Commercial Property / Buildings Property
Business owners who occupy their own building · Investors who own retail, office, or industrial space
Coverage for buildings, business personal property, and related property exposures.
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Commercial Lines
General Liability GL
Core protection if a third party alleges bodily injury or property damage arising from business operations.
General liability is the policy that helps if your business accidentally hurts someone or damages someone else’s property. Landlords, clients, and general contractors almost always ask for it.
How it works
If a customer slips in your shop, a visitor is hurt at your office, or your work damages a neighboring suite, general liability is the coverage designed to respond. It can also address certain advertising or reputation-type claims, and it typically pays to defend you even while the facts are being sorted out. It does not cover your own building, your employees’ on-the-job injuries, or professional mistakes — those are separate policies. For most businesses, this is the first commercial policy we put in place, then we build the rest of the program around it.
Who this is for
- Offices, shops, and service businesses
- Contractors who must give certificates to general contractors
- Companies signing leases that require $1 million of liability
- Any firm that has customers or vendors on site
What it typically covers
- Injuries to people who are not your employees
- Damage to other people’s property
- Certain personal and advertising injury claims
- Legal defense costs as the policy describes
A simple example
A delivery person trips on a worn stair and breaks a wrist. Medical bills and a lawsuit follow. General liability is the policy that can pay defense and settlement, up to the limit.
Good to know
- This is not workers’ compensation and not professional liability.
- Contracts often require extra insured wording — we match the certificate to the job, not the other way around.
Coverage, eligibility, and terms vary by location and underwriting.
Guides
Read this before you quote or apply.
Guide
What to review before renewing commercial liability
Limits, additional insureds, class codes, and the claims that actually blow through a $1 million GL policy.
Read guideGuide
BOP vs. separate general liability and property
When a packaged business owners policy is enough, and when a contractor or manufacturer has already outgrown it.
Read guide