Call Schell Insurance at (972) 423-4546 for a personalized quote or visit https://schellinsurance.com to learn more about their comprehensive insurance solutions.

Building a new home or breaking ground on a commercial project in North Texas? Before the first materials hit the lot, you need to understand builder's risk insurance, also known as course of construction insurance. In this episode of Insurance Talk Texas, presented by Schell Insurance, we break down the coverage that protects your project during the most vulnerable stage of its life: while it is still being built.

North Texas is one of the busiest construction markets in the entire country. Collin County alone issues tens of thousands of building permits every year, and communities like Frisco, McKinney, Plano, Prosper, Allen, and Celina are expanding at a breakneck pace. That means thousands of half-finished projects are sitting exposed to hail, wind, fire, water damage, and theft at any given moment. Builder's risk insurance is the safety net that keeps a single storm or a single break-in from turning your dream project into a financial disaster.

In this episode, we cover:

What builder's risk insurance actually is and why it is also called course of construction insurance

The critical difference between builder's risk (first-party property coverage) and commercial general liability (third-party coverage)

Exactly what a builder's risk policy covers, including the structure under construction, materials on site, materials in transit, off-site storage, and temporary structures like scaffolding and fencing

The named perils that matter most in Texas: fire, lightning, wind, hail, theft, vandalism, and water damage from non-flood sources, including freeze-related plumbing failures

Why Texas leads the nation in construction equipment and materials theft, and how copper wire, HVAC units, lumber, and appliances disappear from job sites across Collin and Denton County

The hidden theft sublimit trap that can leave you underinsured exactly when you need coverage most

Key exclusions to know: flood (covered separately through the National Flood Insurance Program), earthquake, wear and tear, and faulty workmanship

Soft costs coverage, one of the most underappreciated features, which pays for extra architect and engineering fees, permits, loan interest, legal fees, and property taxes when a covered loss delays your build

When builder's risk coverage starts and stops, and the dangerous gap that opens up between the end of construction and the start of a permanent homeowners or commercial property policy

Who needs to be named on the policy, from the owner and general contractor to subcontractors and the lender, and why most Texas lenders require this coverage before they fund a project

Whether you are a homeowner building a custom house, a developer, or a general contractor, this episode gives you the knowledge to protect your investment from groundbreaking to completion. And because Schell Insurance is an independent agency serving Frisco, McKinney, Plano, Prosper, Allen, and the greater Collin and Denton County area, they can shop multiple carriers to find the right deductibles, the right theft sublimits, and the strongest claims track record for your specific project and zip code.

Do not leave your construction project unprotected. Get builder's risk coverage in place before you break ground.

Call Schell Insurance at (972) 423-4546 or visit https://schellinsurance.com today to talk with a North Texas insurance professional about protecting your project.

Insurance Talk Texas is your trusted source for clear, practical insurance education built specifically for North Texas homeowners, drivers, families, and business owners. Subscribe for a new episode every week.

#BuildersRisk #CourseOfConstruction #ConstructionInsurance #TexasInsurance #NorthTexas #SchellInsurance #InsuranceTalkTexas #FriscoTX #McKinneyTX #PlanoTX #ProsperTX #AllenTX #CollinCounty #DentonCounty #NewConstruction #ContractorInsurance #ConstructionTheft #CommercialInsurance #BusinessInsurance #HomeBuilding #DFWConstruction #InsuranceTips #IndependentAgent #PropertyInsurance #ConstructionProject

Call Schell Insurance at (972) 423-4546 for a personalized quote or visit https://schellinsurance.com to learn more about their comprehensive insurance solutions.

Commercial general liability insurance is the foundation coverage underneath almost every business in Texas, and yet it's one of the most misunderstood policies out there. In this episode of Insurance Talk Texas, presented by Schell Insurance, we break down exactly what CGL covers, why the state doesn't require it but your contracts and cities do, and the certificate-of-insurance mistake that gets North Texas contractors turned away from job sites every single day.

If you own a business, hire subcontractors, sign leases, or bid on commercial work anywhere in Collin or Denton County, this is coverage you cannot afford to misunderstand. We explain it in plain English so you can protect your business, win more work, and avoid the gaps that turn into lawsuits.

