Business Insurance
The foundation under everything else.
Third-party injury, property damage, and the legal defense costs that often matter more than the settlement itself.
Why An Independent Agent
What it actually covers.
General liability pays out when your business hurts someone who does not work for you, or damages property that is not yours. That covers accidents at your location, accidents caused by your work, and problems from jobs you already finished, plus the cost of defending the claim, which is often the bigger number.
Coverage
What we commonly place
Not every item applies to every situation. Part of our job is telling you which ones actually matter for you.
- Bodily injury to third parties
- Property damage to others
- Products and completed operations
- Personal and advertising injury
- Legal defense costs
- Medical payments (no-fault, small limits)
- Damage to premises rented to you
- Additional insured endorsements
- Waiver of subrogation
- Primary and non-contributory wording
In Detail
The parts worth understanding
A distinction that becomes very important the day you change carriers.
Occurrence policies cover incidents that happen during the policy period, whenever the claim is eventually reported. Most general liability is written this way, and it is the better structure for you.
Claims-made policies only respond if the claim is reported while the policy is active. Let it lapse and past work becomes uninsured unless you buy tail coverage.
Most of the day-to-day work on a commercial policy is paperwork, and getting it exactly right matters.
A certificate of insurance proves coverage to a landlord or client. Additional insured extends your liability coverage to them for claims arising from your work. Waiver of subrogation gives up your carrier’s right to recover from them. Primary and non-contributory makes your policy pay first.
Contracts often demand all four. Send us the requirement wording and we will match it rather than guessing.
General liability limits are stated two ways at once, and the difference catches people out.
A typical policy might read $1,000,000 per occurrence / $2,000,000 aggregate. The first is the most payable for any single claim. The second is the most payable across all claims in the policy year, and once the aggregate is exhausted, the policy is finished until renewal.
Local Knowledge
What Portland landlords and GCs actually ask for.
Commercial leases around here usually need $1M/$2M general liability, with the landlord named as additional insured. General contractors usually want that plus completed operations, a waiver of subrogation, and primary and non-contributory wording. We write these certificates all the time and can usually turn one around the same day.
Consider a BOP. For many small businesses, a business owner’s policy bundles general liability with commercial property and business interruption for less than buying each piece on its own. Ask us to price both ways.
Lisa and Keith answer the phone here. No call center, no robots. Just North Portland neighbors helping neighbors.
The Process
Is this difficult? Not with us.
Tell us about your situation
A few quick details about what you are insuring and what you have now.
We compare carriers
We shop multiple companies to find the best combination of coverage and price.
You get a clear recommendation
Straight answers, in plain language, and often same-day coverage.
Questions
General liability insurance questions
What does general liability not cover?
Employee injuries (that is workers' compensation), damage to your own property, professional mistakes (that is errors and omissions), and vehicle accidents (that is commercial auto).
What is the difference between per occurrence and aggregate limits?
Per occurrence is the maximum for a single claim. Aggregate is the maximum across all claims in the policy year. Once the aggregate is used, the policy is exhausted.
What is an additional insured?
A party added to your liability coverage for claims arising from your work. Landlords and general contractors commonly need it before you can rent or start a job.
How fast can I get a certificate of insurance?
Usually the same business day. Send us the exact wording the requesting party has asked for so we can match it.
Related coverage
Get your free general liability insurance quote.
We respond the same day whenever possible.