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General liability, also known as “commercial liability insurance” is a broad commercial insurance policy that covers general liability exposures of a business. General liability is one of the most important policies you can have to protect your business today. It provides financial protection for certain claims made against your business by a third party. General liability only covers the third party's losses so if you incur any damage or losses related to the incident, these losses would be covered separately.

General liability addresses claims as a result of negligence including personal injury and its medical expenses, contractual liability, libel, slander, faulty products and completed operations. In addition to the financial protection of the policy, it can include payments for attorney fees, court costs and other costs associated with defending a lawsuit. Data breach is not generally included in a general liability policy but may be an additional option; it may also be sold in a separate policy.

While the best way to handle liability claims is to reduce the risk of damages to a third party through a safe environment and good work procedures, accidents do happen. Even a single accident could result in a lawsuit that you might not be able to handle financially. A great way to protect against this type of situation is to make sure you carry enough general liability insurance. If you are acting as an independent contractor, some employers might also require you to carry a certain amount of general liability insurance before you can work for them.

Property claims are generally settled quickly but liability claims are often complex. Imagine the cost and time for you to be involved in a claim if you find yourself sued and without general liability insurance. Now, imagine having trained claim specialists working for fair and equitable claim settlement to put the incident in the past. You don’t want to be caught without a broad protection general liability policy.

General liability may be included in a BOP (business owner’s policy) or sold as a stand-alone policy. Our professional insurance consultants can help with a policy designed for your types and amounts of coverage.

How vulnerable are you to a general liability claim? Do you sell products? Do you repair or service property belonging to others? Do you have customers or vendors come to your business premises? These are just a few areas of vulnerability that general liability insurance addresses. Learn more about general liability for businesses by speaking to one of our knowledgeable agents today.

Contact Heritage Insurance for more general liability information.