Commercial Insurance

Commercial General Liability (CGL) is the specific name for a policy of this type in the United States insurance market. It is the “first line” of coverage that a business typically purchases,[1] and covers many of the common risks that can happen to any type of business, such as bodily injury or property damage on the business premises or due to the business operations, personal and advertising injury, and medical payments.[2] As with other types of liability insurance, CGL insurance normally imposes on issuing insurers duties both to defend and to indemnify insureds with respect to covered claims. CGL insurance is generally categorized as an “all-risks” type of insurance, under which it provides coverage for risks unless specifically excluded. Specific risks that are normally excluded from CGL coverage include professional services, pollution, liquor, automobile liability, and directors and officers liability,[2] and separate insurance policies are available to cover these situations. A wide variety of other coverage exclusions, extensions, limitations, and other policy terms and conditions may be included by endorsements to a CGL policy.