WHAT WE COVER IN THIS EPISODE:

The three core buckets of commercial general liability: bodily injury, property damage, and personal and advertising injury, plus why legal defense costs matter just as much as the damages themselves.

Why slip-and-fall claims are among the most common a small business faces, and how CGL responds when a customer is injured on your premises.

The truth about whether general liability is required by law in Texas, and why your contracts, your clients, and cities like Dallas effectively require it even when the state does not.

The single biggest misconception in Texas business insurance: a certificate of insurance is only a summary, not the policy itself, and it does not create coverage on its own.

Why additional insured status only exists when the actual endorsement is attached to the underlying policy, and how contractors get dangerously exposed when they rely on certificates alone.

The three endorsements that show up in almost every North Texas subcontract: blanket additional insured for ongoing and completed operations, waiver of subrogation, and primary and non-contributory.

Completed operations coverage and why claims can surface long after a job is finished.

The key difference between occurrence-based general liability and the claims-made structure of management liability policies like directors and officers, cyber, and errors and omissions coverage.

How per-occurrence and aggregate limits work, and why the right limits can be the difference between winning and losing a bid.

WHY WORK WITH SCHELL INSURANCE:

Schell Insurance is an independent insurance agency serving Frisco, McKinney, Plano, Prosper, Allen, and the greater Collin and Denton County area. As an independent agency, they compare coverage and match your policy to the exact insurance language in your contracts, so you know your certificate will actually hold up when a general contractor or client reviews it. Their team understands the local contracts, the local risks, and the fast-growing North Texas market, and they help business owners close the gaps before a claim or a contract forces the issue.

Whether you are a contractor, a subcontractor, a service business, a retailer, or a professional office, the advisors at Schell Insurance can review your general liability policy and make sure your coverage matches your real-world exposure.

GET A PERSONALIZED QUOTE TODAY:

Call Schell Insurance at (972) 423-4546 or visit https://schellinsurance.com to speak with a licensed Texas insurance professional about your commercial general liability coverage.

Insurance Talk Texas is your trusted source for clear, educational insurance guidance built specifically for North Texas homeowners, drivers, families, and business owners. Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and share this video with a business owner who needs to hear it.

DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute insurance, legal, or financial advice. Coverage availability, terms, and eligibility vary by individual circumstances and policy. Please consult a licensed insurance professional at Schell Insurance for guidance specific to your situation.

#CommercialGeneralLiability #GeneralLiabilityInsurance #TexasBusinessInsurance #SchellInsurance #InsuranceTalkTexas #NorthTexasBusiness #SmallBusinessInsurance #CGLInsurance #ContractorInsurance #CollinCounty #DentonCounty #FriscoTX #McKinneyTX #PlanoTX #ProsperTX #AllenTX #BusinessLiability #CertificateOfInsurance #AdditionalInsured #TexasContractors #RiskManagement #CommercialInsurance #BusinessProtection #InsuranceEducation #DFWBusiness

Call Schell Insurance at (972) 423-4546 for a personalized quote or visit https://schellinsurance.com to learn more about their comprehensive insurance solutions.

Your business owner's policy probably doesn't cover the one crime most likely to hit you. In this episode of Insurance Talk Texas, presented by Schell Insurance, we break down commercial crime insurance and the fast-growing threat of employee theft, forgery, funds transfer fraud, and social engineering scams like business email compromise (BEC).

Texas ranks number two in the entire country for cybercrime victims and losses, and the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex takes the heaviest hit in the state. For business owners across Frisco, McKinney, Plano, Prosper, Allen, and the greater Collin and Denton County area, that risk is real and it's growing. A single fraudulent wire request can drain an account in minutes, and once the money moves, it's almost never recovered.

Here's what we cover in this episode:

What commercial crime insurance actually protects, from employee dishonesty and embezzlement on the inside to forgery, computer fraud, and social engineering on the outside.

Why a standard business owner's policy only includes a token amount of crime coverage, and how that gap leaves growing companies dangerously exposed.

The critical difference between cyber insurance and crime insurance: cyber protects your data, crime protects the money walking out the door.

How social engineering fraud (business email compromise) works, why it bypasses your firewalls and antivirus completely, and why a dedicated endorsement often gives you a higher, dedicated limit than a cyber policy sublimit.

