General liability offers broad protection against some of the most fundamental risks companies face. Known as “slip-and-fall” or “all-risk” insurance, this policy covers personal or property damage and bodily injury occurring on the business premises.
No matter the size of your business — from tiny startups to mid-markets to massive corporations — plenty of risks pummel each industry. Traditional “slip-and-fall” claims are only the tip of the iceberg in terms of the extensive vulnerabilities you might face. Consider what happens when an employee bumps a client’s laptop off the desk’s edge accidentally, sending the device to its demise. Likewise, who pays for the medical expenses of a vendor who sustains injuries after falling during their weekly delivery to your facility?
Small businesses
Nearly 40% of small business owners will likely experience a general liability claim in the next decade.
Property renters
Many General liability claims involve accidents that occur on the property, such as scratching the hard-wood floor of a rented office space.
Companies with visiting customers
Customers are injured regularly after slipping and falling while visiting businesses — it’s the notorious “slip-and-fall” claim scenario.
Why you need General Liability Insurance
Summary
These everyday situations, and many more, require the broad coverage of general liability insurance. This policy protects companies against third-party lawsuits involving bodily injury and personal or property damage. Also, think about skyrocketing defense costs and advertising injuries that could cause financial hemorrhaging to your hard-earned assets. General liability insurance safeguards your business from an array of exposures. More importantly, this coverage is the ultimate foundation of a robust risk management plan.
Reasons for getting General Liability Insurance
Protects your company against the cost of third-party claims
Protects your customer’s property, whether bodily or personal
Protects your company’s assets against legal obligations
Personal injury
General Liability responds to personal injury suits, such as a competitor suing you for slander after you launched a new marketing campaign.
Third-party bodily injury
If you are visiting a client’s space and accidentally spill your hot vanilla latte in your client’s lap, causing burns that require medical attention, this policy would respond.
Insured contract
A company indemnifies their landlord in the lease agreement. The company modifies the space and installs new water piping. During a cold winter night, the pipes rupture and fill the common areas of the building, shorting out the elevator and causing $100,000 in damage. The landlord requires payment from the company under the indemnity agreement in their lease to fix the damages caused by the company’s installation.
What Does General Liability Insurance Cover
General Liability Insurance protects your company from some of the fundamental risks that come with running a business. This policy covers a wide range of risks by paying for the costs of litigation as well as restitution for the injury. These costs can include court-awarded damages, settlements, and medical costs.
"Slip-and-fall" claims
A vendor visits your office in your coworking space, trips on a power cord and hits his head.
Property damage
Perhaps you visit your client’s new space bearing housewarming gifts of coffee and muffins. On your way through the office, you accidentally spill the coffee onto some high-end computers and monitors, not to mention the brand new carpet.
Products liability
Suppose your shoe company has sold 10,000 units. Suddenly reports come in that a manufacturing defect is causing the heel of the shoe to detach and customers are getting hurt. You’re sure that, since the shoes were manufactured in China by a Chinese company, you’re off the hook. The pained look on your lawyer’s face makes you think you may be wrong…(you probably are).
Damage to rented space
Maybe you shut down your office for a long weekend not realizing that you’ve left a space heater on. It’s not a very good space heater: a fire sparks, destroying most of the office. Your landlord sues for the damages.
Personal injury
While speaking to a potential client, you make a regrettable comment about a competitor. The competitor finds out and considers your comments to be slanderous.
Advertising injury
In an email blast to your full mailing list, you use a catchy tag line to get people’s attention. It works! But unfortunately you inadvertently plagiarized another company’s content and they come calling.
General Liability Insurance Claim Examples
Here are some claim examples that illustrate what General Liability Insurance covers
A prospective client drops by a startup accounting firm’s office. While walking among a particularly lively group of auditors, the prospective client is knocked to the ground by an oblivious CPA and suffers a broken arm. The medical costs amount to $20,000 and the client also seeks compensation for lost wages and mental anguish.
A software sales rep is visiting the new office of one of her prospective clients, coffee and bagels in hand. She trips over a power strip, sending her (and the coffee) careening toward a group of towers, monitors and drives that were just delivered. Crushing embarrassment aside, she’s alright, but unfortunately the impact and the liquid cause over $18,000 in property damage.
A company indemnifies their landlord in the lease agreement. The company modifies the space and installs new water piping. During a cold winter night, the pipes rupture and fill the common areas of the building, shorting out the elevator and causing $100,000 in damage. The landlord requires payment from the company under the indemnity agreement in their lease to fix the damages caused by the company’s installation.
General Liability Insurance FAQs
Liability limits vary, depending on a company’s needs. Different industries have various exposure and require a specialized approach. It’s best to decide on General Liability limits with the guidance of an expert insurance professional.
The cost of General Liability insurance will depend on several things, including the company’s size and the company’s stage of development. Other factors include:
Exposures: risks being insured.
Company practices: views on safety, compliance, and risk management.
Program structure: the amount of deductible and willingness for a company to assume more risk
Claims history: the type and amount of past claims against the company
How it works
Finding insurance coverage doesn’t have to be painful. We aim to make the purchasing experience as streamlined & intuitive as possible.
1
Get a quote
Use our custom built online portal to get quotes fast. We automate clerical tasks that plague the traditional insurance brokerages, giving us more time to be responsive and alert to your company’s needs.
1
Get a quote
Use our custom built online portal to get quotes fast. We automate clerical tasks that plague the traditional insurance brokerages, giving us more time to be responsive and alert to your company’s needs.
2
Pair with a specialist
No two organizations are the same. Our team of coverage experts partners with your team to engineer your risk management strategy, together. We take the time to understand the intricacies of your company to get you the best possible coverage.
2
Pair with a specialist
No two organizations are the same. Our team of coverage experts partners with your team to engineer your risk management strategy, together. We take the time to understand the intricacies of your company to get you the best possible coverage.
3
Stay one step ahead
To do better, you need to know better. With changing political, technological, legal and economic landscapes, staying ahead of the curve is critical.
Our in-house team is tapped into the latest developments of your industry, proactively ensuring you’re covered.
3
Stay one step ahead
To do better, you need to know better. With changing political, technological, legal and economic landscapes, staying ahead of the curve is critical.
Our in-house team is tapped into the latest developments of your industry, proactively ensuring you’re covered.
Vendors, cities, partners, investors, etc.— often require specific insurance policies as a part of a contract. We breakdown why and what you need to know
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