What Insurance a B2B SaaS Company Actually Needs

Secure the essential insurance policies (E&O/professional liability and D&O) that protect your company, directors, and investors from catastrophic financial risk.

Maintained in the open at github.com/Golden-Section-Tx/playbook · CC BY-SA 4.0

PlayersFounder, COO
Initial Effort5 SP
Ongoing2 SP
FrequencyAnnual
StagePre-Revenue

There are two types of insurance products that Golden Section, in particular, recommends purchasing in order to protect your investment and company. The first is Errors and Omissions (E&O) Insurance. An E&O policy protects your company, employees and other professionals against claims of inadequate work or negligent actions. E&O Insurance is professional liability insurance for tech companies. There are many types of professional mistakes that could potentially cost your customers time and money; you want to protect yourself from such claims.

Your company should also have Directors & Officers (D&O) Insurance. A D&O policy protects the personal assets of your directors and officers, and their spouses, if they are personally sued by employees, vendors, competitors, customers, investors, etc for wrongful acts in managing the company. Most directors won't agree to join your Board of Directors without a D&O policy in place.

Having such insurance policies in place to protect your company and personal assets is wise. Additionally, when you look to raise your first round of funding, any potential investor will want to see these policies in place to protect their investments as well.

The goal: Purchase the right kind of insurance products to protect the investment.

How can Golden Section Assist? Golden Section's venture partner can assist here.

Steps

  1. Consult an insurance agency to receive coverage options and quotes on E&O and D&O policies.
  2. Sign up for coverage.
  3. Know what you are buying -- insurance is opaque and the process is intentionally expedited to skip important questions from the buyer. Don't let that happen. Know what you are buying and keep good notes so that you know when it becomes relevant and where you are exposed.
  4. Codification. Store policy and coverage information in a central location for easy reference.

Questions this play answers

What insurance do I need as a SaaS startup?

Secure the essential insurance policies (E&O/professional liability and D&O) that protect your company, directors, and investors from catastrophic financial risk.

Do I need directors and officers insurance before fundraising?

Your company should also have Directors & Officers (D&O) Insurance. A D&O policy protects the personal assets of your directors and officers, and their spouses, if they are personally sued by employees, vendors, competitors, customers, investors, etc for wrongful acts in managing the company. Most directors won't agree to join your Board of Directors without a D&O policy in place.

What does E&O insurance protect my company against?

There are two types of insurance products that Golden Section, in particular, recommends purchasing in order to protect your investment and company. The first is Errors and Omissions (E&O) Insurance. An E&O policy protects your company, employees and other professionals against claims of inadequate work or negligent actions.

What does D&O insurance cover?

Secure the essential insurance policies (E&O/professional liability and D&O) that protect your company, directors, and investors from catastrophic financial risk.

How do I make sure I understand what my insurance policies actually cover?

Having such insurance policies in place to protect your company and personal assets is wise. Additionally, when you look to raise your first round of funding, any potential investor will want to see these policies in place to protect their investments as well.