General Liability Insurance

Liability claims are devastating to businesses both large and small, so it is important to have standard protection.  One claim against your business can wreck a financial hardship that might have you closing your doors for good.

General Liability Insurance is also known as Commercial General Liability (CGL).  This is a common policy that protects almost every business. It can maintain your safety as an owner and the safety of your customers. Your CGL policy protects you if someone sues for property damage or bodily injury. This policy can be standalone or bundled into a Business Owners Policy (BOP).  A BOP adds coverage. It can range from the computers and desks to the dwelling you rent. This policy is not required by law, but it is an incredibly useful policy to keep.

To protect your business and the items with which you operate it , a business owner is making a smart decision to purchase a CGL or a BOP insurance policy.

 … some additional coverages:

  • Third-Party Bodily Injury: Someone might try to sue you because they got injured on your business property — e.g., a customer trips and falls on your rug.  This can create a lawsuit. Your CGL policy will protect you.
  • Third-Party Property Damage: If you run a business that works on the properties of others, you know well that you must be careful not to damage anything.  But if one of your employees accidentally scratches someone’s door frame, this is property damage. Your CGL policy will protect you.
  • Reputational Harm: You might get sued for libel or slander whether you realized you were performing these actions or not.  The fees for such lawsuits can be very costly. Your CGL policy will help you if this happens. A simple example: your competitor insists you copied their product. After serving you with a lawsuit, there would be little you could do except fight back in court. Your CGL policy will make sure you do  not have to pay for these expenses out-of-pocket.
  • Advertising Injury: This type of injury can cause just as much damage as physical injury. If another business in the same market claims that your advertising resembles theirs too closely, you can get sued. If they insist your advertising hurts their business, your CGL policy gives you the funds to cover a legal team to represent you, witness fees, evidence costs, and judgments or settlements.