General Liability Insurance

In today’s litigious society, even small mishaps can result in large lawsuits. That’s why general liability insurance, along with property and worker’s compensation insurance, is essential for most companies. Liability insurance protects the assets of a business when it is sued for something it did (or didn’t do) to cause an injury or property damage.

General liability insurance can be purchased separately or as part of a businessowners policy (BOP). A BOP bundles property and liability insurance into one policy; however, the liability coverage limits are generally pretty low. Businesses that need more coverage usually purchase liability insurance as a separate policy. The amount of coverage a business needs depends on a couple of factors:

• Perceived risk. Business owners should first consider the amount of risk associated with their business. For example, a business that manufactures heavy machinery is at a greater risk of being sued than a company that manufactures linens, and would therefore need more liability insurance.
• The state in which you operate. Businesses that operate in states with a history of awarding high damage amounts to plaintiffs typically need to carry liability insurance with higher coverage limits. An insurance broker can offer guidance in this area.

How General Liability Works

Under a general liability insurance policy, the insurer is obligated to pay the legal costs of a business in a covered liability claim or lawsuit. Covered liability claims include bodily injury, property damage, personal injury, and advertising injury (damage from slander or false advertising). The insurance company also covers compensatory and general damages. Punitive damages aren’t covered under general liability insurance policies because they’re considered to be punishment for intentional acts.

General liability insurance policies always state a maximum amount that the insurer will pay during the policy period. Usually these policies also list the maximum amount the insurer will pay per occurrence. For example, if a company has a $1 million occurrence cap in its liability policy and it’s successfully sued for $1.5 million, the insurer would pay $1 million and the business would be responsible for paying $500,000.

To cover these types of situations, many companies purchase umbrella liability insurance, which picks up where their general liability coverage ends. Umbrella liability covers payments that exceed their other policy’s limits, and provides additional coverage for liabilities not covered in a standard liability insurance policy.

Other General Liability Coverages:

The following are additional general liability coverages that are often available.

Professional Liability (E&O)

E&O covers professionals for negligence and errors or omissions that injure their clients. In addition to covering licensed professionals such as accountants, attorneys, insurance agents, architect and engineers, technology companies frequently have a professional liability exposure. This typically arises from the fact that the general liability policy excludes damage to data. Technology E&O can protect your company in the event that your negligence, error, or omission causes damage to a third party’s data. We recommend that all professional and technology companies have E&O coverage.

Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI)

Employment Practices Liability Insurance for employers that covers employment-related liabilities other than on the job injuries. EPLI will cover legal fees and damages for suits such as wrongful termination, discrimination, sexual harassment, and other alleged violations of employees’ legal rights. Although only three percent of Employment Practices lawsuits go in favor of the plaintiff, the average cost to defend yourself in one of these is well over $200,000. If you have employees, we recommend considering this coverage.

Directors and Officers (D&O)

D&O covers directors and officers of a company for negligent acts or omissions and for misleading statements that result in lawsuits against the company. There are a variety of D&O coverages. Corporate reimbursement coverage indemnifies directors and officers of the organization. Side-A coverage provides D&O coverage for personal liability when directors and officers are not indemnified by the firm. Entity coverage, for claims made specifically against the company, is also available. D&O policies may be broadened to include coverage for employment practices liability.

• Be sure employees are properly trained;
• The state in which you operate.
• How General Liability Works Under a general liability insurance policy, the insurer is