Why choose EMC

Running a business comes with its share of surprises. But with our comprehensive general liability coverage, you’re protected from unexpected expenses due to accidents, injuries, or property damage. Our team of experts is here to ensure your business gets the tailored protection it deserves.

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What is general liability insurance?

Consider it a safety net for your business. General liability insurance helps protect you if someone gets hurt or their property is damaged because of something your business failed to do. This type of policy could include coverage for property damage, medical expenses, legal costs, and more.

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Does my small business need general liability insurance?

Yes, we strongly recommend it. General liability insurance helps protect your business from unexpected situations that could lead to liability concerns. While it’s crucial for small businesses to have this coverage, it’s beneficial for businesses of any size. So whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been around for a while, having general liability insurance is a smart move.

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What does commercial general liability insurance cover?

Let’s break down general liability insurance with some scenarios that are typically covered.

Bodily injury and property damage
If a customer slips and falls in your store or an employee damages property while working offsite (like at a customer’s home), you’re covered.
Products and completed operations
If you sell a product and it turns out to have a design flaw or defect that causes harm, your business is protected from the fallout.
Independent contractors
When you hire independent contractors, your liability increases. General liability insurance protects you from this added risk.
Reputational harm
If something is said or done by someone in your organization that harms another company’s reputation, you’re covered.
Advertising injury
This protects you against claims related to copyright violations, stolen ideas, slander or libel.

What is umbrella insurance?

Commercial umbrella insurance provides additional protection once your regular liability coverage reaches its limits. Without it, you might find yourself footing the bill for claims that exceed your policy limits.

Some examples of what a commercial umbrella policy covers include:

  • Medical bills or liability claims that surpass your general policy limits
  • Property damage when an employee is at fault in an accident
  • Certain lawsuits: For example, landlords are covered for slip-and-fall accidents or tenant-related incidents
  • Personal liabilities like slander, libel, false arrest, malicious prosecution, or mental anguish

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Employment practices liability insurance

This coverage covers wrongful acts arising during various stages of an employee’s journey with your company, from recruitment through hiring, retention and termination. It covers everyone from directors and officers to managers and employees for a range of issues, such as:

  • Sexual harassment
  • Discrimination
  • Wrongful termination
  • Retaliation
  • Breach of employment contract
  • Negligence
  • Failure to employ or promote
  • Deprivation of career opportunity
  • Wrongful discipline
  • Wrongful infliction of emotional distress
  • Mismanagement of employee benefit plans

Employment practices liability coverage is structured as a gap insurance to cover what general liability insurance does not.

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Frequently asked questions

Business liability insurance costs can vary depending on the industry, location and business size. Here are some additional factors that can affect how much you will pay for commercial general liability insurance.

  • Business location: Your general liability insurance cost will depend on the state where you conduct business. If you’re located in a more populated area, you may pay more for business liability insurance.
  • Years in business: Newer small businesses don’t have as much experience, which can cause an increase in insurance rates.
  • Type of business and risk exposure: Certain industries face more risk than others, which can increase the cost of business liability insurance.
  • Coverage factors: Your policy limit and the deductible you choose can affect the cost of your insurance.
  • Your claims history: Businesses with more claims may pay more for general liability insurance.

Commercial general liability insurance covers third party claims in an accident. For example, if your employee’s actions cause injuries or property damage to your customers, those instances would be covered by commercial general liability insurance. Workers’ compensation insurance protects employees from work-related injuries or illness, and it will typically cover medical bills or ongoing care expenses.

While general liability business insurance covers liability exposures from products, operations or mishaps at your business location, professional liability insurance protects your business from any mistakes, costly errors or inadequate services.

General liability insurance does not protect against lawsuits for mistakes made when completing work-related services. To help cover your legal fees for these lawsuits, you’ll need professional liability insurance. Professional liability insurance is also known as errors & omissions insurance, and will help cover the cost of employee errors or mistakes made that cause financial damage.