COBRA Benefits
COBRA stands for “Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985,” which requires companies with 20 or more employees to offer separating employees the option to continue their group health-care coverage at their own expense.

Basic Hospital
Basic-hospital plans cover only in-hospital (inpatient) care, not other services. This benefit also may be limited to an approved or network facility. Hospitalization in a different facility may qualify for less coverage or none at all.

Dependent Property
This refers to a kind of business-interruption endorsement on a commercial policy that protects you from financial losses caused by problems somewhere other than your business. “Dependent property” is defined as property not owned, operated or controlled by you but on which you are dependent for normal business operations.

Preferred Provider Organization (PPO)
PPOs are comparable to indemnity plans, although they require subscribers to choose their health-care providers and health-care facilities from a preferred-provider list. Because the preferred providers have agreed to the plan's requirements, including discounted fees, subscribers have a financial incentive to stay within the network.

Employment practices
This kind of coverage will help defend against employment-related claims such as sexual harassment, age discrimination, or wrongful termination. Some policies offer legal assistance; others may pay both legal costs and damages.

Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)
Managed-care insurers — known generally as HMOs — use a primary care physician as a gatekeeper to screen patients and see that appropriate treatment takes place at the lowest level possible. In order to see a specialist or receive specialized care, patients must see the gatekeeper physician first and be referred on.

Destroyed or damaged records
If your business records are destroyed or damaged by a covered peril, this insurance will compensate you for the inability to collect income and for the cost of reproducing the records.

Deregulation
Under Washington state law known as “use-and-file,” commercial property/casualty contracts negotiated between insurers and businesses may go into effect immediately. The policy itself can be filed for state review later.

Automobile
If you own and operate commercial vehicles, you should make sure that your fleet is appropriately insured. If business use of a vehicle is minimal and limited to your personal vehicle, the necessary coverage can probably be included in your personal policy. Best bet: Check with your agent to be sure.

Long-Term Disability (LTD)
Long-term-disability plans provide income for an individual who cannot work because of an illness, disease, or non-occupational injury. Most plans require that the individual be a full-time employee for at least one year before the disability coverage applies.