Small Business Insurance That is Competitively Priced and That Provides the Gold Standard in Protection in 3 Fast and Easy Steps

• Get instant online Quick Quote premium indication in about 3 minutes.
• Request phone call from experienced insurance agent to finalize your formal proposal.
• Accept proposal and your coverage confirmation may be emailed in minutes.

Patent agents represent and assist product inventors who wish to have their inventions patented by the Patent Office within the United States Patent and Trademark Office, which protects the invention from being made or sold by others. They also help clients with matters of infringement and appealing decisions made by the Patent Office to a court. Patent Agents may or may not be attorneys.

General Liability Insurance for Patent Agents – The premises liability risks for patent agents are those that are typical for an office exposure including trips, slips and falls, electrical shocks, contact with sharp objects, and shelving collapses. Stairs should be clearly marked and should meet all building codes. Handrails should be firmly affixed above all stairs. Visitors of patent agents typically consist of clients, vendors, and salespeople. Visits are usually restricted to the lobby and offices.

Professional Liability (Errors & Omissions) Insurance for Patent Agents – Patent Agents could be sued if they do not thoroughly research an idea or proposal to ensure there are no other patents for the same product. Each new invention should be defined in a way to distinguish it from similar products that already exist while also meeting the clients’ needs and requests. Strict confidentiality should also be enforced.

Workers’ Compensation Insurance for Patent Agents – Patent agents may suffer from repetitive motion injuries to their hands, arms, neck, and back from the frequent use of computers and keyboards. Carpal tunnel syndrome is an example of such injuries. Eyestrain may also be a concern from the frequent use of computer screens. Other potential injuries for patent agents include shelving collapse and trips and falls. Employees should be trained to notify the HR department of any injuries requiring treatment.

Business Auto Insurance for Patent Agents – Patent agents should have minimal business auto risks. Business travel should normally be limited to occasional errands to places such as the bank, post office, and supply stores. Frequent travel will increase auto risks. MVRs should be verified for any employees who are responsible for business travel.

Property Insurance for Patent Agents – Inland Marine coverage is necessary to cover valuable papers and records and electronic data processing hardware and software. All computers and related equipment should be properly installed with sufficient daily backups that are kept off premises. Firewalls and anti-virus protection should be installed on all servers and PCs. Fire exposures for patent agents include faulty wiring and overloaded circuits with too many computers and office equipment plugged into one outlet. Fire loads consist of paper files, furniture, books, and manuals.

Crime Insurance for Patent Agents – Crime exposures for patent agents arise from employee dishonesty or embezzlement, theft of money & securities by outsiders, and electronic theft by outsiders. Careful pre-employment screening should include detailed applications, reference checks, and thorough criminal background checks. Controls should be in force to protect against the unauthorized sales of confidential client information to third parties by unauthorized or authorized employees. Documentation should be required of all paper files that are copied and all electronic files that are downloaded. Electronic theft by outsiders can be prevented by the use of anti-virus software, firewalls, encryption, SSL, and passwords that are frequently changed and include both numbers and letters.