Why do I need General Liability Insurance?

You may not see a direct need for your business to have general liability insurance.  The question “Why would I need general liability insurance?” is one an insurance agent answers every day.  Insurance protects you for the unexpected, making sure your business is able to operate through any obstacle life has to offer. Here are five reasons you would need general liability insurance

In order for you to perform your job your client may for evidence of insurance.  This is the number one reason we find that any business would need general liability.  Almost every wok agreement contract has insurance requirements you must meet.   If you don’t have the insurance already you will need to find a quote fast or your client may offer the contract to another better prepared business.  Don’t let this happen and prepare your business with an insurance program.  Your client is asking for this insurance in case of bodily injury or property damage.  Insurance will cover you for your responsibility in any of these events

Clients Visit your place of work
If your business involves customers or clients visiting your work place you are at risk if someone is injured or damages property.  Avoid the anxiety with general liability insurance.  If a person were to slip trip or fall they may want to hold you responsible for medical bills or lawyer’s fees.   General liability provides insurance coverage for lawsuit and medical payments.

Have employees at third party locations
When you send an employee to a third party location your business is responsible for their actions and work they do.  Off premise work needs to be insured just like having customers in your place of work.  A bodily injury or damage to property can occur and without general liability lawsuits or medical bills will come out of your pocket.  General liability extends its liability to where you are performing your job.  While doing maintenance work at a client site a person slip trips or falls across liquid on the floor due to the maintenance work you are responsible.

Access to clients equipment or server
For many businesses it is not uncommon for you to be in the care of, custody or control of your client’s equipment.   General liability insurance covers you from fire, storm damage or theft of your clients property.  If you are working with a company’s systems integration, network or server this coverage is crucial.  Commercial general liability insurance is able to cover computer equipment from damage, certain power failures and computer viruses.

Write or Speak about Clients business
When it is your job to write or speak about a clients business you are at risk from offending a competitor or consumer.  They may see your work as libel, slander, disparagement, or infringing on a copyright.   General liability provides coverage for personal or advertising injury designed to cover publication of material that slanders or libels another person or organization. Legal defense costs from lawsuits that claim false, malicious or misleading statements in advertisements, promotional flyers, brochures, or Web sites, etc. can also be covered.

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