All businesses utilize risk management techniques in some format to reduce liability exposure. No matter how hard you try, however, you can never fully account for the actions of others. On any given day, your business could be found on the wrong end of a lawsuit for injuries or damages caused to a third party as a result of your operations. Commercial General Liability insurance is your first line of defense in these situations.
Take for example broadcast production employees who ignore safety standards when operating electrical equipment. They are remiss even though they have been thoroughly trained in accepted procedures. The negligent handling of broadcast equipment can not only result in bodily harm to the employee, but injuries or even death to unaffiliated third parties.
As a manufacturer, you are potentially liable for every product you ship. While quality control may be stressed throughout your organization, the fact remains that no person or machine is perfect. Harm caused to a third party from a faulty product could lead to a lengthy courtroom battle.
Visitors to a long-term care facility can also be the victims of unforeseen events. A floor mat with torn and uplifted edges or an extension cord placed across a heavily trafficked area can certainly be the starting point for an accident.
That’s why, in spite of your best efforts at removing all the obvious potential hazards from your business, you might still find yourself being sued. Commercial General Liability insurance is your best defense against devastating claims that could destroy your business.
Commercial General Liability insurance is designed to protect business owners from a variety of exposures. It can cover liability arising from accidents on or off premises, to products sold by the insured that result in injury to the user, to contractual liability, leaving an owner free to concentrate on managing their business.
Just as important, Commercial General Liability coverage protects owners even if their company isn’t legally liable for a claim. Legal defense costs are continually rising; and the expense to defend oneself against a claim whether justified or not can be financially devastating to a business. The fact that Commercial General Liability insurance pays for expenses such as attorney’s fees, witness fees, and police reports is an important coverage feature. Another significant consideration is that coverage goes beyond the basic expenses of a legal defense to cover any reasonable expenses the business owner may incur at the insurance company’s request to assist in the planning of their defense. Finally, the liability policy will also fund the premium for any bond the court requires, ensuring that the judgment will be paid if the business owner is found legally liable for an injury or property damage.