General liability insurance applies to the risks that you pose to third parties who are not employees while doing business. Simply put, if you cause someone harm, then this coverage can help you compensate them for personal and financial losses, including:

• Bodily injuries someone sustains in the business, such as if they slip and fall on the premises./li>
• Property damage you cause to someone else's belongings in the business or on their property.
• Personal injuries that occur through alleged actions of libel, slander or copyright infringement./li>

Many policies offer additional incentives, such as:

• Medical Payments Coverage that covers third-party injuries regardless of who was at fault. Someone could get hurt in your business and then file against this coverage. By doing so, their claim might not escalate into a full-scale bodily injury liability lawsuit.
• Products/Completed-Operations Coverage, which applies to the products you sell or the services you offer if they cause harm to someone else.
• Legal Assistance for both the insured business and the claimant in case of liability lawsuits.

Your policy might not automatically cover all types of liabilities. Still, to get enhanced coverage, you can often buy CGL policy endorsements or supplementary liability policies, such as:

• Cyber Liability Coverage to pay for client and business losses in case of events like data theft, cyber hacks or other losses.
• Errors & Omissions Coverage that will pay for professional mistakes (such as clerical errors or mistakes in advice) that cause customers a financial loss.
• Directors & Officers Coverage which will apply to the personal assets of company principals if they become the personal targets of lawsuits.
• Hired/Non-Owned Auto Liability Coverage that protects the business if an employee drives their own car for work and causes a wreck that harms others. Sometimes, you can buy coverage as a CGL policy endorsement, or you might have to buy commercial auto insurance instead.

Consider CGL coverage it in the context of someone who slips and falls in your business. That person might face medical bills, lost income and even a permanent disability. As a result, they might sue your business. By having a CGL policy, you'll have a resource to obtain the money to settle the claim, and you won't have to dig into your financial reserves to pay. You can stabilize your long-term financial outlook.

Most of the time, a basic general liability policy is not required by law, though many clients will require coverage before they consider signing a contract with your business.

The fact remains that any business could harm someone, even unintentionally. That party could still sue, and a lack of CGL coverage could leave the business no resources with which to fight the suit. Consider a CGL policy an essential way you can attract business and respond to client needs.

You want to minimize your personal financial losses in the event of a liability suit. So, the limits of CGL coverage you choose should match your insurable risks. To get a better idea of the coverage you need, consider factors like:

• The size of the business and number of employees
• Your annual commercial revenue
• Industry and locational risks present in the business
• The average coverage purchased in your industry
• Previous liability claims made against your business (if any)

All Burke & Burke Insurance agents are experts in the commercial liability policy marketplace, so we can provide considerate, thoughtful support that will help you settle on the coverage that's best for you.