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General Liability Insurance in Illinois

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What is general liability insurance?

Virtually every business has multiple common liability risk exposures, as lawsuits over slip-and-fall accidents, defamation and false advertising can be filed against almost any business. For common risks like these, general liability insurance may provide Illinois businesses with protection.

General liability insurance can serve as a primary defense against a range of common risks. As a liability coverage, it usually helps with lawyer fees, court fees and settlements of covered claims.

What Illinois businesses need to carry general liability insurance coverage?

Most Illinois businesses should be carrying general liability insurance coverage. The coverage broadly protects against risks that lots of businesses face regardless of industry, size or operations.

Moreover, incorporating as a limited liability corporation or other legal entity isn’t a substitute for carrying good general liability coverage. The legal protections that an incorporation status provides can be quite different from the protections that coverage affords.

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What does general liability insurance coverage include?

General liability insurance coverage consists of several more specific protections, also typically referred to as coverages. Some more specific ones that might be included in a general liability policy are::

Bodily Injury Coverage: Might cover accidents like slip-and-falls on a business’s premises, or any other location leading to non-employee injuries.
Property Damage Coverage: Might cover accidents on a business’s premises, or any other location, leading to damage of another party’s property.
Premises Liability Coverage: Might cover accidents only occurring on a business’s premises. A more narrowly defined version of bodily injury coverage, but could include property damage coverage too.
Personal and Advertising Injury Coverage: Might cover allegations of injurious advertising or other forms of libel, slander or misinformation.

Does general liability insurance coverage provide protection for car accidents?

General liability usually doesn’t provide any protections for car accidents. These are typically excluded from general liability policies, instead needing to be insured through some form of commercial auto coverage.

Do businesses need a certificate of insurance?

Businesses may need a certificate of insurance (COI) to obtain certain licenses, or to secure certain jobs. Contractors might have a hard time bidding on major government or commercial projects without general liability, for example.

The purpose of a COI is to show that a business is indeed insured with general liability (or another) insurance coverage. This is something that is routinely issued by insurance companies, and an insurance agent should have no problem obtaining one.

Some insurers may require a business day or so to provide a COI, but this is less common now that documents are often sent via email.

Is this insurance mandated by law?

While general liability coverage often isn’t legally required, businesses in certain industries sometimes are required by federal, state or local law to carry at least a certain amount. Regardless of whether a business is subject to any such requirement, the coverage is broadly recommended in most cases.

What is an “additional insured” on a general liability policy?

Most general liability policies have the option to name “additional insureds.” These are other entities that may also file a claim against the policy.

Additional insureds are normally reserved for only when an agreement requires them. For example, a landlord might require tenant businesses to name the landlord as an additional insured. An event host might do the same with vendors, and a general contractor with subcontractors.

If a business needs to name an additional insured, this is something that an insurance agent specializing in general liability can help with.

How can Illinois businesses avail of general liability insurance?

For assistance getting general liability insurance in place for your Illinois business, get in touch with the independent insurance agents at Blank’s Insurance Agency. We’ll make sure you’re well protected with general liability, and any other coverages that are needed.

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