Commercial General Liability Insurance Policy

Business owners work extremely hard to operate, and need protection from unexpected accidents or liabilities, which could otherwise put them out of business. Commercial general liability insurance, or CGL, has been designed to keep business assets and resources protected and secured should a claim arise.

Overview

Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance policies are a very important protection for policyholders, broadly providing defense and indemnity coverage against claims for bodily injury and property damage. CGL policies typically are written on standard policy forms developed by nationwide insurance industry organizations.

Significance of Commercial Liability Insurance

Operating a business in a litigious society like we have, greatly increases the chances of a potential claim or lawsuit. It is important for business owners to know they have protection, so they can focus on running their business.

A CGL policy takes the responsibility of covering the injury costs for you and your employees, as well as covering your legal defense cost and settlement.

The most common coverage items are listed below:

Lawsuits
Investigations
Settlements
Injury damages
Punitive damages
Non-monetary damages
Compensatory damages
Losses on rental property
Claims against misleading advertisement
Claims against copyright infringements

If you are wondering how you will determine your coverage needs, it depends upon the nature of your business, its location, and the perceived risk by the business. For example, you need more coverage if you are a building contractor in contrast with the consultant or a web designer. This is because both the businesses have different natures and level of perceived risks.

The benefits of a CGL Policy

Insurance companies understand about you and your company. They view the in depth details of your business including quality control, safety standards, and risk management.

Bodily injury coverage helps in protecting you or the injured party if caused by your business operations.

Personal injury coverage aids in securing you from libel, slander, false arrest and wrongful entry.

Advertising injury compensation covers your legal liability for a wide range of offenses owing to the advertising of your business’ services and goods.

The importance or requirements of a CGL policy for a business owner can’t be stressed enough. Without any or adequate protection a business owner may face a crippling claim at any time, and this level of uncertainty will make running a business nearly impossible. With the importance of protection adequately understood, insuring an adequate level of level of coverage is the secondary concern. With the help of a qualified agent/broker, business owners can get the coverage and peace of mind to focus on operating.