The ERISA fidelity bond requirement for businesses that offer a retirement plan, and how it can be built right into your crime coverage.

Simple, practical habits that stop a huge share of these scams before they ever start, including a verification rule every business should adopt today.

At Schell Insurance, an independent agency serving North Texas, the team compares what you actually have against what you think you have and builds coverage that matches your real risk, not a one size fits all template. Whether you're a contractor, a professional office, a retailer, or a growing service business, protecting your money from theft and fraud is one of the smartest moves you can make.

Don't wait until you're staring at a wire confirmation for money that isn't coming back. Get ahead of it.

Call Schell Insurance at (972) 423-4546 or visit https://schellinsurance.com today.

Serving Frisco, McKinney, Plano, Prosper, Allen, Collin County, and Denton County.

#CommercialCrimeInsurance #TexasBusinessInsurance #SchellInsurance #InsuranceTalkTexas #SmallBusinessInsurance #SocialEngineeringFraud #BusinessEmailCompromise #EmployeeTheft #NorthTexasBusiness #FriscoTX #McKinneyTX #PlanoTX #ProsperTX #AllenTX #CollinCounty #DentonCounty #BusinessProtection #FraudPrevention #IndependentInsuranceAgent #CyberFraud

Call Schell Insurance at (972) 423-4546 for a personalized quote or visit https://schellinsurance.com to learn more about their comprehensive insurance solutions.

What actually happens to your business if a co-owner or key employee is suddenly gone tomorrow? For thousands of family-owned businesses across North Texas, that question can mean the difference between a company that survives a loss and one that falls apart. In this episode of Insurance Talk Texas, presented by Schell Insurance, we break down the two tools every business owner should understand: key person insurance and buy-sell agreements.

These aren't strategies reserved for giant corporations. They're built for the businesses all over Collin County and Denton County that depend on one or two people to keep the lights on, sign the deals, and hold the client relationships together.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE:

Key Person Insurance Basics

Learn how a business can protect itself by insuring the people it depends on most, whether that's an owner, a top salesperson, or the operations leader who runs the day-to-day. We explain how the company owns the policy and receives the benefit, giving the business room to replace lost revenue, reassure lenders, and recruit a replacement.

Buy-Sell Agreements Explained

Discover how a buy-sell agreement defines exactly what happens to an owner's share of the business if they pass away, become disabled, or decide to leave. We walk through why a written, funded agreement prevents disputes over value and control, and why going without one can force a family to sell for far less than the business is worth.

How Life Insurance Funds the Plan

A buy-sell agreement is only as strong as the money behind it. We cover why life insurance is the engine that makes it work, providing the cash to complete a buyout without draining company savings.

Cross-Purchase vs. Redemption Structures

We compare the two main ways to structure a buy-sell agreement, cross-purchase and entity redemption, and explain why the choice matters for your ownership, your value, and your long-term goals.

The Connelly Supreme Court Decision

We break down the 2024 Connelly ruling in plain English and what it means for company-owned buy-sell arrangements, including why the way you own the policy can affect how your business is valued for estate tax purposes, and why most small businesses are protected by today's high federal exemption. Plus, why Texas having no state estate tax is one more advantage for owners here.

WHY NORTH TEXAS BUSINESS OWNERS TRUST SCHELL INSURANCE:

Schell Insurance is an independent agency proudly serving Frisco, McKinney, Plano, Prosper, Allen, and the greater Collin County and Denton County area. As an independent agency, Schell Insurance works for you, not for a single carrier, comparing options across multiple companies to build coverage that actually fits your business and your family. Their team coordinates with your attorney and accountant so your continuation plan is legally sound and financially secure. Business continuation planning is not a do-it-yourself project, and the professionals at Schell Insurance know the Texas market and these North Texas communities inside and out.

GET STARTED TODAY:

Call Schell Insurance at (972) 423-4546 for a personalized quote or visit https://schellinsurance.com to review your business continuation plan.

If you own a business with a partner, or your company leans on one or two essential people, ask yourself: if that person were gone tomorrow, is there a written plan and cash to fund it? If not, that's your sign to reach out.

