A customer trips and knocks a display into your front window. The glass shatters and you can’t leave the premises unsecured. You arrange an emergency glazier, board up overnight and replace the broken pane and fixed signage.

Why it’s covered: Glass insurance may help pay to repair or replace fixed glass at your premises, like windows, doors or signs, after accidental breakage.

A small electrical fire in the storeroom leaves smoke damage across the shop. The fire brigade says you must close while cleaning and repairs are done. You lose sales for a week, cancel bookings and still pay rent and wages.

Why it’s covered: Business interruption can help with lost income and some ongoing costs when insured damage stops you trading, for the insured period.

You open up and find the back door forced. Laptops, tools and high value stock are gone and the lock and frame are smashed. You pay a locksmith, replace key items and hire temporary security while you reset the shop.

Why it’s covered: Theft insurance may respond when contents or stock are stolen after forcible entry and may cover break-in damage, where insured.

A wild storm lifts roof sheets overnight. Rain pours into your premises and soaks stock, shelving and your EFTPOS terminal. You close for two days while repairs happen, then reorder essentials and replace damaged equipment to reopen.

Why it’s covered: Property and contents insurance may help repair or replace insured stock and equipment damaged by storm or rainwater, up to your limit.

A phishing email leads to ransomware on your office computers. Your POS and booking system go down, customer data is corrupted and you lose a week of trading. You claim for data recovery and lost income, but there is no physical damage to insured property.

Why it’s not covered: Cyber incidents and data loss are often excluded unless you add cyber cover. Data isn’t physical property, so file loss or outages can be excluded.

A staff member skims cash and edits invoices over several weeks. You only spot it after a stocktake and a profit-and-loss review. You submit a claim for the missing money and stock, but there’s no clear event date or supporting proof beyond the numbers.

Why it’s not covered: Fraud or dishonesty by you is excluded. Employee dishonesty cover, if selected, has strict rules and stocktake-only shortages may be excluded.

After a tough month, a business owner sets a small fire in the storeroom to try to claim for damaged stock and fit-out. Or a friend damages equipment with the owner’s approval. The claim looks like an accident at first, but the evidence shows it was deliberate.

Why it’s not covered: Policies don’t cover loss or damage caused on purpose by you, family, or anyone acting with your consent. Insurance is for unexpected accidents.

Your café fridge has been running hot for months. One day it stops and you lose a full day’s stock. You claim for a new fridge and spoiled food, but the cause turns out to be rust, worn parts and mould inside the unit, not a sudden insured event like fire or storm.

Why it’s not covered: Policies often exclude gradual issues like wear and tear, rust, mould, vermin and depreciation. It’s maintenance, not a sudden insured event.