hubby says stop!
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desert_gold_hound
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I know the soap makers guild has 1,000,000 insurance but am not sure if there are better options. I am looking into this myself. I do know that our farmers market requires it and also the other area here requires it.
So to answer your question on do you need it. YES unless you have lots of money to spend should a law suit happen. Americans are sue happy.
So to answer your question on do you need it. YES unless you have lots of money to spend should a law suit happen. Americans are sue happy.
desert_gold_hound
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I am in AZ but I would have insurance no matter where I was.
AshleyR
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You don't NEED insurance to sell, but you really should have it if you are selling to anyone but friends and family. The likelihood of you getting sued by someone who buys your soap at a one-time craft sale is slim, but it's always better to be safe than sorry! A lot of people do sell without insurance at their own risk, but I wouldn't recommend it!
Do check out the Soapmakers Guild. They include reasonably priced insurance with their membership in the states.
Do check out the Soapmakers Guild. They include reasonably priced insurance with their membership in the states.
surf girl
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You know, even if you give it away, you could still be sued if your soap hurts someone (or if they think it does). It's not so much the money changing hands, but the soap going to people who aren't your friends and family (who are, hopefully, unlikely to ever sue you even if they do get some kind of flukey rash or allergic reaction or whatever!!).
heartsong
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x
i get my liability ins thru my homeowners policy for about $99 year. i took pictures of my work area, storage area, outlined my "processing procedures" and explained my customer base sales.
make sure you explain this, because they have no idea how to make soap, but once you say "sodium hydroxide" they think you're as dangerous as a "meth" lab.
there are numerous threads about this subject-just click on "search" at the top right of the page and use for search words "liability" and "insurance".
also go thru the general business forum-there are lots of ideas on how to market your soaps.
i get my liability ins thru my homeowners policy for about $99 year. i took pictures of my work area, storage area, outlined my "processing procedures" and explained my customer base sales.
make sure you explain this, because they have no idea how to make soap, but once you say "sodium hydroxide" they think you're as dangerous as a "meth" lab.
there are numerous threads about this subject-just click on "search" at the top right of the page and use for search words "liability" and "insurance".
also go thru the general business forum-there are lots of ideas on how to market your soaps.
Deda
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Re: x
I tried the HO Insurance route, but most places I would wholesale to, along with most Farmers Markets required they be named "additional insured". I couldn't find a HO policy that would allow this for a home based business.
heartsong said:
I tried the HO Insurance route, but most places I would wholesale to, along with most Farmers Markets required they be named "additional insured". I couldn't find a HO policy that would allow this for a home based business.
heartsong
Well-Known Member
x
if i can ever get away to do a farmer's market, i can get a 3 day extended coverage naming whoever is requiring it for $15.
believe it or not, a lot of insurance people don't know about this. i'm insured by AFLA in alabama. each state have different regulations. there is a specialty coverage market out there that's reasonable. especially for people who base their incomes on the farmers markets and the crafts fair circuit.
when we lived in washington state we had Allstate.
you could probably "google" craft's fair insurance carriers and come up with something.
www.insuremyhomebiz.com something to check out.
if i can ever get away to do a farmer's market, i can get a 3 day extended coverage naming whoever is requiring it for $15.
believe it or not, a lot of insurance people don't know about this. i'm insured by AFLA in alabama. each state have different regulations. there is a specialty coverage market out there that's reasonable. especially for people who base their incomes on the farmers markets and the crafts fair circuit.
when we lived in washington state we had Allstate.
you could probably "google" craft's fair insurance carriers and come up with something.
www.insuremyhomebiz.com something to check out.
I am one of those that believe insurance is critical. I found that my Home Owner's insurance doesn't cover soap because of the risk of allergic reactions and had to go commercial. After lots of searching I found insurance here in Canada for a reasonable price. I am selling at Kiosks in shopping centres and they mostly require that I carry my own insurance and one of them requires to be named and that doesn't cost me anything additional.
Unfortunately we now live in an environment socially that would rather sue you than talk to you or take responsibility for their own actions, nor do they read the ingredients list.
Unfortunately we now live in an environment socially that would rather sue you than talk to you or take responsibility for their own actions, nor do they read the ingredients list.
