The claim that hurts most is the one that closes your doors
Shrink is painful. But the event that can wipe out a year of profit is a closure. A burst pipe. A small fire. A flood in a neighbouring unit. An order to vacate. Rent, payroll, and vendor obligations keep running even when sales drop to zero.
Ontario retailers face a mix of modern risks: higher claim severity, tighter margins, and more volatility from weather and infrastructure events. If you operate across Canada, the complexity multiplies fast.
The retail gaps we see most often
• Inventory values that lag reality, especially around seasonal peaks
• Business interruption that is too low, or missing extra expense
• Deductibles that do not match cash flow
• Crime coverage that is narrow, or does not include employee dishonesty
• Liability limits that do not match lease requirements and landlord expectations
• Cyber and fraud exposure tied to POS systems, vendors, and customer data
• Off premises stock and transit exposure that is not properly covered
The retail coverage structure that works
• Property and stock values that reflect today, not last renewal
• Business interruption built on gross profit and realistic restoration timelines
• Extra expense coverage for temporary operations and accelerated reopening
• Crime coverage that matches real patterns and internal controls
• Cyber coverage aligned with transaction volume and vendor stack
• Liability limits aligned to leases, contracts, and location profile
Multi location retail in Ontario and Canada
Once you run multiple locations, consistency matters more than price. One poorly worded location endorsement can create a gap that impacts the whole program.
A strong multi location approach includes:
• Standardized wording across locations
• Deductible strategy that does not destabilize cash flow
• Centralized certificate and contract tracking
• Claims process that prioritizes reopening speed
FAQ
**Why do retailers underestimate business interruption?** Because it is easy to focus on revenue and forget gross profit, fixed expenses, and the true time to reopen.
**Is cyber really a retail problem?** Yes. Even a small incident can trigger payment processing disruption, fraud loss, and customer notification costs.
**What should I review every year?** Stock values, gross profit assumptions, deductibles, and landlord requirements.
Talk to Boardwalk
If you have not reviewed your business interruption numbers in the last year, you are guessing. Boardwalk helps Ontario retailers build programs that protect profit during closures and stay consistent as you expand across Canada.