General Liability

Yes. Most small businesses benefit from a Business Owner’s Policy (BOP) — a packaged policy that combines: General liability Commercial property (building, contents, equipment) Business income / business interruption Optional add-ons: cyber liability, employment practices liability, equipment breakdown BOPs are usually 10–20% less expensive than buying each coverage separately and are eligible for most service, retail, office, and light-industrial businesses with

No. GL covers claims by *third parties* against your business — it does not pay for damage to your own building, inventory, equipment, computers, furniture, or business property. That’s commercial property insurance (separate coverage), often packaged with GL into a Business Owner’s Policy (BOP) for small businesses. GL also doesn’t cover: Business income loss if you have to close after a covered event (business interruption

These are two different coverages that protect against two different types of claims: General liability covers bodily injury and property damage to third parties caused by your operations, premises, or products. Example: a client trips over a power cord at your office and breaks a wrist. Professional liability (errors & omissions / E&O) covers financial harm caused by your professional advice, services, or work product.

Standard limits for small businesses in the DC metro: $1,000,000 per occurrence / $2,000,000 aggregate — the most common configuration. Pays up to $1M for any single claim and up to $2M total in a policy year. $2M / $4M — for higher-exposure businesses (construction, hospitality, real estate, anyone with significant foot traffic or premises exposure). Commercial umbrella — an additional $1M–$10M

In all three jurisdictions, general liability is rarely required by state law for most businesses — but it’s commonly required by: Commercial leases — virtually every commercial landlord in the DC metro requires tenants to carry GL at a $1M/$2M minimum, name the landlord as an additional insured, and provide a certificate of insurance. Client contracts — corporate, government, and institutional clients typically

General liability (GL) is foundational business coverage that protects your company against third-party claims for bodily injury, property damage, and personal and advertising injury. Examples of what GL pays for: A customer slips and falls in your office or storefront Your delivery van scratches a client’s parked car (note: vehicle-related coverage is usually under commercial auto, but GL covers the resulting