Key Man Insurance

Key man insurance pays out when an invaluable team member dies or, more commonly, becomes disabled. For many small businesses, the only truly indispensable person is the owner -- in which case it may merely duplicate individual life and disability policies. The exceptions include partnerships, for which these policies are often used to buy out a member or his heirs, and companies in which a particular employee possesses technical or highly specialized skills or knowledge that can't be easily replaced. When you buy it, buy enough to cover the cost of finding a replacement and maintaining support staff and facilities until the new person begins to earn his keep. Key man disability is separate from key man life and usually limited to a percentage of the person's income.