![\"Glasses](\"https:\/\/www.insurancebee.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/IMG_3387-Joe-Buckingham.jpg\" "\\"IMG_3387")
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Here at the hive, our clients do like to grill us about general risk management and good business practice.<\/p>\n
And why not? Although we\u2019re not legal advisors, we can at least point you in the right direction.<\/p>\n
Every now and then though, we like to turn the tables and get our clients thinking about that sort of thing for themselves (after a gentle nudge in the right direction).<\/p>\n
Take this fairly typical conversation about Terms and Conditions for example:<\/p>\n
InsuranceBee<\/strong>: OK, small consultancy owner – what do you<\/em> think are the best ways to protect your business?<\/p>\n Client<\/em><\/strong>: Good question. Since you\u2019re a business insurance broker, I\u2019m guessing you want me to say professional liability insurance?<\/em><\/p>\n InsuranceBee<\/strong>: Well, naturally! Anything else?<\/p>\n Client<\/em><\/strong>: Erm, having a smart lawyer and a wily accountant would probably help. Maybe even a small business adviser too\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n InsuranceBee<\/strong>: You\u2019re getting warmer. Have you thought about written Terms and Conditions?<\/p>\n Client<\/em><\/strong>: No, not really. Any reason why I should?<\/em><\/p>\n InsuranceBee<\/strong>: Yes. They demonstrate your credibility and show that you\u2019re serious about your business (and how you do business).<\/p>\n Client<\/em><\/strong>: OK InsuranceBee, I\u2019m intrigued. What else?<\/em><\/p>\n InsuranceBee<\/strong>: Well, they form the basis of the contract between you and your client. They lay out the terms upon which you\u2019re doing business and protect your interests in the event of a dispute. And that\u2019s really important.<\/p>\n Client<\/strong><\/em>: It certainly is. I can see how they\u2019d be useful but aren\u2019t they a bit heavy-handed for my business? We\u2019re pretty small\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n InsuranceBee<\/strong>: Not necessarily. Ts & Cs don\u2019t have to be twenty pages long and drowning in legal terms. If you\u2019re sending a quote or a job spec to a client, a one-page attachment outlining what\u2019s expected from both parties can often suffice.<\/p>\n Every business needs some protection. Small needn\u2019t mean vulnerable after all\u2026<\/p>\n Client<\/em><\/strong>: Good point. I think I\u2019ll look into it. How do I get started?<\/em><\/p>\n InsuranceBee<\/strong>: Although you know your business and your clients better than anyone else, it\u2019s best not to try and write your own Ts & Cs. We recommend getting in touch with a legal professional – ideally a lawyer who\u2019s a specialist in your area of business.<\/p>\n Give them a good idea about what you do and how you work. It shouldn\u2019t take too much time to draw up Ts & Cs that match your procedures.<\/p>\n