Commercial · General Liability · WA · ID · OR · AZ
General liability insurance for Washington businesses.
The coverage your landlord and clients demand before you can sign: protection when your business injures someone or damages their property. We shop it across A+ carriers and make the limits fit your real exposure.
What it covers
The foundation policy, in plain English.
General liability (a commercial general liability, or CGL, policy) is the most widely carried business coverage and the most widely misunderstood. It covers a specific category extremely well — harm your business causes to other people and their property — and nothing outside it. Here is exactly what it handles.
Third-party bodily injury
A customer slips on your floor or trips over your equipment. GL pays their medical costs and your legal defense.
Get a quoteThird-party property damage
Your crew cracks a client's countertop or floods the unit below. GL covers the repair and your defense.
Get a quotePersonal & advertising injury
Libel, slander, or copyright claims arising from your advertising — real, and easy to overlook.
Get a quoteProducts & completed operations
Claims from a product you sold or work you finished. Essential for contractors and anyone shipping goods.
Get a quoteLegal defense costs
Defense is paid on top of damages — and defense alone can exceed a settlement. A big part of GL's value.
Get a quoteAdditional insured & waivers
The endorsements landlords and clients require on a certificate before you can start work. We add them correctly.
Get a quote· A market of A+ insurance companies
Who needs it
Almost every business — and most contracts require it.
If customers visit you, you visit them, or you do physical work anywhere, you carry the exposure GL is built for. Landlords demand it on the lease, clients require it before signing, and it is the baseline expectation for operating credibly — contractors, retailers, consultants, event vendors, and everyone in between.
What drives your price
- Your industry and risk classification
- Annual revenue and payroll
- Square footage and foot traffic
- Prior claims history
- Coverage limits and deductible
- Whether you hire subcontractors
General Liability vs. Professional Liability vs. BOP
| Coverage | What it protects against | Who typically needs it |
|---|---|---|
| General Liability | Injuries & property damage you cause others | Nearly every business |
| Professional Liability (E&O) | Financial harm from your advice or work | Service & advice businesses |
| Business Owners Policy | GL + your property + business income, bundled | Small offices, retail, service firms |
Common mistakes we fix
- Confusing general liability with professional liability — service businesses usually need both.
- Carrying limits too low for what a lease or client contract actually requires.
- Missing additional-insured or waiver-of-subrogation endorsements the contract demands.
- Letting products-completed operations lapse when it's the exposure most likely to bite.
Go deeper
Related reading
Questions clients ask
Quick answers, no jargon.
Prefer to talk it through? A licensed advisor picks up: 206 · 363 · 1110.
- Third-party bodily injury, third-party property damage, and personal/advertising injury (like libel or slander in your advertising), including both the damages and your legal defense — up to your policy limits.
- It varies with your industry, revenue, square footage, and claims history. Low-risk offices pay far less than contractors on client property. The only real number is a quoted one — we shop A+ carriers head-to-head.
- A person or business (often a landlord or client) added to your policy so they're covered for claims arising from your work. Contracts and leases routinely require it, and we add the endorsement correctly.
- No. Employee injuries go through workers' compensation — in Washington, that's the state fund (L&I). General liability covers injuries to non-employees like customers and visitors.
- A common baseline is $1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate, but many leases and client contracts specify higher limits or specific endorsements. Send us the requirement and we'll match it exactly.
- No. A certificate (COI) is proof that a policy exists — it doesn't grant coverage. We issue COIs the same day and send them directly to the party requesting proof.