General liability insurance quotes for your business
General liability is the foundation of business coverage — it protects you when a customer is injured, you damage someone’s property, or your advertising lands you in a dispute. Dean Insurance lines up quotes from top-rated U.S. carriers and connects you with licensed agents who know commercial coverage — one short form, real quotes, no obligation.
Often required before you can work. General liability isn’t a universal legal requirement, but commercial landlords and clients routinely require proof of it before you can sign a lease or start a contract. We help you get covered and get a certificate of insurance — often the same day.
What general liability insurance covers
A general liability policy (sometimes called Commercial General Liability, or CGL) responds to third-party claims — people and property that aren’t your own — including the cost to defend you, up to your policy limits.
A customer slips on a wet floor, trips over a cord, or is hurt at your location or job site. GL helps cover their medical bills and your legal liability.
You or an employee accidentally damages a client’s property — say a contractor cracks a countertop or a cleaner ruins a floor. GL covers the repair or replacement.
Claims like libel, slander, or using someone’s slogan or image in your advertising. GL helps cover defense and damages for these reputational claims.
GL pays your legal defense — even for groundless suits — up to your limits, plus small no-fault medical payments for minor injuries to keep incidents from becoming lawsuits.
Most small businesses choose $1 million per occurrence / $2 million aggregate limits — a common standard that also satisfies most client and landlord requirements. Need higher limits? An umbrella policy can sit on top.
What general liability does not cover
GL is broad, but it’s not everything. Here’s what handles the gaps — most businesses combine a couple of these.
An error, oversight, or piece of bad advice that costs a client money is covered by professional liability (E&O), not general liability.
If your own employee is hurt on the job, that’s workers’ compensation — required in most states once you have staff.
Damage to your building, equipment, or inventory needs commercial property coverage. GL only covers other people’s property.
Accidents in vehicles used for your business are covered by commercial auto, which is required for company-owned vehicles.
A hack, breach, or data loss is handled by cyber liability — increasingly important for any business that stores customer data.
A Business Owner’s Policy (BOP) combines general liability and commercial property — usually cheaper than buying them separately.
How it works
Three simple steps to compare general liability and get protected.
Tell us about your business
Share a few details — your industry, size, and the limits you need. It takes about two minutes.
Compare your options
We line up general liability quotes from top-rated carriers and licensed agents — coverage, limits, and price, side by side.
Get covered & certified
Choose the option that fits, get covered, and download your certificate of insurance when a client or landlord asks for proof.
Who needs general liability insurance
If customers visit you, you visit them, or you advertise, you have third-party exposure. We match you with carriers that specialize in your industry.
Plumbers, electricians, HVAC, and general contractors. GL is almost always required before you can bid or start a job.
Shops and boutiques where customers visit in person — slip-and-fall and product handling are everyday risks.
Cafés, bars, and food service with high foot traffic. GL covers customer injuries on your premises.
Working inside clients’ homes and offices means real property-damage exposure — GL is essential.
Consultants and agencies who meet clients. Pair GL with professional liability for full protection.
Salons, gyms, studios, and therapists where clients are on-site and hands-on.
Lawn care, landscapers, and pool services working on others’ property day in, day out.
Your homeowners policy usually won’t cover business claims. A standalone GL policy or BOP fills the gap.
Why Dean Insurance for general liability
An independent marketplace built to make commercial coverage simple — compare once, get matched.
How much does general liability insurance cost in 2026?
Your premium depends on your industry and risk level, annual revenue, payroll, location, claims history, and the limits you choose. Most small businesses pay $30–$90 a month for general liability — but higher-hazard trades pay more. The figures below are illustrative averages, not quotes; the only way to know your real price is to compare.
| Business profile | Typical monthly cost | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Office-based & consulting | $30 – $60 | Low foot traffic, low physical risk |
| Retail & e-commerce | $35 – $75 | Customers on-site, product handling |
| Personal care & fitness | $40 – $85 | Hands-on, clients on premises |
| Cleaning & janitorial | $40 – $90 | Working inside clients’ property |
| Food & beverage | $60 – $110 | High foot traffic, slip-and-fall risk |
| Contractors & trades | $70 – $150 | Higher-hazard work and job sites |
💡 Tip: Bundling general liability and property into a Business Owner’s Policy usually costs less than buying them separately — and comparing carriers on identical limits can cut your premium significantly.
A plain-English guide to general liability insurance
What is general liability insurance?
General liability insurance — also called Commercial General Liability (CGL) — protects your business from the cost of third-party claims: when someone who isn’t you or your employee is injured, or their property is damaged, in connection with your business. It also covers certain advertising-related claims and, importantly, your legal defense costs up to your policy limits. It’s the single most common business policy and the one clients and landlords ask about most.
What does it actually cover?
- ✓Bodily injury to a customer, visitor, or member of the public.
- ✓Property damage you or an employee cause to someone else’s property.
