Why Dental Labs Need Product Liability Insurance 

Your dental lab probably provides its fair share of implants, dentures, crowns and other devices that can significantly improve the user’s overall oral health. Both dentists and patients therefore rely on you to produce quality workmanship that will last. They also want these items to be free from defects or damage that could actually wind up hurting someone in a worst-case scenario. 

Of course, you don’t want your products to harm someone. Still, given that you create items that go into someone’s mouth (a small, ultra-sensitive area) you can’t eliminate the risk of someone claiming that they sustained harm, and blaming you for it. When problems like these arise, product liability insurance will be a lifeline in helping you address the issue. 

What is product liability insurance? 

Your business’s commercial general liability insurance will usually cover situations where your actions, mistakes or negligence accidentally cause bodily injury to someone else.  

Liability policies are necessary for businesses because of the fact that no matter how hard you try you cannot eliminate the risk that someone might get hurt due to your mistakes. Because someone else’s injury happened on your watch, they might expect you to repay them. As a result, your bodily injury liability insurance can help you do so. 

Product liability insurance makes bodily injury liability coverage a bit more specific. It applies to the fact that items you make could cause someone harm when they use them. While you will naturally have done appropriate quality control, you still cannot eliminate the risk of something going wrong. This coverage will ensure that you have the financial backing to compensate the person making the claim that your creations harmed them. 

When will I need to use it? 

Your dental lab deals creates very fine, complicated and unique pieces of work. They will go into someone’s mouth, and even the smallest defects might cause that person significant pain, exacerbated oral health issues, and thousands of dollars in additional dental work. 

Suppose for example that you create an implant for someone which, when inserted, fits improperly and causes significant damage to their jawbone. It’s easy to understand why, if the problem arises from the piece rather than the dental work, the patient might blame you instead of the dentist. They might sue you for the additional compensation they need to cover the costs of your mistakes. 

Under the circumstances, your product liability insurance can provide the affected party with the appropriate settlement, and your plan can also cover your legal fees that might result from a lawsuit. Therefore, work with your insurance agent to determine the appropriate way to structure your coverage so that it minimizes your business’s personal financial loss resulting from a claim.