A Fresh Look At General Liability Insurance

If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a thousand times: if you’re starting a business you’re going to need general liability insurance. But what does that mean? What protection does it afford?  How do you determine your coverage needs?  How does it work?

Liability insurance (also known as Commercial General Business Liability) protects a company’s assets and pays for obligations – medical costs, for example incurred if someone gets hurt on your property or when there are property damages or injuries caused by you or your employees. Liability insurance also covers the cost of your legal defense and any settlement or award should you be successfully sued.  Typically these include compensatory damages, nonmonetary losses suffered by the injured party, and punitive damages. 

General liability insurance can also protect you against any liability as a tenant if you cause damage to a property that you rent, such as by fire or other covered loss.

The coverage you need depends on the type of business you are in and the perceived risk associated with it. For example, a building contractor will need more coverage than a web designer or consultant. Your business location is also another factor that comes into play. For example, some states tend to award more in damages to plaintiffs claiming personal injury than others. Talk to a licensed insurance broker for advice on this before you rush out and buy a policy.

As mentioned above, if you fall into the lower risk category, you may want to consider a Business Owner’s Policy (BOP) which combines general liability and property insurance at a cost-effective rate.

Confused about where to start? Take a look at SBA’s Five Tips for Buying Business Insurance which includes tips on assessing your risk, shopping around, BOPs, and maintenance of your policy.

If you are on the higher end of the risk scale and already have general liability insurance, you can also opt for excess insurance or umbrella insurance that increases your coverage limits. This will cover you in situations in which you’re worried that your existing coverage won’t cover all your costs should someone file and win a claim against you.

Be sure to do your industry research before you invest in any policy. Sometimes a client contract will require that your business has the appropriate coverage or umbrella insurance to perform work on their behalf. Likewise, some construction contractors may add you to their general liability policy as an additional name to be insured for the duration of the project.

When considering your needs for insurance products for your home or business remember contacting Bennett Insurance Group is the right move.  Give us a call at 623-979-4140

Presented By:
Jim Bennett
Bennett Insurance Group
623-979-4140
http://jimbennettinsurance.com
jim@jimbennettinsurance.com