A Thousand-Dollar Spill

Spills can happen almost anywhere. Retail stores are most certainly no exception; customers will often bring drinks in, and if the store is selling any sort of liquid (lotions, soda, perfume, paint, etc.), then that store is vulnerable to a spill of that product.

You'd be surprised at how many retail stores have had to pay thousands of dollars in medical expenses because of one simple spill. Have you considered the following scenarios?

• It's the holiday season, and you have a store that sells DVDs, CDs, posters, electronics - in short, your store is crawling with holiday shoppers. A group of teenagers come in and end up spilling a smoothie all over the floor. It's so busy that your employees don't even notice. They leave without telling anyone. Next thing you know, a man has slipped and broken his elbow.
  
• You have a store that sells bath oils, soaps, and other girly things. A mother comes in with her three small children, who proceed to pump all of the sample lotion out of the display pumps - all over the floor. The mother doesn't notice, and they leave. You and your employees don't notice because the mess is near the front of the store, almost out of sight. Next thing you know, a woman in high heels has wiped out in front of your store.
  
• You have a large store that sells bottled sodas. One day when you're running short of a staff, you hear a yell from the back of the store. You run to see what's happened, and there is a giant soda spill on the floor, along with an old man who is on his back - he's fallen, and the bottle is empty. No one can explain who spilled the soda, but the old man won't stop yelling. Next thing you know...

When determining whose fault the spill is, the question will be asked, "How long was the spill on the floor?"  If it seems that you or your employees had plenty of time to notice such a spill, the expenses could definitely be on you.  

For more information on retail insurance, contact us today! We're Altman Insurance, an independent insurance agency based in Olympia, Washington. Personalized Business Owner Packages are available to cover such exposures as premises liability, contents and inventory, tenant improvements, employment practices liability, and business vehicles.