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What Is General Liability Insurance?
General liability insurance helps protect your small business from third-party claims that it caused bodily injuries or property damage to others. Without general liability coverage, you’d have to pay for these claims out of pocket. GLI is also known as:
- Business liability insurance
- Commercial general liability
- Commercial liability insurance
- Comprehensive general liability (CGL)
What Does General Liability Insurance Cover?
For small businesses, GLI helps provide coverage for claims of:
Bodily Injuries
If a customer slips, trips or falls in your business, you could be held liable for their injuries and medical expenses.
Property Damage
If an employee’s mistake damages someone else’s property, like breaking a client’s windows while working at their home, GLI can help pay to repair or replace the windows.
Libel and Slander
General liability can help cover legal costs if your business is sued for personal injury that isn’t physical, like libel or slander.
Advertising Injury
If a competitor sues you because they believe your advertisement is making false claims, a GLI policy can help cover legal fees and settlement costs.
Bundle It All With a BOP
While you can get general liability insurance as a stand-alone policy, the easiest way to get it is with a Business Owner’s Policy (BOP). A BOP bundles commercial property and business income insurance with your general liability coverage.
How Much Does General Liability Insurance Cost?
On average, general liability insurance from The Hartford costs about $810 a year.** Just remember that general liability insurance costs are different for everyone because every business is unique. Factors that can determine these costs include:
- Type of business
- Revenue
- Number of employees
- Location
- Policy details, like coverage limits and deductibles
The best way to find out your business liability insurance cost is to get a quote.
Who Needs General Liability Insurance?
Business owners across many types of industries commonly need general liability insurance coverage to help protect their business. While every business faces their own specific risks, you never know when a claim or lawsuit could happen. This important coverage may not be required by law, but you might need it if you work with clients or contract agreements. For example, these industries could benefit from having this coverage:
Architects may accidentally damage client property while visiting a jobsite or client offices. Also, a contract or client may require you to have this coverage.
Engineering projects often involve clients, vendors or the public. If someone is injured while visiting your project site and sues your business, GLI can help.
GLI helps protect your business if a wedding guest trips over one of your flash stands and hurts themselves or if you accidentally damage a client’s home while taking family portraits.
Salons have wet floors, cords, hair clippings and hot tools that could create hazards. If a customer is injured at your salon, they could hold your business liable for their injuries – even if it wasn’t your fault.
While gym waivers can help, they don’t fully eliminate the risk of being held liable for a customer’s injury or damaged property. GL insurance provides an extra layer of financial protection.
Interior designers work directly with their clients’ property. Even a small mistake, like scratching a hardwood floor or damaging a valuable item, could lead to a costly claim and reputational harm.
Get a General Liability Insurance Quote Made for Your Small Business
We have over 200 years of experience helping small business owners protect their companies with insurance coverage they can trust and expertise they can count on.
Whether you’re looking for coverage, trying to understand general liability class codes or need help filing a claim, The Hartford is here to help.
Whether you’re looking for coverage, trying to understand general liability class codes or need help filing a claim, The Hartford is here to help.
To learn more, start a free a quote today.
What Our General Liability Insurance Customers Are Saying:
“I was extremely satisfied with the quote and general liability policy that I obtained for my small business. I would recommend The Hartford without reservation.”
Kevin
“I've had my business general liability insurance through The Hartford for years. It's a good product at a fair price and customer service has always been responsive to any requests or questions.”
Linda
“Excellent response time. Less than 2 hours after completing the online form to request a quote for business General Liability insurance, I had someone from The Hartford calling to set it up.”
Rolando
“Quick, responsive and accurate service … The Hartford did a great job as our advocate in our media claim resolution.”
Charles
“Our claims representative discussed the situation with us calmly and carefully and then worked with the claimant to get the claim resolved.”
Glen
“The experience Hartford's team provided us took a lot of stress away as they navigated the whole process from beginning to end.”
Mimi
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Is General Liability Insurance Needed?
Liability insurance coverage helps protect you from costly general liability claims that can happen during normal business situations, such as:
- You or your employees representing a client
- Meeting with clients face to face
- Working on or with another person’s property
- Using third-party locations for business activities
- Advertising your business
You may also need this coverage if your clients request it. Many clients want to confirm you have general liability coverage before they sign a contract with your business. You can prove you have coverage with a certificate of liability insurance.
What Does General Liability Insurance Not Cover?
General liability insurance coverage helps protect you from a wide variety of incidents but doesn’t cover every kind of claim. While it can help with expenses related to bodily injury or third-party property damage, you may need different types of coverage to give you more protection for your specific small business. A GLI policy won’t cover commercial auto accidents, employee injuries or illnesses, damage to your business property, professional mistakes or errors, purposeful wrongdoings or illegal acts or any claims that cost more than your liability limits. It also won’t cover claims related to data breaches or lost income if your business can’t open because of covered property damage.
Can I Bundle General Liability With Other Types of Insurance?
The easiest way to get general liability insurance is to purchase a Business Owner’s Policy (BOP) that bundles commercial property and business income with general liability insurance. Bundling coverages like these into one policy is convenient, and you can add extra coverages like professional liability, commercial auto, data breach or workers’ compensation. There are still certain policies you may need to buy separately, so speak to an insurance agent today.
Is General Liability Business Insurance Required by Law?
State laws don’t usually require business owners to carry general liability insurance, but it’s still a good idea to have it. If a customer sues your business and you don’t have general liability coverage in your policy, it could put your business’ finances and your personal assets at risk.
It's important to understand your state laws for insurance requirements. Work with a local insurance agency or our dedicated small business insurance team to help you choose the right business liability insurance for you. We’ll discuss your business needs and provide tailored coverage options to help protect you and your company.
What Types of Events Can General Liability Insurance Help Pay For?
GLI is one of the most essential types of business insurance. It can help pay for:
- Medical treatment for a customer who slipped and fell at your business
- Repairs to a customer’s wall that your employee accidentally damaged
- Defense costs from lawsuits against your business
- Judgments and settlements from a customer or client’s lawsuit
Do You Need Business Liability Insurance for an LLC?
Although it’s not required by state law for LLCs to carry business liability insurance, it’s a good idea to protect your company from everyday risks. Liability insurance for business owners can provide peace of mind and financial protection when unforeseen incidents occur. Without it, you’d have to pay out of pocket for costly claims made against your business. Talk to an insurance agent or get an online quote today and see how we can help protect your LLC.
What Information Do I Need To Get a General Liability Quote?
When you’re ready to get a general liability quote, you’ll want to have the right information handy, including the:
- Registered name and address of your business
- Year you established your business
- Number of locations you have
- Number of employees you have
- History of liability losses in the last three years, including damage to property, accidents and injuries
- General liability limit or coverage amount you are planning to buy
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Last Updated: January 26, 2026
** Costs, premiums, and coverages mentioned are estimates and are not guaranteed. Actual cost, premium, and coverage are determined at the time of quote or issue and are specific to an individual risk. Premiums are based on information provided to The Hartford, including, but not limited to, underwriting and rating criteria. All examples included on this website or in an advertisement are intended for informational purposes only and are not an offer or a guarantee of premium or coverage. Coverage and products described are subject to the terms and conditions found in the policy contract. Any educational information provided about available coverages does not modify the policy language or imply that any claim is covered. Products are not available in all states or for all businesses.
16 “World’s Most Ethical Companies” and “Ethisphere” names and marks are registered trademarks of Ethisphere LLC.
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