Liability insurance helps protect your clients in case someone sues them. It covers loss or damage to real and personal property from the insured party’s negligent acts and omissions. It is often combined with property insurance in a business owner’s policy (BOP).
It’s essential for businesses of all sizes. It can cover claims such as bodily injury, property damage, copyright infringement, reputational harm, and advertising injury.
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Liability Insurance
Liability insurance is an umbrella policy that covers damages and injuries caused by a third party. It’s essential for anyone who runs a business, drives a car, manufactures products, practices medicine or law, or owns real property.
General commercial liability (CGL) protects businesses against four types of events for which they could be held responsible: bodily injury; property damage; personal injury, including slander and libel; and settlement bonds or judgments.
To find the right level of liability coverage for your business, start by researching the kinds of accidents and legal liabilities specific to your industry. For example, construction teams need workers’ compensation, and financial firms may face liability for mismanaged funds. It’s also a good idea to discuss your business with an insurance agent who specializes in your work, as they can assess your unique risks more effectively and route you to the best policies much faster.
Commercial General Liability (CGL)
Commercial general liability insurance Newark DE protects businesses from the costs of accidental damages, including bodily injury and property damage. It also covers the legal defense costs incurred in a lawsuit against the business.
These claims can range from a customer slipping and falling at your business to someone claiming their copyrighted advertisement was used without permission. You can alter the types of coverage, deductibles, and liability limitations in your CGL insurance to suit your requirements.
Whether the claim is legitimate or not, being sued can be very expensive for any size business. It is why most small businesses take out a commercial general liability insurance policy when they begin trading. This type of policy can be either a claims-made or an occurrence policy, meaning that the coverage is in place regardless of when the event occurred, but it only pays out on a valid claim. It excludes any intentional acts other policies cover, such as workers’ compensation or professional liability.
Business Owners Policy (BOP)
A business owners policy, or BOP, is a package insurance offering that bundles several kinds of coverage into one convenient package. These policies are typically offered to small businesses and may contain commercial property, general liability, and business interruption coverage. Additional coverages like crime, accounts receivable, and data breaches can be added to the BOP through endorsements or riders.
The commercial property portion of a BOP protects your business’ building, equipment, and inventory against common risks like fire and theft. The general liability section provides a defense against claims of third-party physical harm, material loss, and advertising damages.
Insurance brokers can assist you in determining whether you qualify for a BOP and can put together a tailored package that suits your company’s requirements. Ultimately, acquiring this type of insurance early on in your business can save you time and money by simplifying managing risk. Moreover, a lapse in coverage could leave your company financially vulnerable months or even years later.
Professional Liability
Professional liability insurance, also known as error and omissions (E&O) insurance, protects businesses that provide services with the potential for financial loss or bodily injury due to negligence. It includes businesses that offer advice, design work, or operate within a specific field of concentration, like accountants and attorneys. In addition, this type of policy will typically pay for legal expenses incurred in defending against frivolous or unsubstantiated claims.
Even if you’re an expert in your field, nobody is perfect, and one small mistake could lead to major losses for your clients. While general liability policies can help protect you from lawsuits over property damage or bodily injuries, professional liability policies are the only ones that will protect you from financial losses resulting from your service or advice.
