What is general liability insurance?
Commercial general liability insurance addresses common claims arising from premises, operations, products, and completed work.
It is often foundational, but it does not replace coverage for professional errors, vehicles, employees, cyber events, or every contract requirement.
What it commonly protects
The exact response depends on the policy form, endorsements, limits, and facts of a claim.
Bodily injury
Covered injuries to customers, visitors, or other third parties.
Property damage
Covered damage to property belonging to someone else.
Products and completed work
Certain claims arising after a product is sold or work is finished.
Defense costs
Legal defense for covered suits, subject to policy terms.
Common limitations and gaps
- Professional services and advice may require professional liability.
- Business vehicles generally require commercial auto coverage.
- Pollution, cyber, employment, and liquor exposures may be excluded or limited.
- Contractual liability and additional-insured requirements vary.
What affects coverage needs
- Operations, locations, revenue, and customer traffic
- Products, completed work, and subcontractor use
- Contracts, certificates, and additional-insured obligations
- Prior claims and requested limits
What to compare between policies
- Occurrence versus claims-made structure
- Products-completed operations treatment
- Defense provisions, exclusions, and endorsements
- Per-occurrence and aggregate limits
A practical next step
Gather current policies, a clear description of operations, property and equipment values, vehicle and employee information, major contracts, and recent loss history. Those details make it easier to compare coverage as well as price.
Coverage availability, terms, limits, and eligibility vary by insurer and state. Coverage can be confirmed only by the issued policy and applicable endorsements.