Small Business General Liability Insurance Coverage

Why do I need general liability insurance coverage?

Hiscox understands the risks your company faces and the importance of knowing your business is properly protected. Having general liability insurance coverage protects your business against third-party claims of bodily injury or damage to someone else’s property. This section explains what our business general liability insurance offers.

What is covered?		What is not covered?
Alleged or actual negligence		Personal identifiable information
Property damage		Use of vehicles and boats
Personal injury		Your property
Advertising injury		Professional services
Electronic data liability		Employee injury
Medical expenses
Worldwide insurance coverage
Defense costs
Actions of your full-time employees and temporary staff
Supplemental payments

Your small business general liability insurance policy covers claims of:

Bodily injury

If you’re legally liable, Hiscox general liability insurance covers claims by third parties for bodily injury. For example, your client slips and falls in your office (or you cause an accident at a client’s premises). If they sustain an injury, and you’re liable, we’ll cover the subsequent bodily injury claim.

Property damage

Hiscox small business general liability insurance covers the costs of damage to a third-party’s property caused by you or your employee and for which you are legally liable.

Personal injury

Hiscox general liability insurance coverage protects you against claims of libel or slander for which you are legally liable.

Advertising injury

Hiscox protects you against the unintentional use of a third party’s advertising idea if it is used as part of your advertising. We’ll also protect you if your advertisement or marketing materials infringe a third party’s copyright or trade slogan.

Electronic data liability

Added for consultants and technology service providers;- if an employee damages a client’s property (e.g., a server) and the client’s electronic data is damaged, Hiscox will cover any damages up to your limits of insurance for which you are legally liable.

Medical expenses

If an accident occurs and someone other than your employee is injured, your Hiscox business general liability insurance policy also covers any associated medical expenses for each injured person, up to $5,000.

Worldwide insurance coverage

We cover damage that occurs in the United States, its territories, and Canada. We also offer coverage for short periods of travel outside these areas.

Defense costs

If you are sued, Hiscox will appoint a lawyer, if necessary, even if the lawsuit is groundless. We’ll pay these costs on your behalf and they will not reduce your limit of liability.

Actions of your full-time employees and temporary staff

Hiscox provides general liability insurance coverage for business-related actions of your full-time employees and temporary staff.

Supplemental payments

Hiscox covers the following expenses if incurred:

• Legal defense costs.
• Up to $250 a day for loss of earnings and reasonable expenses you may incur as a result of assisting us in the investigation of the claim against you.
• Interest on damage awards.

Begin the general liability quote process

Get a small business general liability insurance quote online today or call one of our licensed advisors at 866-283-7545 (Monday - Friday, 8 am - 10 pm EST). We're here to help you.

What your Hiscox small business general liability insurance policy doesn’t cover:

We want our customers to understand our general liability insurance policy. Below is a summary of some of the key exclusions regarding our general liability insurance coverage. For complete details of all the exclusions, please read the policy wording.

Personally identifiable information

Your general liability insurance policy doesn't cover your failure to protect any personally identifiable information that is in your care, custody or control.

Use of vehicles and boats

Your policy doesn't cover any claims arising out of the ownership or use of an automobile, aircraft or watercraft.

Your property

Your policy does not cover claims for damage to property you own or the property of others in your care, custody or control.

Professional services

Your Hiscox general liability insurance policy does not cover any professional services performed by you. For example, claims for improper advice are not covered under general liability. To obtain coverage for your services, please see our information about professional liability insurance.

Employee injury

If one of your employees injures themselves on the job this will not be covered under your general liability insurance. To obtain coverage for on-the-job employee injury, please see our information about workers’ compensation insurance.