SERVICES OFFERED BY SCHELL INSURANCE:

Business Insurance, Key Person Coverage, Buy-Sell Funding, Life Insurance, Commercial Property, General Liability, Business Owners Policy (BOP), Commercial Auto, Workers' Compensation, Professional Liability, Home Insurance, Auto Insurance, Umbrella Coverage, and more for individuals, families, and businesses across North Texas.

Don't wait until you need it. These conversations aren't a sign of doubt, they're a sign of leadership. Protect your partners, your employees, and your family today.

Subscribe to Insurance Talk Texas for straight-talking, Texas-specific insurance education that helps you make confident decisions and protect what you've built.

DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational purposes only and is not legal, tax, or insurance advice. Coverage details and regulations vary by situation. Please consult a licensed insurance professional, attorney, and tax advisor regarding your specific needs.

#KeyPersonInsurance #BuySellAgreement #TexasBusiness #BusinessInsurance #SchellInsurance #InsuranceTalkTexas #NorthTexas #SmallBusinessTexas #BusinessSuccession #CollinCounty #DentonCounty #FriscoTX #McKinneyTX #PlanoTX #ProsperTX #AllenTX #BusinessContinuation #LifeInsurance #TexasSmallBusiness #ConnellyCase #EstatePlanning #IndependentInsuranceAgency #DFWBusiness #ProtectYourBusiness #SuccessionPlanning

Call Schell Insurance at (972) 423-4546 for a personalized quote or visit https://schellinsurance.com to learn more about their comprehensive insurance solutions.

Think your business is too small to be a cyberattack target? Think again. In this episode of Insurance Talk Texas, we break down cyber liability insurance and why it has become essential coverage for small and mid-sized businesses across North Texas.

We cover why small businesses are actually preferred targets for cybercriminals, what standard general liability and business owners policies do NOT cover when it comes to data breaches and ransomware, and the specific Texas legal requirements business owners need to know under the Texas Identity Theft Enforcement and Protection Act, including the 60-day breach notification deadline and the Attorney General reporting threshold.

We also discuss the difference between first party and third party cyber coverage, how cyber extortion coverage works if ransomware locks up your systems, and a newer Texas law that offers a liability shield for small businesses that adopt recognized cybersecurity practices.

Whether you run a medical office in Allen, a retail storefront in Plano, a contracting business in Prosper, or a professional services firm anywhere in Frisco, McKinney, Collin County, or Denton County, this episode will help you understand where your business may be exposed and what to do about it.

Topics covered in this episode:

Why small businesses are frequent cyberattack targets

The gap between general liability coverage and cyber risk

First party vs third party cyber liability coverage

Data breach notification requirements under Texas law

The Texas Attorney General reporting threshold

Cyber extortion and ransomware coverage

A new Texas liability shield for cybersecurity-ready businesses

How to evaluate your business's cyber exposure

About Schell Insurance:

Schell Insurance is an independent insurance agency proudly serving Frisco, McKinney, Plano, Prosper, Allen, and the greater Collin and Denton County area in North Texas. As an independent agency, Schell Insurance works with multiple carriers to find coverage that actually fits your business, rather than pushing a one-size-fits-all policy. Their team helps North Texas business owners evaluate cyber risk, general liability, business owners policies, commercial auto, workers compensation, and other business insurance needs so they can operate with confidence.

Whether you're a small business owner just starting to think about cyber risk, or you already have a policy and want a second opinion, the Schell Insurance team is ready to help. Call (972) 423-4546 or visit https://schellinsurance.com today for a personalized review of your business insurance coverage.

Insurance Talk Texas is an educational podcast and video series created in partnership with Schell Insurance, covering the insurance topics that matter most to North Texas homeowners, drivers, families, and business owners. New episodes release weekly.

Disclaimer: This content is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or insurance advice. Coverage availability, terms, and requirements vary by individual circumstances and carrier. Contact Schell Insurance directly to discuss your specific situation.

#CyberLiabilityInsurance #CyberInsurance #TexasInsurance #NorthTexasBusiness #SmallBusinessInsurance #SchellInsurance #FriscoTX #McKinneyTX #PlanoTX #ProsperTX #AllenTX #CollinCounty #DentonCounty #DataBreach #Ransomware #BusinessInsurance #CyberSecurity #InsuranceTalkTexas #TexasSmallBusiness #RiskManagement

Call Schell Insurance at (972) 423-4546 for a personalized quote or visit https://schellinsurance.com to learn more about their comprehensive insurance solutions.

