The Need For Liability Coverages
Today's litigious society requires careful business planning. Accident victims look for someone else to pay for their bodily injury and property damage. Even if the suit is eventually dismissed or proved groundless, the high cost of defense can bankrupt even the most secure business.

What is General Liability?
General liability is a policy where the insurance company agrees to defend you and pay sums which you are legally obligated to pay because of bodily injury and property damage.  Most policies include coverage for liability or property damage arising out of the insured's products or business operations conducted away from the insured's premises once those operations have been completed or abandoned. This is called "products and completed operations" coverage. Policies may also include Personal & Advertising Injury which protects against false arrest, detention or imprisonment, or malicious prosecution; libel, slander, defamation, or violation of right of privacy; and wrongful entry, eviction, or other invasion of right of private occupancy. "Advertising Injury" means injury rising out of an offense committed in the course of your advertising activities, if such injury rises out of libel, slander, defamation, violation of right of privacy, piracy, unfair competition or infringement of copyright, title or slogan.  Personal and Advertising injury is an often overlooked coverage, but a libel or slander suit can be among the most expensive to defend.  Personal and advertising injury claims exclude advertising, publishing, broadcasting or telecasting done by or for you. The general liability policy is not appropriate for advertisers or broadcasters or for commercials or ads you do on your own.

General Liability is not a catchall policy that covers everything.  It is important to realize that all policies contain exclusions and other policies are necessary either for specific types of businesses or for other types of exposures.  For example, a computer consultant would need General Liability but would also need Professional Liability or Errors and Omissions coverage to cover alleged wrongful acts in the course of rendering professional services.  Also other aspects of your business are not covered by General Liability.  For example, injury to your employees is covered by Workers Compensation Insurance and injury caused by autos would be covered on a commercial automobile policy.  This of course is a general explanation and you should always consult with your agent and read your policy.

Find out how you can protect your business from general liabilities. Simply fill out our no-obligation Quote Form, or call us now.  

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