General liability insurance covers business owners in the event of an accident caused by the business. It also includes accidents on site that may or may not be the fault of the company.
Commercial general liability insurance is the most basic form of liability protection for business owners. Most general liability insurance is limited to bodily injury or property damage.
General liability coverage isn’t enough on its own. Specific additions to general liability are necessary to fully protect your business and employees from a lawsuit.
Each aspect of your overall business insurance coverage has costs and deductibles associated with it. General liability rates vary by state and occupation.
Choosing the correct policy, coverage options and deductibles will:
- Protect your business and your estate from lawsuits in the event of an accident.
- Encourage awareness of problems with business property that could result in an accident.
- Put language in place as a part of your estate plan that preserves your assets in the event of an unforeseen lawsuit.
- Save you money by consolidating all your commercial general liability insurance needs.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Purchase enough business general liability insurance to protect your estate
Lawsuits against business owners can easily encompass one's entire estate if the awards are high. Having enough of the right kind of insurance can protect your personal assets and your family's future.
I recommend: Wachovia Small Business and
Most Choice offer full lines of liability insurance projects for your unique situation.
Follow recommendations by your insurance company for updates to your facility
Most general liability business insurance providers offer checklists for business owners. This helps business owners and insurance providers evaluate the overall soundness of your facility and what upgrades you need to make to qualify for better general liability insurance rates.
I recommend: The Texas Department of Insurance Industry has a general checklist for purchasers of liability insurance.
Include all general liability insurance policies in your estate plan
The language in your estate plan concerning your business will depend largely on who owns your business. If you and a spouse or other family members are joint owners of the business, the estate plan needs to reflect this status and all related insurance policies.
I recommend: Securian and
Forbes.com offer information on business estate planning and succession planning.
Purchase a comprehensive plan that includes umbrella liability and errors and omissions insurance
Umbrella liability provides additional coverage when the client exceeds limits to a policy. Errors and omissions insurance should include: legal defense costs, covered w2 employees and 1099 subcontractors, copyright and intellectual property infringement, personal injury and worldwide coverage for lawsuits brought in the US. Get a general liability insurance quote that includes these additions.
I recommend: Get general liability insurance quotes from
Business Insurance Now and
LocalInsurance.com. Business Insurance Now provides fast, affordable comprehensive liability insurance. LocalInsurance.com provides rate quotes for comprehensive liability policies from insurance agents in your area.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- Get general liability insurance quotes from as many companies as possible to find the most competitive rate.
- If you're not totally satisfied with a general liability insurance quote, keep shopping until you find the plan that's right for your business needs.
The official source of General Liability Insurance is
the General Liability Insurance page at Business.com
Related Resources from Business.com
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