If your Texas business offers a 401(k) or a group health plan, federal law has already made you a fiduciary. You did not sign up for it. And under ERISA, that title puts your personal assets on the line.

In this episode of Insurance Talk Texas, we unpack the most misunderstood coverage in management liability: fiduciary liability insurance. We explain why the ERISA fidelity bond your payroll company made you buy does nothing to protect you, why plaintiff firms can find you through publicly filed plan documents, and why the Northern District of Texas has become one of the most active federal venues in the country for ERISA disputes.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE

Who actually counts as a fiduciary under ERISA, and why you can be one without ever being named in a plan document. The "functional fiduciary" concept catches owners, CFOs, and HR directors off guard.

The critical difference between an ERISA fidelity bond and fiduciary liability insurance. The bond is mandatory and protects the plan from theft. Fiduciary liability protects you from allegations of negligence, imprudent investment selection, excessive fees, and administrative error. Confusing the two is the most expensive mistake a Texas plan sponsor can make.

What fiduciary liability insurance actually pays for: legal defense costs, settlements, judgments, and the cost of responding to a Department of Labor investigation. And why ERISA prohibits your plan from indemnifying a fiduciary who breached their duty, meaning the money to defend these claims may come from your personal savings, investments, and home.

The new wave of ERISA litigation reaching North Texas businesses, including forfeiture reallocation lawsuits, tobacco surcharge claims on group health plans, voluntary benefits challenges, and continued excessive fee actions. Plus the Department of Labor position that maintaining a cybersecurity response plan for your retirement plan is itself a fiduciary duty.

Key exclusions every plan sponsor should understand: intentional fraud, theft of plan assets, failure to fund promised contributions, and prior known claims. Plus why claims made policies create a permanent gap if you let coverage lapse.

WHY THIS MATTERS FOR NORTH TEXAS BUSINESS OWNERS

Frisco, McKinney, Plano, Prosper, and Allen are home to thousands of employers who added retirement benefits to compete for talent. Many have never had a single conversation about fiduciary exposure. Collin County and Denton County owners are being sued in a federal district shaping national ERISA law, and the plaintiff bar does not need a whistleblower to find them. Your Form 5500 is a public record.

Fiduciary liability is the third leg of the management liability stool, alongside Directors and Officers coverage and Employment Practices Liability Insurance. If you watched our recent episodes on D&O and EPLI, this one completes the set.

ABOUT SCHELL INSURANCE

Schell Insurance is an independent agency serving Frisco, McKinney, Plano, Prosper, Allen, and the greater Collin and Denton County area. Independence means Schell Insurance shops multiple carriers on your behalf rather than selling one company's answer. That matters in specialty lines like fiduciary liability, where policy language and the interaction with your D&O policy vary dramatically from carrier to carrier.

The team at Schell Insurance works with Texas business owners across the full range of commercial coverage, and serves North Texas families with home, auto, renters, flood, and personal umbrella coverage.

If you sponsor a retirement plan or a group health plan, the first step is simple. Find out whether your Directors and Officers policy contains an ERISA exclusion. Most do. Then have someone independent read the fine print with you.

GET A PERSONALIZED QUOTE

Phone: (972) 423-4546

Website: https://schellinsurance.com

Serving Frisco, McKinney, Plano, Prosper, Allen, Collin County, and Denton County.

DISCLAIMER

Insurance Talk Texas is an educational program providing general information about fiduciary liability insurance and ERISA obligations. It is not legal or tax advice. Coverage terms and exclusions vary by carrier and circumstance. Please consult a licensed agent at Schell Insurance regarding your situation.

Subscribe to Insurance Talk Texas for weekly episodes on the insurance decisions that matter most to Texas families and business owners.

