Commercial General Liability Insurance
Protect your small business from third-party injury and property damage claims with commercial general liability insurance.
Trusted by over 300,000 Canadian small business owners!
Save up to 35% on your insurance
Instant price and coverage in just a few clicks!
Trusted by over 300,000 Canadian small business owners!
Save up to 35% on your insurance
Instant price and coverage in just a few clicks!
Partnerships with over 50 leading Canadian insurance providers
Partnerships with over 50 leading Canadian insurance providers
Why Choose Zensurance?
We help Canadian small business owners save time and money by providing
a convenient and affordable way to buy business insurance.
Convenience
Purchase your insurance anytime, anywhere, with our easy-to-use online platform.
Cost
Compare rates across leading insurance companies to ensure you get the best price on your premium.
Curation
We use data and analytics to identify the right insurance policies for your business.
General Liability Claims Examples
Bodily injury
Problem: Your client slips on the stairs on their way into your office, resulting in a broken wrist.
Outcome: The client successfully sues your business for bodily injury. Your CGL coverage may cover the legal expenses and medical fees, totalling $25,000.
Property damage
Problem: You’re a general contractor hired to renovate a kitchen and accidentally damage your client’s hardwood floors.
Outcome: Your CGL coverage policy covers the cost to repair the floors, totalling $10,000 in damages.
Product liability
Problem: A customer suffers from severe food poisoning after dining at your restaurant.
Outcome: The customer successfully sues you for bodily injury. Your CGL policy covers the medical expenses and legal fees, totalling $15,000.
Commercial General Liability Insurance, Explained.
What is commercial general liability insurance?
Commercial general liability (CGL) is an insurance policy that provides financial coverage for claims of third-party bodily injury and property damage caused by your business resulting from negligence or unexpected accidents.
Should your business be sued, CGL insurance typically covers compensatory damages awarded against you and any legal defence costs, regardless of the lawsuit’s outcome.
What does general liability insurance cover?
General liability insurance typically includes coverage for legal costs and damages related to the following coverage areas:
- Bodily Injury Liability: Injuries or damage to a third party person or property resulting from your business operations.
- Product Liability: Property damage or bodily injury caused by a product you sell or supply.
- Tenant’s Legal Liability: Costs to repair or replace others’ property that you rent or occupy.
- Personal and Advertising Injury Liability: Allegations of defamation, libel, slander, or false advertising.
Who needs commercial general liability insurance?
As a small business owner, you come into contact with any third parties, including clients, vendors, and other businesses, who may be involved in an accident or claim your business caused them loss or damage.
General liability insurance for small businesses is recommended if:
- You have an office space or clients visit you at home.
- You visit your client’s office space or home.
- You have staff who conduct business off-site.
How much does commercial general liability insurance cost?
For a small to medium-sized business, you can anticipate spending $450 annually on a basic Commercial General Liability Insurance policy with a $2M limit.
When you fill out our online application, we will ask some questions about your business to understand your needs better. The following factors are taken into consideration when determining the best policy options for you:
- Years of Experience
- Annual and Projected Gross Revenue
- Number of Employees
- Previous Insurance Claims
We’ve partnered with over fifty insurance providers to offer you different options that suit your business needs at the best price.
What is not covered by commercial general liability insurance?
Commercial liability insurance does not typically provide coverage for:
- Contractual liability;
- Intentional criminal acts;
- Patent infringement;
- Motor vehicles or automobiles (you need a Commercial Auto Insurance policy); or,
- Professional services or advice you provide (you need Professional Liability Insurance).
What other insurance coverages should your business add?
When building a comprehensive insurance policy for your business, several types of insurance business owners should consider protecting themselves against other third-party liability lawsuits or claims.
Explore the following business insurance policies for specific coverage information:
Frequently asked questions
A general liability policy covers legal expenses and settlements related to bodily injury or property damage to a third party. The most common scenarios usually involve accidents and injuries: trip-and-falls are Canada’s leading cause of injury hospitalization.
You should purchase as much coverage as you can afford. When determining how much general liability insurance coverage to buy, consider the size of your business, your industry, and how frequently you interact with third parties, including customers, vendors, and other companies.
These factors can help you identify your level of risk exposure, and depending on your profession, you may require additional coverage. For example, a contractor is more likely to be at risk for causing third-party property damage than a web designer who works from home.
Speak with your broker about customizing your policy to meet your specific business needs.
Get in touch with one of our insurance brokers or request an online quote from our application form.
Our digital brokerage model has several benefits over local brokers, including speed, ease of use and lower costs. All insurance brokers, digital and traditional, have a fiduciary responsibility to protect your best interests and should help you find the right policy for your business.
As a business owner, if you come into contact with any third parties, including clients, vendors, and other businesses, who may be involved in an accident or claim your business caused them loss or damage. This definition of a third party does not include your employees or sub-contractors for coverage purposes.
The primary difference between Public Liability Insurance and Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance is the risks they cover. Public Liability Insurance provides financial coverage against the public’s claims against your business for personal injury or property damage. CGL is a more accessible form of insurance that provides a more extensive range, covering personal and advertising injuries and everything public liability covers.
General Liability Insurance costs are calculated based on a few different factors such as industry, projected revenues, and years in operation. Insurance companies have collected decades’ worth of data to predict the risk associated with various industries, business sizes, and many other factors to help them calculate your yearly premium cost.
Other business insurance coverage options to consider:
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- Angela Grigg was awesome to work with. the process was very smooth and clear. Thanks for your helpHalyna Uvarova7/24/2024Had a great experience working with Julianne Katz as she walked me through the different insurance options and what they mean! I highly recommend their service.Sam Gabrail7/24/2024Bernard was very professional and helped us through the processMohd Adnan Khan7/23/2024
- Staff are extremely helpful and attentive. They are very quick with their response time and turnaround time. I would highly recommend Zensurance to anyone!Tyson Buchannon7/23/2024Good service , I renewed my policy for the 3rd time, the zensurance team helped me to get the best option on the market that will suits my companyVladimir Perciun7/23/2024Very helpful and reasonable rates. Bernard Albano worked with me to find the right insurance policy for my business and he reached out to be sure I had answers to all my questions. I would recommend Bernard and Zen insurance.Rachel Kruyf7/22/2024
- Received great service and all questions answered quickly. Happy customer!AL DL7/21/2024The insurance advisor that I was assigned with was “very” difficult to deal with but thankfully I was able to receive help from Mohammed a senior claims advisor who was very helpful.Kim Van Mil7/19/2024I made a call for a quote, and I have learned a lot from the account associate Anthony Nepomucen during the process. He was very competent, knowledgeable, supportive and patient.Zoe Zhang7/19/2024
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Getting commercial general liability insurance shouldn’t be complicated!
At Zensurance, we simplify the process of getting insurance so that you get the coverage you need, quick and easy!
Our friendly support team is always ready to answer questions, we’re just a click or a phone call away.