Public Liability Insurance
Public Liability Insurance protects your business against claims resulting from bodily injury or property damage to third-parties.
Join over 100,000 businesses that have trusted us!
Save up to 35% on your insurance
Just a few minutes to get your best quote
Join over 100,000 businesses that have trusted us!
Save up to 35% on your insurance
Just a few minutes to get your best quote
Partnerships with over 50 leading Canadian insurance providers
Partnerships with over 50 leading Canadian insurance providers
Why Choose Zensurance?
We help Canadian 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.
Claims Examples
Problem: Your client slips on an unattended wet floor in your office space, resulting in a sprained ankle.
Outcome: The client successfully sues your business for bodily injury. Your Public Liability policy could cover the legal expenses and medical fees, totaling $20,000.
Problem: A child cuts themself on a sharp kitchen knife left in the dining area of your restaurant.
Outcome: You’re successfully sued for bodily injury by the child’s parents. Your Public Liability policy could cover the medical expenses and legal fees, totaling $15,000.
Problem: You are hired to paint a living room and accidentally spill paint all over your client’s new carpet.
Outcome: Your Public Liability policy could cover the cost to repair the carpet, totaling $10,000 in damages.
Public Liability Insurance, Explained.
What is Public Liability Insurance?
Public Liability Insurance, also known as Commercial General Liability, protects your business against the day-to-day risks of running a business.
Public Liability Insurance typically covers the lawsuits and payments of claims related to third-party bodily injury (e.g., slip-and-fall) or third-party property damage.
What does it cover?
Public 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.
Your business may also require additional insurance coverage. Read “What is not covered by Public Liability Insurance?” to learn what’s not covered and the other coverages available.
What does it not cover?
Public Liability Insurance only provides coverage for accidental injuries and property damage to third parties.
Here are some circumstances where you would not be covered under this coverage.
- Damages to yourself or your employees;
- Contractual liability;
- Intentional criminal acts;
- Errors and omissions (you’ll need Professional Liability Insurance);
- Your personal property (look into Contents Coverage or Equipment Breakdown Coverage);
- A product you manufacture or sell (Product Liability would generally offer coverage); or,
Third-party damage or bodily injury due to an alcohol-related incident (you should have Liquor Liability Insurance if you serve alcohol).
How much does it cost?
For a small to medium-sized business, you can anticipate spending $450.00 annually on a basic Public Liability Insurance policy with a $2M limit.
As every business is different, we’ll give you a quote that provides the right coverage for you. Below are the following factors are typically taken into consideration when determining the cost of your premium:
- 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.
Who needs this coverage?
Public Liability Coverage is important coverage for most business owners. It may cover the financial costs of unforeseen events such as lawsuits due to third-party injury or property damage.
You need Public Liability Insurance if:
- Your clients visit your office space or your home.
- You visit your client’s office space or their home.
- You have staff who conduct business off-site.
Can you get 1-day Public Liability Insurance?
If you’re hosting a one-time event, such as a wedding or a fundraiser, you may only need insurance for a limited timeframe. With specific insurance companies, you can purchase short-term public liability insurance for a set number of days or weeks. Please note, if you are hosting several events over a period of time (for example, if you’re an event organizer), it will probably be more cost-effective to purchase insurance that covers the entire time frame.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no difference between the two in Canada. Public Liability Insurance is a term that is more popular in other countries, especially in the UK and US. In Canada, the same coverage is provided by Commercial General Liability, often simply referred to as General Liability Insurance, CGL, or Liability Insurance.
No, Public Liability Insurance only provides coverage for accidental injuries and property damage to third parties. Errors and omissions in service are covered under a separate policy called Professional Liability Insurance, often referred to as Errors and Omissions Insurance. If a client were to be injured due to a service you provided, you would require Professional Liability Insurance to cover you in such a scenario.
No, Public Liability Insurance is designed to protect you in claims from third-party injuries or property damage. Your property is not covered under this policy. If you own expensive property and equipment and require coverage, discuss with your broker to get Contents Coverage or Equipment Breakdown Coverage.