#FiduciaryLiability #ERISA #401kLawsuit #TexasBusinessInsurance #SchellInsurance #InsuranceTalkTexas #PlanSponsor #ManagementLiability #FriscoTX #McKinneyTX #PlanoTX #CollinCounty #DentonCounty #SmallBusinessTexas #RetirementPlan #FidelityBond #DirectorsAndOfficers #EPLI #FiduciaryDuty #ExcessiveFees #CommercialInsurance #RiskManagement #TexasInsurance #ERISALitigation

Call Schell Insurance at (972) 423-4546 for a personalized quote or visit https://schellinsurance.com to learn more about their comprehensive insurance solutions.

Think Directors and Officers insurance is only for Fortune 500 companies and Wall Street boardrooms? Think again. In this episode of Insurance Talk Texas, we break down why small businesses actually account for the majority of D&O claims, and why any North Texas company with outside investors, advisory board members, or independent directors needs to understand this coverage before a problem ever shows up.

We cover what D&O insurance actually protects, how it steps in when a director or officer is sued personally over a business decision, and why this matters just as much for family businesses in Frisco and McKinney as it does for venture-backed startups. We also dig into the Texas Business Organizations Code, specifically Chapter 8, which spells out exactly when a company must, may, or cannot indemnify its directors and officers, and why that legal gap is precisely what D&O insurance is designed to fill.

Topics covered in this episode include:

What Directors and Officers insurance is and who it actually protects

The difference between Side A, Side B, and Side C coverage

Why small businesses account for roughly 70 percent of all D&O claims

How Texas Business Organizations Code Chapter 8 governs indemnification of directors and officers

The difference between duty of care and duty of loyalty under Texas law

Why nonprofit boards, HOAs, and church boards carry real personal liability exposure

Why D&O is a claims-made policy and what that means for timing

Common real-world triggers for D&O claims, including employment disputes

Why outside investors and board members often require this coverage before joining

How D&O fits alongside other business insurance as part of a broader risk management strategy

Whether you're a small business owner in Plano bringing on your first outside investor, a nonprofit leader in Prosper serving on a volunteer board, or a growing company in Allen adding independent directors to help you scale, this episode gives you the plain-language explanation you need to protect the people making decisions for your organization.

Schell Insurance is an independent insurance agency proudly serving North Texas, including Frisco, McKinney, Plano, Prosper, Allen, and the greater Collin County and Denton County area. As an independent agency, Schell Insurance isn't tied to a single carrier, which means they can shop your business insurance needs across multiple companies to find coverage that actually fits your organization, your industry, and your risk profile.

If you serve on a board, whether that's a company, a nonprofit, a homeowners association, or a church, it's worth a quick conversation to find out whether that organization has adequate Directors and Officers coverage in place. Don't assume someone else already checked that box.

Call Schell Insurance today at (972) 423-4546 or visit https://schellinsurance.com to talk through your business insurance needs with a team that understands North Texas.

Insurance Talk Texas is an educational podcast and video series created in partnership with Schell Insurance, helping North Texas homeowners, drivers, families, and business owners make informed insurance decisions. New episodes cover everything from personal lines to business insurance essentials, always with a Texas-specific lens.

#InsuranceTalkTexas #SchellInsurance #DirectorsAndOfficersInsurance #DOInsurance #BusinessInsurance #NorthTexas #TexasSmallBusiness #ManagementLiability #FriscoTexas #McKinneyTexas #PlanoTexas #ProsperTexas #AllenTexas #CollinCounty #DentonCounty #SmallBusinessInsurance #NonprofitInsurance #TexasBusiness #BoardOfDirectors #BusinessOwnersInsurance #InsuranceEducation #TexasInsuranceAgent #IndependentInsuranceAgency

Call Schell Insurance at (972) 423-4546 for a personalized quote or visit https://schellinsurance.com to learn more about their comprehensive insurance solutions.

Think your North Texas business is too small to face an employee lawsuit? Since September 2021, that assumption could cost you everything. In this episode of Insurance Talk Texas, we break down Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI) and the Texas law changes that put nearly every employer in the state at risk — even those with a single employee.

Most owners assume their Business Owners Policy already covers employment claims. It usually doesn't. EPLI is a separate coverage built to protect your business against claims of wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and failure to hire or promote — the kinds of claims that can rack up six figures in legal defense costs even when you've done nothing wrong and ultimately win.

