World Insurance

World insurance is a commercial liability policy with extended global coverage. World insurance provides coverage in the event the policyholder is sued anywhere in the world. In general, however, commercial liability policies have a geographic limit for coverage. It is common for companies with global operations or who have contracts with international partners/associates to purchase this type of world coverage.

World insurance requires the policyholder to pay an additional premium. In addition to property and workers compensation insurance, commercial liability insurance (also referred to as general liability insurance) is essential to businesses. This insurance protects the assets of a business in the event it is sued for alleged bodily injury or property damages. The insurer may also cover damages and legal expenses associated with covered claims involving actual or alleged: product liability, contractual liability, personal injury, advertising injury and other commercial risks as indicated in the policy.

It's important for organizations to understand the scope of their insurance needs for their international business operations. It's critical to protect corporate assets, and most insurance policies placed in the U.S. provide limited, if any, coverage for losses occurring abroad. There are numerous specialized world insurance policies available to companies for conducting international business that are designed to provide global protection. 

Depending on the extent of the foreign business being conducted, typical coverages to consider are as follows:

• Foreign commercial general liability coverage is similar to domestic liability coverage; but it's for foreign occurrences and includes protection for U.S. occurrences when a suit is brought outside the U.S. or Canada. This type of coverage becomes necessary if manufacturers and distributors that sell products outside of the U.S. are sued in foreign jurisdictions. A U.S.-based policy would only covers lawsuits that are filed in U.S. or Canada.
• Foreign business auto coverage protects against physical damage and liability coverage for hired and non-owned vehicles operated overseas. Coverage is typically needed for limits over and above the minimum or statutory limits that are required to be purchased from the rental company in the foreign country.
• Foreign voluntary workers’ compensation/employers liability coverage extends benefits for U.S. employees while traveling overseas or assigned to work outside the U.S. and Canada. Coverage can include medical assistance programs and repatriation expenses.

Many of these and other foreign liability coverages can be packaged and purchased together and added to as business needs change.