General liability insurance for installation professionals

General liability insurance is a must-have policy for tile and stone installers, flooring installers, drywall installers, HVAC contractors, and other installation professionals. Since your work takes place at clients’ homes and businesses, you’re at high risk for injuries and property damage.

Usually required when you sign a commercial lease, this policy provides liability coverage related to:

• Customer injuries
• Customer property damage
• Advertising injuries
• Products-completed operations

As a small business owner, you may be able to bundle general liability insurance and commercial property insurance in a business owner’s policy (BOP) at a reduced premium. An installation business that is eligible for a BOP typically:

• Has fewer than 100 employees
• Has a small office or workplace
• Makes less than $1 million in annual revenue
• Operates in a low-risk industry
• Needs less than 12 months of business interruption insurance

Speak with a licensed Insureon agent to find out if a BOP fits your business.

If a visitor slips and breaks an arm at your shop or where you’re working, you could be blamed for the injury. If the person files a lawsuit, you may have to pay for their medical bills – plus the cost of hiring a lawyer. General liability insurance covers:

• Medical bills
• Attorney's fees
• Settlements or court-ordered judgments

Note that this policy does not cover employee injuries. For that, you’ll need workers’ compensation insurance.

Accidents can be costly, particularly for owners of small installation companies. General liability insurance safeguards you when customer property is damaged. For example, if a door installation company accidentally breaks a window while bringing a door into a client's home, general liability insurance can pay for the cost of repairing or replacing the window, as well as legal fees if the client files a lawsuit.

While advertising your installation company and its services, your business could be susceptible to advertising injury claims. For instance, a competing installation company could sue you for copying a logo or slogan. Accidental advertising injuries are covered by general liability insurance. This includes:

• Defamation, both libel (written) and slander (spoken)
• Copyright infringement

Sometimes problems crop up only after a project is complete. Products-completed operations coverage protects installers from lawsuits over faulty workmanship (or products) that causes an injury or property damage.

For example, a newly installed window could leak and damage the hardwood flooring in a client's living room. Or a connection on a recently installed washing machine could come loose, flooding a client's garage and soaking their belongings.

If the homeowner sues, this coverage will help pay your legal costs, settlement, or judgment. It's also called product liability insurance.

While general liability insurance covers numerous risks, it does not provide complete protection. You may also want to safeguard against employee injuries, damage to business property, or accidents involving company vehicles. Other important policies for installers include:

Business owner's policy: A BOP bundles general liability coverage with commercial property insurance at a discount. It protects against common accidents and business property damage.

Workers’ compensation insurance: Workers’ comp helps pay for medical expenses from work-related injuries and illnesses. It's required in most states for businesses that have employees.

Commercial auto insurance: This policy covers costs in the event of an accident involving a vehicle owned by your installation business. Most states require this coverage for vehicles owned by a business.

Contractor’s tools and equipment insurance: This policy helps pay for repair or replacement of an installation contractor’s tools and equipment if they are lost, stolen, or damaged.

Cyber insurance: Any business that handles personal information, from credit card numbers to email addresses, should carry this coverage. It covers costs related to data breaches and cyberattacks.

Are you ready to safeguard your installation business with general liability insurance? Complete Insureon’s easy online application today. Once you find the right policy, you can begin coverage in less than 24 hours.