Real Estate Agents and Brokers Insurance

E&O insurance covers legal costs when a real estate agent or broker is sued for negligence, such as a mistake in paperwork or failure to disclose wildfire risks.

Also called professional liability insurance, this coverage is required in some states for real estate professionals. However, California does not require E&O insurance.

Even though it's not required by state law, real estate agencies, brokerages, and client contracts will likely require you to carry errors and omissions coverage. It's a key part of risk management for Realtors and other real estate professionals during a property transaction.

General liability insurance protects your business from expenses associated with common mishaps, such as customer bodily injuries and accidental property damage.

Real estate agents and brokers might need this coverage to sign a commercial lease or qualify for a business loan. Clients and agencies might also ask for proof of insurance. For additional coverage on your general liability insurance and other policies, you can buy commercial umbrella insurance.

A general liability policy also helps protect against advertising injuries, such as libel, slander, and copyright infringement. So, if an employee at your real estate agency defames a competitor on social media, this policy would cover your legal costs if the other business sues.

A business owner’s policy bundles general liability insurance with commercial property insurance at a discount, and protects against common lawsuits, fires, and water damage. If you don't have an office, consider adding a business personal property (BPP) endorsement to your general liability policy instead.

To comply with California's requirements, real estate agents and brokers who hire employees must provide workers’ compensation insurance. This policy covers medical bills for injured Californians from work injuries and occupational diseases. It also provides benefits for disabled workers.

Workers' comp is also recommended for independent contractors and sole proprietors, as personal health insurance can deny claims for injuries that are related to your work. Policies typically include employer's liability insurance, which shields employers from legal costs if an employee blames them for their injury.

Commercial auto insurance protects vehicles owned by your real estate agency, such as a van used to transport home staging decorations to clients' homes. It covers legal bills and other costs resulting from an auto accident. Depending on your policy, it may also cover vehicle theft, weather damage, and vandalism.

California requires auto liability insurance with limits of at least:

• $30,000 in bodily injury liability or death liability per person
• $60,000 in bodily injury liability or death liability to more than one person
• $15,000 in property damage per accident

For other vehicles that your business uses but does not own, you'll need hired and non-owned auto insurance (HNOA). You can add it as an endorsement to your general liability policy or commercial auto policy. Keep in mind that if you drive your own car for work purposes, personal auto insurance won't provide financial protection.