A customer gets hurt at your shop, or a job you finish damages someone else’s property. General Liability can help your business respond to certain claims like these. We’ll help you understand what a policy may cover and what your customers or landlord may ask for.
Get a General Liability QuoteA visitor is injured and says your business was responsible.
Your operations accidentally damage someone else’s property.
Certain claims, such as libel or slander, may be covered when they fit the policy’s definition.
A policy can also help defend covered claims. Employee injuries, professional errors, and auto accidents typically call for separate coverage.
A plumber finishes a repair, then a connection leaks and damages the customer’s cabinets and flooring. A General Liability policy may respond to covered damage to other property. The cost of redoing the faulty work itself may be excluded. The timing, policy terms, and exclusions all matter.
Claims can come in after you’ve sold a product or finished a job. If a customer says a meal from your restaurant, catering business, or food truck made them sick, the products-completed operations portion of a Commercial General Liability policy may respond, depending on policy terms and exclusions.
Food spoilage, contamination losses to your own business, product recalls, and automobile incidents may call for other coverage. Tell your agent where you prepare food, what you sell, and how you deliver it.
The each occurrence limit is the most the policy generally pays for covered damages from one occurrence. The general aggregate caps what it pays for certain claims in total during the policy period. Products-completed operations often has its own aggregate.
You may see a request for $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate. Compare the actual contract wording with your policy, including any separate limits or endorsements.
An Additional Insured endorsement can extend certain coverage to a landlord, customer, or project owner. A contract may also ask for primary and noncontributory wording, a waiver of subrogation, or a per-project aggregate. Send us the requirements so we can check availability and wording.
A Certificate of Insurance provides evidence of coverage. An endorsement changes the policy.
Whether you operate a restaurant, manage a retail store, run an office, or provide services at customers’ homes, accidents can happen. General Liability Insurance can help protect your business from certain third-party bodily injury, property damage, and personal or advertising injury claims.
A diner slips on a wet floor and is injured.
General Liability may help respond to a covered bodily injury claim. If a diner says your food made them sick, the products liability portion may apply, depending on the policy. See Products & Completed Operations.
A customer trips over merchandise in an aisle.
An unstable display can also injure a shopper. Premises liability matters when customers visit your store, even if you rent the space.
A visiting client trips over a conference-room cord.
A premises injury can be a General Liability claim even when your team works at desks. A claim that your advice or professional services caused a financial loss is generally a Professional Liability question.
A gardener accidentally breaks a customer’s window.
An independent gardener can face property damage claims even when the work does not require a contractor license. Tell your agent what you do, from routine maintenance to larger projects.
A cleaner damages a customer’s flooring.
A visitor could also slip on a freshly mopped floor. Ask your agent how the policy treats damage to the specific property you are working on.
A minor repair accidentally damages nearby property.
Insurance can still be valuable when work qualifies for a licensing exemption. Whether the exemption applies depends on the job and California’s requirements.
A customer says food they bought made them ill.
Products liability may respond to a covered claim. A customer could also slip near the service window, or vendor equipment could damage a venue’s property. Vehicle-related claims may need commercial auto coverage. See Products & Completed Operations.
A display tips over and injures a shopper.
Cities, property owners, and event organizers may ask for insurance and a Certificate of Insurance. Check the requirements for the specific permit, venue, or event.
Buying insurance and getting licensed are separate steps. A gardener, independent cleaner, or handyman doing qualifying minor work may be eligible for General Liability even when the work does not require a contractor license. Insurers have their own eligibility rules.
In California, contractor licensing depends on the nature and total value of the work and whether the job requires a permit or involves hired help. Check the rules for your work and location. You may still need a city business license, permits, or registrations. Insurance does not authorize work that requires a license.
Commercial landlords, property managers, cities, event organizers, farmers markets, general contractors, project owners, commercial customers, vendors, and shopping center owners may all ask for proof of insurance.
They may specify limits, Additional Insured wording, or other terms. The right policy can help satisfy the insurance portion of those requirements and protect your business against covered claims. Check licensing, permit, and health department requirements separately.
Whether you’re a contractor, restaurant owner, retailer, independent cleaner, gardener, handyman, or mobile food vendor, we can help you explore coverage options. Tell us your industry and what your business does so we can start with the right information.