Biotech R&D Insurance Coverage Checklist
The coverages a biotech r&d business may carry — core, prevalent, and situational — why each matters, and the gap most often missed.
Pull out your current policy and check the box next to any coverage you can confirm is already in place — anything unchecked is worth a quick conversation with your advisor. Coverage checklist for biotechnology research and development companies. Priorities reflect typical exposure for this class; confirm against your actual lab, pipeline, and partners.
Tick each coverage you can confirm you carry — anything left unticked is a good question for your next policy review.
| Have it? | Coverage | Why this business needs it | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Property (incl. | Research Materials) Covers lab equipment, build-out, and cell lines and samples — confirm how research materials are valued. | Core | |
| Spoilage / Change in Temperature | Pays when freezers, cryo units, or power fail and materials are lost. | Core | |
| General Liability | Covers lab visitors, shared-space neighbors, and landlord claims. | Core | |
| Workers' Compensation | Covers lab staff exposed to chemicals, biologics, and sharps. | Core | |
| Directors & Officers Liability | Covers founders and boards against investor and shareholder claims. | Core | |
| Pollution Liability | Covers chemical and biological releases that general liability excludes. | Prevalent | |
| Equipment Breakdown | Covers sequencers, bioreactors, and HVAC that keep the lab running. | Prevalent | |
| Cyber Liability | Covers research data, ransomware, and partner data. | Prevalent | |
| Products / Clinical Trials Liability | Needed for reagents sold and before the first human trial. | Situational | |
| Transit / Cargo | Covers samples and materials shipped to partners and CROs. | Situational |
The coverage gap most often missed
The gap most often missed by biotech R&D companies is how research materials are valued. A property policy may pay only the cost of supplies, not the months of work needed to recreate a cell line or biobank, and spoilage from a freezer or power failure is often limited or excluded unless added. Schedule the true replacement value and time to recreate, add spoilage coverage, and keep duplicate stocks at a second location.
Send us the checklist and we'll review your biotech r&d coverage line by line, then market it across multiple carriers that compete for your account.
Related: Biotech R&D Insurance · Biotech R&D Supplemental (apply) · All coverage checklists
Frequently asked questions
What insurance does a biotech r&d business need?
The core coverages for a biotech r&d business are Commercial Property (incl., Spoilage / Change in Temperature, General Liability, Workers' Compensation, Directors & Officers Liability. This checklist also lists the prevalent and situational coverages worth considering, with a plain-English note on why each matters.
Is this checklist insurance advice?
No. It is a free educational tool to help you have a more informed conversation with a licensed professional. It affords no coverage and is not insurance, legal, or financial advice — only your actual policy language governs what is and isn't covered.
Can Cory Washington & Co. review my biotech r&d coverage?
Yes. Share your checklist and we'll review your program line by line, market your account across multiple carriers, and explain the trade-offs in plain English. Cory Washington & Co. LLC is licensed in all 50 states.
This checklist is a free educational tool from Cory Washington & Co. to help you review your own coverage and have a more informed conversation with a licensed insurance professional. It is general information only — not insurance, legal, or financial advice, and not a recommendation to buy, change, or cancel any policy. Coverage terms, availability, limits, and requirements vary by policy, carrier, and state, and only the language in your actual policy governs what is and isn’t covered. Checking or leaving blank any item above does not indicate that you are adequately insured or under-insured. Using this checklist does not create a client, agency, or fiduciary relationship. Always consult a licensed professional about your specific situation.