General Liability Insurance for Small Business

What this page helps you decide

This guide focuses on third-party bodily injury, property damage, personal/advertising injury and products-completed operations. Depending on the policy, it may address customer injuries, damage to others’ property, premises and completed-work allegations. The practical question is whether the quote matches the business’s real operations, contracts, property, vehicles, employees, or services.

Important caution: professional services, employee injuries, owned property and commercial auto need separate review.

What to collect before comparing quotes

Use one consistent exposure file for every quote.

• Plain-English description of operations and any higher-risk or occasional work.
• Revenue, payroll, employees, subcontractors and class-code information where relevant.
• Locations, property, vehicles, tools, equipment and customer property.
• Leases, client contracts, lender requirements and COI wording.
• Prior claims/loss runs and current risk-control practices.

Policy details to compare

Read the declarations, forms list and endorsements rather than comparing premium alone.

• Named insured and covered operations.
• Limits, sublimits, aggregate structure, deductible or retention.
• Definitions and exclusions.
• Required endorsements and contract wording.
• Claim notice, audit, renewal and cancellation conditions.

When another policy line may matter

Business risks often cross policy boundaries. A strong comparison identifies what this policy does not address and which separate line should be reviewed.

• Employee injury vs third-party injury.
• Owned property vs damage to others’ property.
• Professional advice/services vs ordinary premises/operations.
• Owned autos vs hired/non-owned autos.
• Cyber/privacy/funds-transfer vs ordinary liability or crime.

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