- ✓Personal and advertising injury — libel, slander, and certain advertising claims.
- ✓Legal defense — attorney fees and court costs, even if the suit is groundless.
- ✓Medical payments — small, no-fault payments for minor injuries on your premises.
What it does not cover
General liability won’t pay for mistakes in your professional work (that’s professional liability / E&O), injuries to your own employees (workers’ compensation), damage to your own building or equipment (commercial property), vehicle accidents (commercial auto), or data breaches (cyber liability). Most businesses combine general liability with one or two of these.
Do I legally need general liability?
In most states, general liability isn’t required by law the way workers’ comp or auto coverage is. In practice, though, it’s often contractually required: commercial landlords require it on the lease, clients require it in contracts before you can start work, and some municipalities and licensing boards require it for certain trades. For many businesses, the question isn’t “is it legally required” but “which client will ask for proof first.”
How do policy limits work?
You’ll see limits written as two numbers, such as $1,000,000 / $2,000,000. The first is the per-occurrence limit — the most the policy pays for any single claim. The second is the aggregate limit — the most it pays across your whole policy term. The $1M / $2M combination is a common standard that satisfies most contract requirements. If a client requires more, an umbrella policy adds a layer on top.
Certificates of insurance and “additional insured”
A certificate of insurance (COI) is a one-page proof that you carry coverage — clients and landlords ask for it constantly, and you can usually get one the same day you’re covered. Many contracts also ask you to add the client as an additional insured, which extends your policy to cover them for claims arising from your work. Both are routine, and the licensed agent you connect with can handle them.
How is the price determined?
Carriers look at your industry and risk class, annual revenue, payroll, location, claims history, and the limits you choose. A consultant and a roofer pay very different rates for the same dollar of coverage. Because two insurers can price the identical business very differently, comparing is the simplest way to avoid overpaying.
How Dean Insurance helps
We’re an independent marketplace, so we shop multiple carriers instead of selling one company’s products. You answer a few questions once; we match you with the carriers and licensed agents best suited to your industry. The agents and carriers you connect with are licensed and authorized to sell in your state — they handle the advice, the policy, and your certificate of insurance. Using Dean Insurance is free; we’re paid by our partners only when you choose a policy, and your information is never sold to unrelated third parties. See our Privacy Policy for details.
What business owners say
Companies that compared general liability and got covered with Dean Insurance.
“My biggest client wouldn’t sign until I had general liability. I had a certificate the same day and closed the contract — couldn’t have been simpler.”— [PLACEHOLDER] Devin K., general contractor, Denver, CO
“The landlord required a $1M policy with them listed as additional insured. The agent set it up in one call and it cost less than I’d budgeted.”— [PLACEHOLDER] Priya N., boutique owner, Austin, TX
“I run a cleaning company and worried about damaging a client’s home. Comparing a few carriers got me solid coverage for about sixty bucks a month.”— [PLACEHOLDER] Marcus B., cleaning service, Columbus, OH
General liability insurance FAQs
The answers business owners ask for most.
Is general liability insurance required by law?
Usually not by law — unlike workers’ comp or commercial auto. But it’s frequently required by contract: landlords require it on commercial leases, and clients require it before you can start work. Some trades also need it for licensing. In practice, most businesses get it because a client or landlord asks for proof.
How much does general liability cost?
Most small businesses pay $30–$90 per month, though higher-hazard trades like construction pay more. Your price depends on your industry, revenue, payroll, location, claims history, and limits. Comparing carriers on identical limits is the best way to find the lowest price.
What’s the difference between general and professional liability?
General liability covers physical risks — injury or property damage. Professional liability (E&O) covers the work itself — a mistake, oversight, or bad advice that costs a client money. Many service businesses carry both.
What do “per occurrence” and “aggregate” limits mean?
The per-occurrence limit is the most the policy pays for a single claim; the aggregate limit is the most it pays over the whole policy term. A common standard is $1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate, which satisfies most contracts.
Can I get a certificate of insurance or add a client as additional insured?
Yes. A certificate of insurance (COI) proves you’re covered and is usually available the same day. Many contracts also ask you to add the client as an additional insured, which the agent you connect with can arrange — often at no extra cost.
Does general liability cover my employees if they get hurt?
No. Injuries to your own employees are covered by workers’ compensation, which is required in most states once you have staff. General liability only covers injuries to third parties like customers and visitors.
Is my home-based business covered?
Usually not by your homeowners policy. Home-based businesses typically need their own general liability policy or a BOP. We can match you with carriers that specialize in home-based and small operations.
Should I get a BOP instead?
If you also have property to protect — equipment, inventory, or a location — a Business Owner’s Policy bundles general liability and property, usually for less than buying both separately. We’ll show you both so you can compare.
Get covered today
Compare general liability quotes from top-rated carriers in minutes. Free, no obligation, and matched to your industry — with a certificate ready when clients ask.
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