Commercial general liability insurance, also called commercial general insurance or general business insurance, is a commercial insurance form that protects your business during liability issues. When your business is legally held responsible, general business form covers medical expenses, attorney fees, and damages such as property damage, or personal and advertising injury liability, regardless of who is responsible for the damage. Commercial and general insurance is one of the most popular commercial insurance forms sought after by business owners.
Commercial General Liability Forms
Commercial general liability covers three forms of liability exposures:
- Premises and operations exposure – a form that protects your business against claims for bodily injury and property damage related to the ownership and maintenance of the business premises, or as the result of commercial operations conducted both at and away from the premises.
- Products and completed operations exposure – a form protecting your business against claims for bodily injury and property damages that result from faulty products or completed operations performed by the business.
- Indirect/contingent exposure – a form that protects your business if you are found liable for the negligent actions or work of independent contractors and subcontractors you hire.
The following 15 liability exposures are specifically excluded from coverage by Part A of the CGL:
- Expected or intended injury
- Contractual assumptions
- Liquor liability
- Workers’ compensation
- Employers’ liability
- Pollution exclusion
- Aircraft, autos, and watercraft
- Off-road motor vehicles
- War exclusion
- Care, custody, and control
- Damage to the insured’s product arising from the product itself
- Damage to the insured’s work
- Property damage/ liability
- Product recall
- Employment-related practices
Business Inventory Insurance
Another essential part of a commercial general insurance is the business inventory. Business inventory insurance ensures that the business will be able to recover from general damage to or loss of property, including equipment, products, and supplies through proper inventory.
If your business owns property, you need to obtain business inventory insurance form. However, the cost of your inventory insurance will also be affected by the total value of the property you insured in the inventory insurance: More inventory coverage will result in higher premiums. However, you may be able to save money on inventory insurance by taking certain safety and security precautions, such as installing fire alarms and sprinklers, which reduce the risk of damage and loss.