How Does General Liability Insurance Work?

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How Does A Commercial General Liability Insurance Work?

How Does General Liability Insurance Work?

How Does General Liability Insurance Work?. Having general liability insurance is the basis of any business insurance policy. If you can afford only one commercial insurance policy for your business then you should get a commercial general liability policy, because it offers protection against a wide range of unexpected risks, and will form the foundation of your business financial protection.

Later, when you have more funds, you can buy other types of insurance to add to your coverage, but if you're in the start-up phase and short on cash, GL is the first step in the process. So if you want to know how general liability insurance works - here's what you need to know.

How does general liability insurance work? Learn how commercial general liability can protect your business from costly third party lawsuits for bodily injury or property damage.

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How Does General Liability Insurance Work?

When a claim is made against a business covered by a general liability insurance policy, the insurer will investigate the claim to determine whether it is covered under the policy. If the claim is covered, the insurer will provide legal representation for the business and will pay for any settlements or judgments up to the policy limit.

The policy limit is the maximum amount that the insurance company will pay for any single claim. It is important to note that the policy limit applies to the entire policy period, not just a single occurrence. For example, if a business has a $1 million policy limit and two claims arise during the policy period, the insurer will pay no more than $1 million for both claims combined.

It is also important to note that general liability insurance policies do not cover all types of claims. For example, they typically do not cover claims arising from professional negligence or intentional acts. Businesses that need coverage for these types of claims will need to purchase additional insurance policies.

Why Do Businesses Need General Liability Insurance?

Businesses need general liability insurance for several reasons. First, it is often required by law or by contract. Many states require businesses to carry liability insurance, and some contracts with clients or vendors may also require it.

Second, general liability insurance provides financial protection against claims that can be very costly. Even if a business is not at fault, defending against a lawsuit can be expensive and time-consuming. Having liability insurance can help cover legal expenses and protect a business's assets in the event of a judgment against them.

Third, having liability insurance can give businesses peace of mind and help build trust with customers and clients. Knowing that a business has insurance coverage can give customers confidence that they are protected in case something goes wrong.

Overall, general liability insurance is an important form of protection for businesses. It can help cover legal expenses and judgments in the event of a claim, and can provide peace of mind for business owners and their customers.

What is Covered Under A General Liability Policy?

A commercial general liability policy generally mainly covers three types of liability exposures. These include:

  • Premises and Operations Exposure
  • Products and Completed Operations Exposure
  • Indirect/Contingent Exposure

Coverage For Premises and Operations Exposure will protect your small business against claims for physical bodily injuries and property damages related to the maintenance and operations of your business. How does general liability insurance work? For example, let's say that a customer enters your shop and accidentally injures himself on a chair or table. If that customer decides to sue you for their medical expenses then you can make a claim on your policy to cover the litigation costs.

Coverage For Products And Completed Operations Exposure protects businesses against claims for physical bodily injuries and property damages which are caused by faulty products, services and any type of work performed by your business. How does general liability insurance work? For example, let's say that your business produces food products and one of your customers becomes sick from consuming them. If they decide to sue you for their injuries then you can make a claim on your GL policy to cover the cost of litigation.

Coverage For Indirect/Contingent Liability Exposure protects your small business in the event that you are found liable for the negligent work of subcontractors you hire. How does general liability insurance work? For example, let's say that one of your clients' property was damaged by a contractor that you referred. In that case, you can make a claim to cover your costs.

So remember that commercial general liability can protect businesses against a wide range of unpreventable accidents and contingencies, and if you're a small business owner then you need this protection for your own operation.

What Is Excluded In A General Liability Insurance Policy?

Although commercial general liability insurance can cover a wide range accidents and damages, it also has certain limits. It can only protect your business from unpreventable accidents. It does not offer protection (excludes) things like:

  • Damages to your property
  • Employee injuries
  • Disputes regarding employment
  • Injuries resulting from pollution
  • Professional errors & omissions
  • Preventable accidents
  • Intentional injuries

So before you get a general liability policy for your small business, be sure to learn about what it does and doesn't cover.

How Much General Liability Insurance Do You Need?

It's important to point out that insurance is often a requirement for doing business, and this is particularly true for CGL. There are three things that dictate how much general liability insurance you will need for your business: Your Landlord, Your Vendors and Your Business.

First, let's talk about landlords. Unless you own the building where you do business, you will need to negotiate with your landlord, and most landlords often require their tenants to have one million dollars per occurrence and two million dollars aggregate limits to get started. What this means is that in the event that you need to file a claim in a particular year, you will have up to one million dollars worth of coverage. If, however, you need to more than one claim in the same year then the policy caps out at the 2 million aggregate - regardless of the number of claims.

Aside from landlords, vendors may also dictate how much general liability coverage you will need to get. Most vendors want their partners have millions of dollars worth of GL coverage, because they want to make sure they're protected in case something goes wrong with your services or products. So if you don't have a lot of assets, you may be forced to get a lot of coverage just to satisfy your vendors. This is particularly true for small business that work with large corporations like Lowe's, Amazon etc.

Finally, you will need to consider your own businesses insurance needs. The faster your business grows, the more coverage you will need. Most small businesses need millions of dollars worth of coverage to prevent financial disaster. So if you already have a mature business then you will need a plan that is appropriate for its size. A company with $100,000,000 in sales will need more than one with $100,000 in sales.

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