct and agents channel, furthering NEXT's commitment to customers while providing the best possible experience for agents.
NEXT's umbrella/excess liability coverage will sit over customers' general liability policies and provide higher limits for coverage offered in that policy, ensuring small businesses can get the protection they need from a potentially catastrophic loss due to a lawsuit. Customers will be able to add this optional coverage to a general liability policy post-purchase to easily modify their insurance needs as their business needs continue to grow. Often, umbrella/excess liability coverage is required due to a contractual obligation, like a new construction client requiring higher limits on general liability to take on a project, or moving operations to a new building and a landlord requires an umbrella/excess liability policy. With this expansion, instead of needing to call to make policy changes, customers can now self-serve, adding umbrella/excess liability coverage to their policy in the Customer Portal, providing them the tools to tailor their coverage to satisfy new insurance requirements instantly.
NEXT is also furthering its commitment to restaurant small business owners with the expansion of liquor liability coverage to 7 additional states including Illinois, Michigan, Massachusetts, Missouri, Minnesota, Utah, and Iowa. Liquor liability is a crucial protection for small businesses that manufacture, sell, or serve alcoholic beverages. Available as a part of NEXT's general liability coverage, NEXT's liquor liability covers losses resulting from the intoxication of customers and is designed for small businesses such as cafés, diners, pop-up restaurants, and fine dining.
On the launch of umbrella/excess liability coverage, Jack Ramsey, NEXT Insurance Vice President of Agent Business, shares:
"We're launching umbrella/excess liability coverage to help entrepreneurs thrive. As businesses grow, their liability insurance needs change, and as a carrier, we want to make sure we're able to continue to support our customers' growth. We're confident that this highly-requested umbrella/excess liability offering will address the demand we've seen from both customers and agents who require this coverage for contractual obligations, and we are excited to be able to offer this expansion ourselves with the aim of being a one-stop-shop for our small business customers."
This news follows NEXT's integration with Ivans Download™ for General Liability and Workers' Compensation policies, and the recent strategic hire of Jack Ramsey as the company's Vice President of Agent Business. NEXT is doubling down on its commitment to the needs of agents and customers alike by quickly iterating and reacting to feedback, providing an unparalleled digital experience to help them thrive and expand their business.
About NEXT Insurance
NEXT Insurance is transforming small business insurance with simple, digital and affordable coverage tailored to the self-employed. Trusted by over 480,000 business owners, NEXT offers policies that are easy to buy and provides 24/7 access to Live Certificates of Insurance, additional insured, and more, with no extra fees. Revolutionizing a historically complicated insurance industry, NEXT utilizes AI and machine learning to simplify the purchasing process and provide more affordable coverage. Founded in 2016, the company is headquartered in Palo Alto, has received a total of $881 million in venture capital funding, is rated "A- Excellent" by AM Best and has been recognized by CNBC Disruptor 50, Forbes Fintech 50, Inc.'s Best-Led Companies, and Forbes Best StartUp Employers. For more information, visit NEXTInsurance.com.