Workers' compensation
Most employers are required by law to provide workers' compensation insurance through a state system operated by the Department of Labor & Industries. Worker comp pays an employee's medical expenses and provides some income replacement when a worker is injured on the job.

Foreign-product liability
This coverage applies to losses that occur because of difficulties involved in distributing or acquiring items that are manufactured by foreign suppliers.

Preferred Provider Organization (PPO)
PPOs are comparable to indemnity plans, although they require subscribers to choose their health-care providers and health-care facilities from a preferred-provider list. Because the preferred providers have agreed to the plan's requirements, including discounted fees, subscribers have a financial incentive to stay within the network.

COBRA Benefits
COBRA stands for “Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985,” which requires companies with 20 or more employees to offer separating employees the option to continue their group health-care coverage at their own expense.

Indemnity
Indemnity plans are also referred to as “fee-for-service.” Unlike managed-care plans, indemnity plans allow absolute freedom in selecting physicians or medical facilities and permit self-referral to a specialist.

Professional liability
Often called “malpractice insurance” or “errors and omissions coverage,” these policies protect professionals such as accountants, lawyers, doctors, dentists, pharmacists, insurance brokers and agents, and consultants, for negligence that injures their clients.

Employment practices
This kind of coverage will help defend against employment-related claims such as sexual harassment, age discrimination, or wrongful termination. Some policies offer legal assistance; others may pay both legal costs and damages.

Basic Hospital
Basic-hospital plans cover only in-hospital (inpatient) care, not other services. This benefit also may be limited to an approved or network facility. Hospitalization in a different facility may qualify for less coverage or none at all.

Stand-Alone Life
This plan type provides life insurance but does not include any other coverage.

Long-Term Disability (LTD)
Long-term-disability plans provide income for an individual who cannot work because of an illness, disease, or non-occupational injury. Most plans require that the individual be a full-time employee for at least one year before the disability coverage applies.