Here's what every Texas business owner needs to understand:

✅ Texas Labor Code Chapter 21 (the Texas Commission on Human Rights Act) governs employment discrimination in our state

✅ Senate Bill 45 redefined "employer" for sexual harassment claims to include ANY business with one or more employees — the old 15-employee shield no longer applies

✅ Supervisors, managers, and owners can now be held PERSONALLY liable

✅ The legal standard rose from "prompt remedial action" to "immediate and appropriate corrective action"

✅ House Bill 21 extended the harassment filing window from 180 to 300 days

✅ Texas ranks #1 in the nation for discrimination charges filed

✅ EPLI is written on a claims-made basis — retroactive dates and tail coverage matter

Whether you run a contracting crew, a restaurant, a retail shop, a medical practice, or a professional services firm in Frisco, McKinney, Plano, Prosper, Allen, or anywhere across Collin and Denton County, the team at Schell Insurance can review your employment practices coverage and find the gaps before a claim ever lands.

Don't wait for a demand letter or a Texas Workforce Commission complaint to find out you're exposed. By then, it's too late to protect your business from that claim.

📞 Call Schell Insurance at (972) 423-4546

🌐 Visit https://schellinsurance.com

📍 Proudly serving North Texas: Frisco, McKinney, Plano, Prosper, Allen, and the greater Collin and Denton County area

Schell Insurance is an independent agency, which means they shop multiple carriers to find coverage that actually fits your business — not a one-size-fits-all template. Protect your people, protect your business, protect yourself.

Subscribe to Insurance Talk Texas for weekly, easy-to-understand insurance education built specifically for Texas homeowners, drivers, families, and business owners.

⚠️ This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal or insurance advice. Coverage details, eligibility, and regulations vary. Contact a licensed Texas insurance professional at Schell Insurance for guidance specific to your situation.

#EPLI #EmploymentPracticesLiability #TexasBusiness #SmallBusinessInsurance #SchellInsurance #InsuranceTalkTexas #NorthTexas #FriscoTX #McKinneyTX #PlanoTX #ProsperTX #AllenTX #CollinCounty #DentonCounty #BusinessInsurance #TexasEmploymentLaw #WrongfulTermination #WorkplaceHarassment #SB45 #SmallBusinessTexas #BusinessOwners #RiskManagement #TexasWorkforceCommission #ManagementLiability #InsuranceEducation #ProtectYourBusiness

Call Schell Insurance at (972) 423-4546 for a personalized quote or visit https://schellinsurance.com to learn more about their comprehensive insurance solutions.

If you run a service or advice-based business in North Texas, there's one coverage gap that can quietly put everything you've built at risk: a professional mistake. Your Business Owners Policy won't touch it. Your general liability won't touch it. In this episode of Insurance Talk Texas, we break down professional liability insurance — also known as errors and omissions, or E&O — and explain exactly how it protects Texas professionals when a client claims your work caused them financial harm.

We cover the real difference between general liability and professional liability, why E&O pays your legal defense even when a claim is completely false, and the Texas-specific details that catch business owners off guard. Most importantly, we dig into why professional liability is written on a claims-made basis, what the retroactive date actually means, and how a single lapse in coverage can erase protection for years of your past work.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

• The difference between general liability and professional liability (and why you likely need both)
• What errors and omissions insurance actually covers — negligence, mistakes, missed deadlines, and misrepresentation
• Why E&O responds to claims even when you did nothing wrong
• Claims-made vs. occurrence coverage explained in plain English
• The retroactive date and why protecting it is critical when you switch carriers or renew
• Why Texas real estate agents must keep the same retroactive date across carriers
• Tail coverage and extended reporting periods for business owners who retire or close
• Which Texas professions are legally required to carry coverage — and which aren't
• Why your clients and contracts often require E&O even when the state doesn't
• Common exclusions: intentional acts, fraud, criminal conduct, bodily injury, and property damage

This episode is essential for real estate agents, brokers, and inspectors, IT and technology consultants, accountants and bookkeepers, financial advisors, architects and engineers, marketing and design firms, and any professional across Collin County and Denton County who gives advice or delivers a service for a living. If you serve clients in Frisco, McKinney, Plano, Prosper, Allen, or the surrounding North Texas communities, understanding how professional liability works could be the difference between a manageable claim and a business-ending lawsuit.

