What is a key difference between profits and gross earnings in Business Interruption Coverage?

Profits coverage is designed to include not only the lost profits during the interruption period but also the ordinary payroll expenses that are necessary for the operation of the business. This aspect of coverage is important because it recognizes that maintaining certain employee payrolls can be essential to correctly reinstating operations once the business is back up and running; thus, they are typically covered under profits coverage.

In contrast, gross earnings coverage is more focused on the raw income generated by the business before operating expenses are deducted. It calculates the lost earnings without factoring in payroll—which is viewed as a variable cost rather than a necessary fixed expense during periods of business interruption.

This distinction highlights the broader scope of what profits coverage encompasses compared to gross earnings, particularly regarding payroll. Therefore, recognizing that ordinary payroll is part of profits coverage is pivotal when assessing the impact of business interruption on a company's finances.