General Liability vs. Professional Liability Insurance
General liability insurance covers third-party bodily injury and property damage, while professional liability insurance (also called errors and omissions insurance) covers financial losses from mistakes or omissions in the professional services you provide.
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General Liability Insurance
Covers third-party claims of bodily injury or property damage arising from your business operations, such as a customer slipping at your location.
- Widely required by landlords and many client contracts as a baseline coverage
- Relatively affordable for most small businesses
- Doesn't cover financial losses from a professional mistake or bad advice, only physical injury or property damage claims
Professional Liability Insurance (E&O)
Covers claims that your professional services, advice, or work caused a client financial harm due to an error, omission, or negligence, even without physical injury.
- Covers financial losses from professional errors or omissions that general liability doesn't address
- Often specifically required by client contracts for consulting, advisory, or technical service businesses
- Doesn't cover physical bodily injury or property damage claims, which general liability addresses instead
- Pricing and required limits vary significantly by specific profession and perceived risk
Which one makes sense for you?
Most service-based businesses that give advice or perform specialized work benefit from carrying both, since the two coverages address fundamentally different types of claims. Businesses with a physical location and customer foot traffic should prioritize general liability at minimum, while consulting, advisory, or technical service businesses should specifically evaluate professional liability given their distinct exposure.
Key cost factors.
- Whether your business provides professional advice, services, or work product that could lead to a client's financial loss
- Whether clients or physical visitors interact with your business location
- Specific contractual insurance requirements from clients or landlords
- Industry-specific risk profile relevant to each coverage type
Before you decide.
- Do my client contracts specifically require professional liability coverage?
- Does my business have a physical location where customers or visitors could be injured?
- What claims history exists for similar businesses in my specific industry?
Frequently asked questions.
Can I combine general liability and professional liability into one policy?
Some insurers offer combined policies or allow bundling both coverages together, though availability depends on your specific industry and insurer — it's worth asking directly whether a combined option exists for your business.
All figures on this page are illustrative examples for general education, not quotes, appraisals, or guarantees of actual pricing. Actual costs vary by provider, location, project scope, and market conditions — always get a specific quote before making a purchasing decision.
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