General Liability Insurance FAQs – JSSR Insurance Agency
Protect your business from everyday risks—slip-and-falls, property damage, and lawsuits. Below are clear answers to the most common questions we hear from contractors, retailers, restaurants, offices, and service pros across California (and AZ, WA, OR).
1) What is general liability insurance (GL) and who needs it? ›
General Liability (GL) helps pay for third-party bodily injury, property damage, and personal & advertising injury claims. Nearly every business needs it—contractors, shops, restaurants, landlords, professional offices, and mobile service providers.
2) What does a GL policy typically cover? ›
- Bodily Injury & Property Damage – e.g., customer slip-and-fall, damage to a client’s property.
- Personal & Advertising Injury – libel/slander, copyright/trademark in ads (subject to exclusions).
- Medical Payments – small, no-fault medical bills for third parties.
- Products-Completed Operations – claims arising from your product or finished work.
- Damage to Premises Rented to You – fire legal liability when you lease space.
Common limits: $1,000,000 per occurrence / $2,000,000 aggregate (often written as 1M/2M).
3) What isn’t covered by GL? ›
- Your property or tools/equipment (see Commercial Property or Inland Marine/Contractor’s Equipment).
- Employee injuries (see Workers’ Compensation).
- Professional mistakes (see Professional Liability/E&O).
- Auto accidents (see Commercial Auto; consider Hired & Non-Owned Auto endorsement when applicable).
- Intentional acts, expected/intentional injury, and contractual liability beyond policy terms.
- Cyber/data breaches (see Cyber Liability).
- Liquor liability for businesses that sell/serve alcohol (often separate or endorsed).
We’ll help you add the right endorsements or companion policies for complete protection.
4) What’s the difference between Occurrence and Claims-Made? ›
Occurrence forms cover losses that happen during the policy period (even if the claim is reported later). Claims-made forms respond only if the claim is made while the policy is active (and after any retroactive date). Many GL policies are occurrence; some industries also see claims-made (often with tail/extended reporting options).
5) How are premiums calculated? ›
- Class code & operations (risk profile of your work).
- Rating basis – gross sales, payroll, square footage, or subcontractor costs.
- Limits & deductibles chosen, plus claims history and years in business.
- Location (city/ZIP), safety controls, and additional insured/waiver requirements.
We’ll shop multiple carriers to balance cost and coverage for your exact operation.
6) What endorsements should I consider? ›
- Additional Insured (AI) & Primary/Non-contributory wording for landlords/GCs.
- Waiver of Subrogation to meet vendor or lease requirements.
- Hired & Non-Owned Auto (HNOA) if employees drive their cars or rentals for business.
- Contractors: Per-project aggregate, Ongoing/Ops Completed AI, CG 20 10 / CG 20 37 equivalents.
- Restaurant/Retail: Liquor Liability (if applicable), Assault & Battery (where available).
- Property/Equipment: Inland Marine for tools, Business Personal Property for contents.
7) How do Certificates of Insurance (COIs) and Additional Insured work? ›
A COI proves your active coverage and limits. Additional Insured endorsements extend certain protections to landlords, GCs, or clients per policy terms. Send us the contract or lease—we’ll issue compliant COIs and the correct AI/waiver wording fast.
8) How can I lower my GL premium without gaps? ›
- Implement safety training, signage, and incident logs.
- Use insured/qualified subcontractors with COIs that meet your requirements.
- Bundle GL with BOP (Business Owner’s Policy) to include Property and often Business Income.
- Choose deductibles wisely; maintain clean claims history.
- Review contracts—avoid assuming liabilities outside your policy.
9) Do I need GL if I’m a subcontractor or home-based business? ›
Yes. Many GCs and landlords require GL with AI/waiver before you can start work or sign a lease. Home policies typically exclude business liability—GL fills that gap and helps you win contracts.
10) What should I do if there’s an incident or claim? ›
- Make the area safe; gather photos, witness info, and incident details.
- Notify us promptly—early reporting helps protect your rights.
- Do not admit fault; let the insurer investigate and defend.
We’ll guide you through documentation and next steps, start to finish.
11) Why choose JSSR Insurance Agency for GL? ›
We’re an independent agency serving Lathrop, Tracy, Santa Clara County, and beyond. We compare multiple carriers, tailor endorsements to your contracts, and deliver fast COIs—so you can get to work with confidence.
12) How do I get a general liability quote today? ›
Call (209) 701-6900, email
Need compliant coverage and fast COIs?
We’ll align your policy with lease/vendor/GC requirements and issue AI + waiver endorsements quickly.
Helping contractors, restaurants, retailers, and professionals across CA, AZ, WA, and OR.
