General Liability Insurance

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What is General Liability Insurance?

General Liability (GL) insurance, sometimes called small business liability insurance or commercial liability insurance, covers your business for claims made by others including bodily injury, damage to property, or personal injury.

If someone comes to your place of business and is injured, a general liability policy could cover their medical costs. If someone else’s property is damaged and you are found to be responsible, the repair or replacement cost could be covered. And if someone’s reputation is damaged by something you or an employee said or wrote about them, the associated costs could be covered.


Why do I need General Liability Insurance?

As a small business owner, you may be legally responsible if another person gets hurt or if their property is damaged because of something you did. Make sure your business is properly protected against risks.

Hiscox offers customized general liability insurance with a fast, easy quote process. You should consider purchasing general liability insurance coverage if you or your employees:

Interact with clients face to face

If you visit a client’s place of work, or clients visit yours, there is always the possibility someone could get hurt and require medical treatment.

Have access to customer’s property

If a customer’s property is damaged at your location or at a job site, general liability insurance could cover the cost to repair or replace it.

Use advertising to market your company

If you promote your company and accidentally use wording that is under copyright or trademark, general liability insurance could cover you if a claim occurs.

Use third-party locations for business related activities

If someone (other than you or an employee) is injured on a job site where you are responsible, general liability insurance could cover their medical costs.

Require coverage in order to be considered for a project

If you propose or bid on certain contracts, liability insurance could be a condition of the contract award. Hiscox will provide you with a Certificate of Insurance (COI) to help you meet the requirements.


Who needs General Liability Insurance?

There are many businesses that should have a General liability insurance policy. Here are a few examples of professions and their use cases for a general liability policy.

Contractors

General liability insurance covers potential third party claims related to property damage, bodily injury caused during construction projects, or while performing repair or maintenance tasks.

Event planners

General liability insurance protects against claims resulting from accidents or injuries that may occur during events. This could include a guest tripping over equipment or a vendor’s property getting damaged, for example.

Cleaning businesses

General liability insurance may cover claims of property damage or injuries that occur while providing cleaning services such as accidentally breaking an expensive item or a client slipping on the floor.

Photographers and videographers

General liability insurance covers claims against accidental injury. For example, if a client or guest to an event you’re photographing trips over your equipment, a general liability insurance policy could cover their medical expenses.


How much does General Liability Insurance cost?

While costs for general liability insurance vary, most small businesses pay approximately $30 per month or less. Factors that can influence pricing for general liability insurance include the size of your business, the industry you are in, your location, and the amount of coverage you need.

For more information on the cost of general liability insurance coverage, visit our cost page or get a quote now to get the best price for your needs.

 IT ConsultantBusiness Consultant
StateCATX
Annual Payroll$100,000$200,000
Per occurrence limit$500,000$1,000,000
Aggregate limit$2,000,000$2,000,000
Deductible$0$0
Monthly Cost$29.17/mo*$29.17/mo*
Annual Cost$350$350

Example of general liability costs by profession and location


What does General Liability Insurance cover?

This information is provided to assist you in understanding the coverage we offer and does not modify the terms and conditions of any Insurance policy, nor does it imply that any claim is covered. Coverage is subject to underwriting, terms, conditions, and limits of the policy.


Get a General Liability Insurance quote today

Hiscox provides fast, customized general liability insurance coverage just for you. Get a quote now or continue reading to learn how our general liability insurance can help your business.


General Liability Insurance FAQs

At Hiscox, we know business insurance can be a complex subject. Below, we’ve compiled answers to some common questions people frequently ask about general liability insurance.

Get Liability Insurance that best meets your needs

General liability insurance will not protect you from everything. For example, general liability insurance will not cover you against claims of professional negligence, even if it isn’t your or your business’ fault. Some people buy other business liability insurance along with general liability.

  • General
    Liability

    The basic protection for claims against your business.

  • Professional
    Liability (E&O)

    Protection for specific risks in your field.

  • Business
    Owners Policy

    General Liability plus coverage for property.

  • Cyber
    Security

    Protection from cyber-related security risks.

  • Workers
    Comp

    Protection for employees who are injured or become ill on the job.

  • Short-Term
    Liability

    Purchase coverage for a specific period of time.

  • Medical
    Malpractice (E&O)

    Protection for claims against your medical practice.

  • More
    Coverages

    Umbrella, Auto, Directors and Officers, and more.

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Why over 500,000 small businesses choose Hiscox

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    Tailored
    Policies customized just for you.

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    Simple
    Fast quotes, instant coverage, quick claims.

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    Established
    Supporting the courageous since 1901.

Customer reviews

  • Emanual

    Easy Self Maintenance Policy
    Up & running in less than 10 minutes. Never had a claim so all is great so far.

    5 star review
  • Aaron

    Get’s no better
    Quick and easy approval process, Very affordable with quality business, HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

    5 star review
  • Jan

    I will use Hiscox again and again! :)
    Quick and easy online service.

    5 star review
  • Teresa

    Great customer service.
    Customer service was very friendly and knowledgeable. I needed to make a few changes to my policy and they made it very easy to do…

    5 star review
  • Matthew

    A stress-free, easy option for business liability insurance, and more! Hiscox has provided a stress-free, easy option to purchasing quality business liability insurance (and more), and stayed focused on providing valuable resources for me and my business…

    5 star review
  • Shaundra

    Ease of acquiring the insurance (protection) I needed to fit my business and my budget.

    4 star review

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