What is "business interruption insurance"

n. insurance that provides protection for the loss of profits and continuing fixed expenses resulting from a break in commerical activities due to the occurrence of a peril

Business interruption insurance (also known as business income insurance) is a type of insurance that covers the loss of income that a business suffers after a disaster. The income loss covered may be due to disaster-related closing of the business facility or due to the rebuilding process after a disaster.

It differs from property insurance in that a property insurance policy only covers the physical damage to the business, while the additional coverage allotted by the business interruption policy covers the profits that would have been earned. This extra policy provision is applicable to all types of businesses, as it is designed to put a business in the same financial position it would have been in if no loss had occurred.

This type of coverage is not sold as a stand-alone policy, but can be added onto the business' property insurance policy or comprehensive package policy such as a business owner's policy (BOP). Since business interruption is included as part of the business' primary policy, it only pays out if the cause of the loss is covered by the overarching policy.