Jeremy
Well-Known Member
I have 2,000,000 commercial ins. for my main business. I find it rather hard to believe, as a Canadian that you can be sued for your soap. That would be a realllll hard one to prove. I'm not saying that insurance is a bad thing, but proving your soap, especially the natural product we produce could fall under any blame whatsoever in a lawsuit is beyond me. ( I test all soap on myself first) And before you say it, yes I am well aware of the bizzaro lawsuits that have been reported online and in the press. The most famous being the Mickey D's Coffee suit, but contrary to popular belief the woman in the suit did not get millions of dollars, she , I can't remember the exact amount, but she ended up walking away with something of the order of 100,000 minus lawyers fees, so she ended up with a new purse.
Also there has been legislation enacted in the states to do away with frivolous lawsuits that came out of that case.
Personally I am very carefull with my product, I am going to label the warnings of possible allergic reactions, and if they still want to sue me then they had better hope they have better lawyers than me because I will drag it all over the courts and the media for years.
But just me, I think that will never happen at a flea market level, and if someone threatens it, hand them your lawyers name and tell them you'll gladly see them in court and counter sue for harrasment and defamation of character.
Also there has been legislation enacted in the states to do away with frivolous lawsuits that came out of that case.
Personally I am very carefull with my product, I am going to label the warnings of possible allergic reactions, and if they still want to sue me then they had better hope they have better lawyers than me because I will drag it all over the courts and the media for years.
But just me, I think that will never happen at a flea market level, and if someone threatens it, hand them your lawyers name and tell them you'll gladly see them in court and counter sue for harrasment and defamation of character.
Jeremy
Well-Known Member
Hey, quick question, what is the meaning of your subject header. It's just got me curious.
Jeremy, It would be super easy to prove the bar of soap caused the problem, it's called a patch test & could actually be done in the court room. The warnings you (& I) place on our labels will not prevent a lawsuit nor will they make the lawsuit swing in your favor.
And just how much money do you think it will cost you to drag a lawsuit out for years? Insurance is the more sensible, economical choice. I am sure you will think differently once you get a few more batches under your belt & a better feel for the industry.
Jeremy
Well-Known Member
But labeled properly with all the ingrediants it's buyer beware.
They can't claim they didn't know it had Lavender in it when it's labeled Lavender. Now if you sold Lavender soap and labelled it as having nothing but orange EO then you might have a case.
All ingrediants listed, then there is no leg to stand on. You don't buy peanut crackers when you are allergic to peanuts and I really, really can't see someone from a flea market suing. But as I said, I am not saying insurance is a bad thing, I have it for my other business and it's quite expensive and as I am running this as a branch of that I am covered but if this was my weekend flea market business I would not unless demanded by the markets get insurance.
They can't claim they didn't know it had Lavender in it when it's labeled Lavender. Now if you sold Lavender soap and labelled it as having nothing but orange EO then you might have a case.
All ingrediants listed, then there is no leg to stand on. You don't buy peanut crackers when you are allergic to peanuts and I really, really can't see someone from a flea market suing. But as I said, I am not saying insurance is a bad thing, I have it for my other business and it's quite expensive and as I am running this as a branch of that I am covered but if this was my weekend flea market business I would not unless demanded by the markets get insurance.
Jeremy
Well-Known Member
This being said though once you go beyond the farmers market stage like any other business, it's time to start thinking differently.
Jeremy
Well-Known Member
Methinks you read a bit too much into me sentences. I ran in the farmers market crowd for three years, quite successfully I might add.
Well, it is each to there own I guess. Hopefully I never ever make anything that burns the skin off a 4 year old. Now a 25 year old, that's a whole other matter.
Well, it is each to there own I guess. Hopefully I never ever make anything that burns the skin off a 4 year old. Now a 25 year old, that's a whole other matter.
I'm in a similar situation... I either need to start making a little of my money back or stop buying so many supplies 
My church is having a flea market in May and I was thinking about adding a small rack of my soaps to my table. I wouldn't expect to make much more than $100 so if I had to spend money on insurance I doubt it would be worth it.
I do take great care in testing my soaps for PH and I use each batch myself so I am very confident that no one would have any reason to sue for any LEGITIMATE reason. Still... can't shake the worry of that one person who might think it is my fault that they didn't read a label.
My church is having a flea market in May and I was thinking about adding a small rack of my soaps to my table. I wouldn't expect to make much more than $100 so if I had to spend money on insurance I doubt it would be worth it.
I do take great care in testing my soaps for PH and I use each batch myself so I am very confident that no one would have any reason to sue for any LEGITIMATE reason. Still... can't shake the worry of that one person who might think it is my fault that they didn't read a label.
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