Managing YOUR PRODUCT LIABILITY RISKS
An alliance of leaders working together for small businesses.
You may be liable for injuries caused by your product from the moment it hits shelves until long after it has been purchased. And your "product" may include a lot more than you realize, such as:
- your physical product
- any advertising claims
- instructions for use
- the shipping package
- the display package
- labels, warnings and other on–product messages
Because you can be held legally responsible for so many aspects of your products, it's important for your company to work with a lawyer to consider a risk management strategy. That strategy will generally rely on an organized way of documenting, investigating and following up on customer complaints about products you manufacture and sell, no matter how trivial they appear. Essential elements of good product loss prevention include:
- thoughtful design
- thorough testing
- accurate and easy–to–use recordkeeping
- realistic assessment of the hazard potential
- customer education and information
- product marking and identification
- a comprehensive recall plan
USAA is acting as an agent through its insurance agency affiliate, USAA General Agency, Inc. or USAA Insurance Agency, Inc. The USAA Business Insurance Program offered through the agency affiliate is available only to persons eligible for USAA membership. The Hartford Fire Insurance Company and its affiliates provide the insurance for this program. All insurance applications are subject to underwriting to determine acceptability. Product availability and coverage may vary by state. Insurance descriptions are general in nature. Please refer to your policy for full disclosure of coverages, limitations and conditions.
This document outlines in general terms the coverages that may be afforded under a Hartford policy. All policies must be examined carefully to determine suitability for your needs and to identify any exclusions, limitations or any other terms and conditions that may specifically affect coverage. In the event of a conflict, the terms and conditions of the policy prevail. All Hartford coverages described in this document may be offered by one or more of the property and casualty insurance company subsidiaries of The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.