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4.8 ★★★★☆★ 1000+ Google Reviews
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Absolutely a great support service. They respond to my emails quickly. Their chat feature on their website is... read moreAbsolutely a great support service. They respond to my emails quickly. Their chat feature on their website is very easily accessible, and I only waited for one minute! Couldn't be happier.
We are pleased that we switched to this broker from our old broker that we were with for over 20 years.
Zensurance is highly recommended if you are looking for business insurance. read less
Jeff Panasuik5/20/2022I came across Zensurance while searching for a new insurance company for my small business. I put an online quote... read moreI came across Zensurance while searching for a new insurance company for my small business. I put an online quote request in, and heard back from Emma the very next day. My business is a niche market, and most insurers don't really understand my coverage needs. Emma reviewed my current policy (that was up for renewal) and found I was over insured in some areas, and under insured in other areas. I was really in shock about the blind spots in my coverage. On top of that, I could have gotten a similar policy and been saving $1400 a year! Emma worked with another staff member Matt and they took a deep dive into my website, and policy to best understand my business and the goals I have for extending my business into the US. In the end, I got ALL of the coverage I needed, and was able to secure insurance that allows me to work towards my US business goals. Emma and Matt were awesome to work with. I really felt they were negotiating on my behalf, not their bottom line! It was VERY refreshing to deal with them, and no love lost from my previous broker. I HIGHLY recommend talking with Zensurance to make sure your current policy is the best fit for your business. read less
Amanda Wright-Baxter4/28/2022Starting a small business, particularly when you are your one and only employee, responsible for everything, can be a bit... read moreStarting a small business, particularly when you are your one and only employee, responsible for everything, can be a bit daunting at times. At first you're just trying to see if there's a market to launch into. When you discover there is, there are so many additional tasks, with a very important one being insurance.
I contacted three companies for insurance quotes. All three initially responded to gather info. One stopped responding when I mentioned (honestly) that I was getting other quotes. One was friendly, collected info and let me know a quote was coming (that was two weeks ago) and the other was Steve at Zensurance.
From the beginning, Steve was consistently in contact, with an info form, then with more in depth questions, and as promised . . . a quote arrived right when he said it would.
While I didn't have the benefit of quotes from the other two to compare, I'm part of a community of others in my business and did get feedback from them on what they pay, what it covers, etc. so I knew when Steve's quote arrived that it was fair and right in line with what others are paying and receiving. In fact, I'm pretty sure a number of them recommended Zensurance in the first place.
The process of accepting, signing, arranging monthly payments was simple, and I now have peace of mind that I can concentrate on my work knowing I am insured should anything go awry. (But, let's hope that is never tested!) read less WJ Taylor4/26/2022 -
Absolutely amazing! I would recommend Zensurance to every business owner. Matthew had so much kindness and understanding with... read moreAbsolutely amazing! I would recommend Zensurance to every business owner. Matthew had so much kindness and understanding with my siutation, made sure I completely understood my coverage, and worked so patiently with me while I had ongoing challenges and barriers. Absolutely stellar service, perfectly tailored to my needs, really genuinely listened & helped me every step of the way! 🙏💙 I am so deeply grateful for the time, care and support of Zensurance & Matthew! They made even my small, home based candle business feel like such a priority & taken so seriously! Thank you again Matthew & Zensurance ~ you are amazing!! read less
Two Bridges CandleWorks4/22/2022great service. All questions were timely answered. Great service
Mark Peddle4/20/2022Katherine is really professional and patient to help me get the insurance that fit me. Thanks Katherine.
Mimi Zhang4/19/2022 -
Excellent insurer to deal with. Easy to contact, quick to respond. Thanks for making insurance easy!
Kurt Johnson4/19/2022Just signed up for a small business. Everything was done promptly, orderly and politely. Thanks Matt.
Ruth Beam4/19/2022Fast, friendly service. Easy to follow from quote to purchase.Thank you Zensurance!
Dan Muller4/19/2022
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