how to protect your business with the right insurance?

Have you chosen to create your own business, to be more independent and mobile in your activity? With this flexibility comes a number of legal obligations. Among them, that of take out insurance against financial, legal and material risks. Although they are necessary for stability of your business, it can be complicated to understand which ones are which compulsory and which ones are recommended for your business. We explain to you:

Why take insurance?

All actions depend on a certain level number of risks. Some are nature legal (financial risk, customer disputes, accounting) when others are linked to the nature of your activity and are visible(equipment loss, injury, fire, hauling, etc.)

As a self-employed person, you are less equipped to face these risks than a large company. That is why it is essential to capture all the resources available to protect youas good as possible. If the insurance contracts seem pressure on your accountthey can be an opportunity in the event of an incident.

What is self-employed status?

Some insurance is reserved only for the self-employed. As a reminder, this standard covers all artistic, commercial or liberal activities undertaken on your own account. The micro-social system is a regime simplemaking it easier to calculate taxes, keeping the accounts and in general all administrative procedures. The simplification of this regime aims to remove certain obstacles and encourage entrepreneurship .

The status of a micro-enterprise limited to a certain conversion rate. From 2023 to 2025, the thresholds are as follows:

As a micro-entrepreneur, you are under no legal obligation to take out insurance, other than to insure your equipment, site or if you do a regulated activity.

What is a regulated activity?

A regulated activity is an activity that is subject to a certain number of Access conditions and exercise. This status is related to commercial, artisanal or liberal industries.

In the case of a micro enterprise artisanalspecial functions are reserved only for those who have a professional qualification (diploma, professional certificate). Among them, chimney sweeping, baking, hairdressing, construction, vehicle repair, etc.

In a case regulated liberal occupations these are subject to a number of rules and ethical principles that protect their use. There are three families of regulated liberal professions: the professions of the Cheers (nurse, paediatrician, pharmacist, midwife), occupations judgement (notary, lawyer, auditor) and professions tactics (architect, surveyor).

Finally, some actions commercialalso regulated (real estate agents, antique dealers, night clubs, etc.).

If in doubt, you can find all regulated activities and professions in the directory of the National Institute of Industrial Property.

What insurance is required for regulated activities?

Professional liability insurance

If you carry out a regulated activity, you must a Professional Liability Insurance (RC Pro). This insurance covers damage caused by a third party as a result of your activity.

For example, if you run a food business and you accidentally cause food poisoning to a customer, the insurance covers the resulting physical injury and financial loss. Some insurance companies will even cover the advertising costs necessary to restore your image.

10-year manufacturer’s warranty

If you do an activity in construction, you must a ten year civil liability insurance . This insurance covers all damages that may occur in the 10 years after the work is completed. It has to be under contract before the work starts and it is WORKING for all construction professionals (masonry, plumber, electrician)

Professional car insurance

If your activity requires the use of a vehicle, it must be insured, regardless of the type of work you do. So this insurance has you covered in case of accident or material damage to the vehicle. Please note that if you travel to or from your home, you must an informant your insurance company because it does not automatically classify these trips as business trips.

Please note: VTCs have, since 2014, taken out Pro Liability insurance in addition to their vehicle insurance.

Professional comprehensive insurance

If you use a building as part of your activity, you must have insurance against a strange ability (fire, water damage, vandalism).

Professional comprehensive insurance allows you to be covered all the risks what you are exposed to as a micro-entrepreneur: product insurance, buildings, stock if you have any, etc. It also allows for protection and compensation if that happens operating loss(breakage related to disaster, theft, etc.).

Compulsory insurance for certain occupations

As part of their activity, the estate agents they must produce a financial guarantee, that is to say a cash deposit with a guarantor. On entreprises.service-public.fr, you can find a model certificate to give you membership financial guarantee .

AN health care professionalsinsurance must be taken out medical liabilityto protect yourself from damages that may be suffered by a third party.

What is optional insurance for the sustainability of your activity?

Insurance for the self-employed

This insurance is recommended for all self-employed people, regardless of their activity, as it provides compensation in case of work stoppage. If this stoppage is temporary, the insurance pays you a “temporary disability pension” per day; if the self-employed person is in permanent inability to workthe insurance pays him a “disability pension”.

This confirmation is coming in addition to traditional health coverage. It therefore makes it possible to maintain a decent standard of living if there is a temporary or permanent inability to work. It is especially interesting if your activity requires good physical condition or if she is in danger.

Minor proof

Microinsurance gives you access to insurance contracts when you start your activity : you have access to professional liability or joint health insurance at a lower cost.

To benefit from, 3 conditions must be met: be at the start of your activity, be funded by a business creation support network and do not have to raise stock as part of your activity.

Cyber ​​risk insurance

This insurance is useful if you have an e-commerce operation, for example. It protects you in case of data loss or piracyof your network: it covers the costs associated with repairing your system but also assumes the costs linked to a possible sanctionin the case of a personal data breach.

Here is a table that summarizes the insurance with an estimate of their price: