The Most Common Liability Claims for Clothing Boutiques

What You Need to Know to Protect Yourself, Your Staff and Your Clothing Boutique Business

The new winter line is here! Just in time for that falling snow outside. But with that snow comes customers with wet shoes that create puddles. Did you get those mopped up as soon as you saw them? Did you have a sign to warn customers of the potential danger? In the ever-changing retail industry, it is critical that you remain up to date on your top hazards and risks for your clothing boutique.

The Most Common Liability Claims

A liability claim occurs when a customer is harmed physically or otherwise due to the fault of the boutique. Did a customer fall and hit their head when they slipped on one of those puddles from earlier? According to NIOSH , retailers’ must begin to think about correlating their sales and the cost of an injury to other aspects of their business together.

• Slips, Trips and Falls – This is one of the most common injuries that occurs in a clothing boutique. While slips and falls can undoubtedly happen during training inclement weather, they can be just as common while people are simply walking around the store. Don’t forget to dry your feet on the rug!
• Falling Objects – Your new display of bags just arrived! Did you secure the display correctly? Unsecured displays or incorrectly installed fixtures can cause injuries. Watch out below!
• Employment Practices – If you have employees, this exposure is ever present. Should a current or former employee accuse you of wrongful termination, discrimination, or workplace harassment and retaliation, it can prove to be very costly.

Business Insurance is Your Friend

If the scenarios we mentioned above made you more than a little concerned about all your potential risks, don’t fret. Everything we listed above was simply meant to outline the most common claims we see in the retail industry so that you can do your best to prepare yourself for them.  

To learn more about the risks of operating a small business, check out “The Gild Guide: Most Common Small Business Insurance Questions”
 
Remember, if you need help preparing yourself, your friends at Gild Insurance are never more than a click away. We combine the latest technology with experience to provide business insurance options that fit your business. We help clothing boutique owners like you find the business insurance coverages they need!