General liability insurance covers your business when a third party - a customer, vendor, or passerby - suffers bodily injury or property damage because of your operations. It pays for medical bills, legal defense, and settlements so a single incident doesn't bankrupt your company. If someone slips on your shop floor or your crew damages a client's property on a job site, GL is the policy that responds.
We're not just selling insurance. We're here to make sure you understand your options, feel confident in your coverage, and have someone in your corner when it matters most.
Who needs general liability?
Almost every business that interacts with the public or works on someone else's property needs general liability coverage. Commercial landlords require it before signing a lease. General contractors won't let subcontractors - HVAC techs, electricians, plumbers, roofers - on a job site without a certificate of insurance showing at least $1 million per occurrence. Restaurants, retail shops, and manufacturers all face slip-and-fall exposure daily. Even home-based businesses can face claims from delivery drivers or visiting clients. In our experience, the businesses that skip GL don't save money - they just transfer the risk to their personal assets. We shop top-rated commercial carriers to match the coverage to your actual operations.
What does general liability cover?
- Bodily injury to customers, vendors, or visitors at your premises
- Property damage your business operations cause to others
- Products liability - injury or damage caused by a product you sell or distribute
- Completed operations - damage arising from work you've already finished
- Personal and advertising injury - libel, slander, copyright infringement in your advertising
- Legal defense costs, even if the lawsuit is groundless
- Medical payments to others (no-fault, typically $5,000–$10,000 per person)
What general liability does NOT cover
- Employee injuries on the job - that requires workers compensation
- Damage to your own business property - that requires commercial property insurance
- Auto accidents involving business vehicles - that requires commercial auto
- Professional mistakes, bad advice, or errors in your professional services - that requires professional liability (E&O)
- Intentional acts or criminal conduct
- Pollution or environmental contamination (requires separate environmental liability)
- Cyber breaches and data loss - that requires cyber insurance
What does general liability cost?
For most small businesses, general liability runs between $500 and $3,000 per year. A low-risk office or consultant might pay $400–$700 annually, while a roofing or concrete contractor could see $2,000–$5,000 depending on revenue and payroll. Your classification code, annual revenue, claims history, and location all factor in. Higher-risk trades pay more because the exposure is higher. We shop top-rated commercial carriers, and we regularly see 30–40% price differences between carriers for the same contractor - which is why it pays to let us quote it rather than taking the first number you find online.
Frequently asked questions
Most general contractors and project owners require subcontractors to carry at least $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate. Some larger commercial projects and government contracts require $2 million per occurrence. Your coverage limits should match the contracts you want to bid on - undercovering yourself locks you out of better-paying jobs.
No. Employee injuries are covered by workers compensation insurance, not general liability. GL covers third parties - customers, visitors, and bystanders. Most states require workers comp for businesses with one or more employees, so you likely need both policies.
Yes. A Business Owners Policy (BOP) bundles general liability with commercial property insurance, and often costs less than buying them separately. Most small businesses with a physical location - retail shops, restaurants, offices - benefit from a BOP. We can quote both standalone GL and a BOP to show you the price difference.
If anyone visits your home for business purposes, or if you perform any work off-site for clients, yes. Your homeowners policy explicitly excludes business activities. A client who trips over a cord in your home office, or property you damage at a customer's location, would not be covered by your personal policy.
In most cases, we can bind coverage and issue a certificate of insurance the same day. If a general contractor or landlord is demanding proof of coverage before you can start work or sign a lease, call us in the morning and you can have your certificate by the afternoon. We handle rush requests regularly for contractors.
Let's find the right general liability for you
Tell us a little about yourself and we'll come back with the best options for your situation. No pressure, no jargon, just clear answers.
We never sell your data. Privacy Policy
Related coverage to consider
- Commercial Property - Protects your business's physical assets: the building you own or lease, equipment, inventory, furniture, and business income lost during a covered event.
- Professional Liability - Also called Errors & Omissions (E&O) insurance.
- Workers Compensation - Covers medical expenses, rehabilitation, and lost wages for employees injured on the job.
- Cyber Insurance - Covers costs from data breaches, ransomware attacks, and cyber extortion: forensic investigation, customer notification, credit monitoring, legal defense, regulatory fines, and business income lost during an attack.
Browse all Commercial Insurance options
Reviewed by
Sheilia Royal, Agency Principal / Licensed Agent
Licensed in KY, IN & TN | 20 years experience | Last reviewed: March 2026