At Schell Insurance, our team helps North Texas business owners build layered protection that fits their profession — and we track the details, like your retroactive date, that are easy to lose sight of on your own. As a local independent agency, we shop multiple carriers to find coverage that matches your real-world exposure.

Don't wait until a claim shows up. With claims-made coverage, the protection has to be in place before the claim arrives. Get your retroactive date locked in now.

Call Schell Insurance at (972) 423-4546 or visit https://schellinsurance.com to talk with a Texas insurance expert about professional liability coverage for your business.

Serving Frisco, McKinney, Plano, Prosper, Allen, and the greater Collin County and Denton County area.

#TexasInsurance #ProfessionalLiability #ErrorsAndOmissions #EandO #SmallBusinessInsurance #NorthTexas #SchellInsurance #BusinessInsurance #FriscoTX #McKinneyTX #PlanoTX #ProsperTX #AllenTX #CollinCounty #DentonCounty #RealEstateAgents #ITConsultants #InsuranceTalkTexas #BusinessOwners #LiabilityInsurance #TexasBusiness

Call Schell Insurance at (972) 423-4546 for a personalized quote or visit https://schellinsurance.com to learn more about their comprehensive insurance solutions.

Most Texas small business owners think they're covered. Far too many find out they're not until a customer slips, a fire breaks out, or a North Texas hailstorm shreds the roof. In this episode of Insurance Talk Texas, we break down the single most important policy for small businesses in our state: the Business Owners Policy, or BOP. If you run a shop, office, restaurant, or service business in Frisco, McKinney, Plano, Prosper, Allen, or anywhere across Collin and Denton County, this is the foundation your protection should be built on.

A BOP bundles two coverages almost every business needs into one package: general liability and commercial property, usually with business income protection included. Because carriers reward you for packaging it together, a BOP typically costs less than buying those coverages separately while giving you broader, more seamless protection. We walk through exactly what each piece does, where the hidden gaps are, and the Texas-specific details that catch business owners off guard at claim time.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE:

How a Business Owners Policy bundles general liability and commercial property into one cost-effective package

What general liability actually covers: third-party bodily injury, property damage, and personal and advertising injury like libel, slander, and copyright claims

Why standard liability limits work for most small businesses, and when high-traffic Texas operations should consider higher limits or an umbrella policy

What commercial property protects: your building, equipment, inventory, furniture, and signage against fire, theft, vandalism, windstorm, and hail

Why hail is the number one cause of commercial property claims in Texas by volume, and how to prepare for it

The separate wind and hail deductible that surprises owners, often calculated as a percentage of property value rather than a flat amount

How actual cash value roof settlements in North Texas can leave you with far less than full replacement cost

How business income coverage keeps rent and payroll paid when a covered event forces you to close

The critical coverages a BOP does NOT include: commercial auto, workers' compensation, cyber liability, and professional liability

Why flood and earthquake are never part of a standard BOP, and why so many Texas owners wrongly assume flood is covered

WHY THIS MATTERS FOR TEXAS BUSINESSES:

Texas leads the nation in severe weather events, and small businesses face premises liability, property loss, and storm exposure every single year. The difference between a business that survives a bad claim and one that closes for good often comes down to whether the coverage was structured correctly before the loss. A knowledgeable local agent who actually reads your policy, explains your deductible structure, and identifies your gaps is one of the smartest investments you can make.

That's where Schell Insurance comes in. As an independent agency serving North Texas, Schell Insurance helps small business owners build the right BOP foundation and surround it with the additional coverages their operation needs. They compare options, explain the fine print, and make sure the pieces actually fit together so you're not discovering holes on claim day.

GET A PERSONALIZED QUOTE:

Call Schell Insurance at (972) 423-4546 or visit https://schellinsurance.com today. Find out whether a Business Owners Policy is the right starting point for your business, and get coverage built around how you actually operate.

Schell Insurance proudly serves Frisco, McKinney, Plano, Prosper, Allen, and the greater Collin County and Denton County area.

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DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute insurance, legal, or financial advice. Coverage, availability, and terms vary by policy and individual circumstances. Please consult a licensed insurance professional regarding your specific situation.

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