General liability insurance
Coverage for the work
when it affects someone else
General liability is the policy most contracts ask for. The real question is whether it understands what your company does, where it does it, and what can happen after the job is complete.
What it covers
The liability around everyday operations
General liability addresses covered injury and damage involving other people and their property. It can follow the business from its premises to active work and, in qualifying claims, into products or completed operations.
- 01
Bodily injury
Helps with covered claims alleging that business premises, operations, products, or completed work injured another person.
- 02
Property damage
Helps with covered claims alleging that the business damaged property belonging to a customer, landlord, or other third party.
- 03
Products and completed work
Can address covered injury or damage caused by products or completed operations after they leave the business’s direct control.
- 04
Personal and advertising injury
Can cover certain allegations such as qualifying libel, slander, or advertising injury, subject to policy definitions and exclusions.
- 05
Medical payments
May pay smaller covered medical expenses for a person injured on the premises or by operations without first establishing negligence.
- 06
Legal defense
Provides a defense for covered lawsuits and helps pay covered settlements or judgments within the policy’s terms and limits.
Where policies differ
A certificate is only the summary
The certificate proves that a policy exists. It does not show whether the operation is classified correctly, the contract is supported, subcontractors are handled, or a major exclusion reaches the work.
Six details worth reading before the next contract asks for proof.
- 01
Occurrence and aggregate limits
The per-occurrence limit addresses one covered event. The aggregate limits how much the policy can pay across the policy period.
- 02
Accurate operations
Classifications and descriptions should reflect every service, product, territory, and completed operation the business actually performs.
- 03
Additional insured requirements
Contracts may require another party to receive limited protection under your policy, but the endorsement and wording matter.
- 04
Subcontractor controls
Written agreements, certificates, and subcontractor insurance can affect eligibility, pricing, audits, and how a claim is handled.
- 05
Your work and your product
General liability is not a warranty. Exclusions can limit the cost of replacing defective work or the product itself.
- 06
Professional and cyber claims
Advice, design errors, data incidents, employment disputes, and auto accidents usually require coverage beyond general liability.
Common general liability questions
What does general liability insurance actually cover?
General liability insurance can cover claims alleging bodily injury, property damage, and certain personal or advertising injuries caused by business premises, operations, products, or completed work. It can also provide a legal defense for covered lawsuits. Policy definitions, classifications, exclusions, and limits determine the actual protection.
What limits do business contracts usually require?
Many contracts request $1 million per occurrence and $2 million in the general aggregate, but requirements vary by landlord, customer, contractor, and project. Contracts may also request additional insured status, waivers, or primary wording. We read the actual insurance section instead of relying on a typical number.
Does general liability cover my own work being redone?
General liability is not a performance guarantee and often excludes the cost of repairing or replacing the insured’s own defective work or product. Resulting injury or damage to other property may be treated differently. The contract, facts, and policy language determine the outcome, so assumptions are risky.
Is general liability enough on its own?
Usually not. General liability does not replace commercial property, auto, workers compensation, professional liability, cyber, employment practices, or an umbrella. Which additional policies matter depends on the business. We start with the operation and contracts, then map what the general liability policy leaves outside.
Bring the contract that asked for coverage.
We will read the requirements, map them to your operations, and compare liability policies that can support the work and the certificate.