General liability for the work you do

Policies vary; your policy wording decides. Coverage may address liability for:

• Accidental injuries or property damage connected to your premises or ongoing work.
• Injuries or damage caused by products you sell or handle.
• Injuries or damage arising from completed work.

These categories have exclusions; they do not mean every business mistake is insured.

A customer slips or falls

An injury can start with a wet entry or materials left in a walkway. Nationally, one insurer's 2025 small-business study put the average slip, fall and customer-injury claim at $45,000. Check visitor paths and assign someone to address spills and obstructions.

A product injures someone

A product problem may surface after it leaves the business. AM Best's national analysis identifies product liability among the lines where claim severity outpaced economic inflation over the decade to 2023. Keep product and supplier records, and ask about products coverage and recall exclusions.

Damage connected to a subcontractor's work

A subcontractor's accident can bring an insurance question back to your business. One insurer's guide explains that a certificate provides evidence of insurance but does not itself transfer risk. Obtain it from the insurer or agent and have the required endorsements reviewed.

Damage discovered after a job is finished

A leak or other damage may be reported after the crew leaves. One insurer's guide distinguishes additional-insured protection for ongoing work from completed operations. Keep dated photos of work before it is covered up and ask about completed-operations coverage and endorsements.