What Does General Liability Usually Cover For A Tech Company?

General Liability Insurance, often a foundational aspect of a tech company's insurance portfolio, is designed to offer broad protection against common risks that businesses encounter. For tech companies, this coverage is tailored to address the unique exposures that arise from their operations. Here are several key components typically covered under General Liability Insurance for tech companies:

1.  Bodily Injury and Property Damage: This covers the company if someone (not an employee) is injured or their property is damaged as a result of the company's operations or while on the company's premises. For instance, if a visitor trips over a computer cable at a tech company's office and is injured, this coverage could protect the company against claims related to the injury.
2.  Personal and Advertising Injury: It provides protection against lawsuits that may arise from alleged slander, libel, and copyright or brand infringement in advertising. For tech companies, this is particularly relevant given the digital nature of their product or service promotion, where the risk of inadvertently infringing on intellectual property or causing reputational harm can be higher than in other industries.
3.  Product Liability: Although not all general liability policies include this coverage, it's crucial for tech companies, especially those producing hardware or physical products. It covers injuries or damages caused by a company's products. For software companies, a separate product liability policy called a Technology Errors and Omissions policy often offers similar protection for software products and services.
4.  Legal Defense Costs: General Liability Insurance typically includes coverage for legal defense costs in the case of a lawsuit, regardless of the lawsuit's outcome. This can include attorney fees, court costs, settlements, and judgments. For tech companies facing litigation, this aspect of general liability can provide significant financial relief.
5.  Medical Payments: This coverage can come into play if someone is injured on the company's premises or as a result of the company's operations, offering to pay for the medical expenses of the injured party. This can be particularly useful in mitigating small claims that might otherwise turn into larger lawsuits.

It's important to note that while General Liability Insurance covers a wide range of potential claims, it does not cover professional errors, cyber liability, employee injuries, or damage to the company's own property.

Therefore, tech companies often need to complement their General Liability coverage with other types of insurance, such as Professional Liability (Errors and Omissions), Cyber Liability, Workers’ Compensation, and Commercial Property insurance, to ensure a comprehensive risk management strategy.

Given the fast-evolving nature of technology and associated risks, tech companies should work closely with their insurance brokers to ensure that their coveragSee lesse remains adequate as their operations grow and change

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09/12/2024