General Liability vs. Workers' Compensation Insurance | Insureon (2024)

Both general liability insurance and workers' compensation insurance provide coverage when someone is injured at your business. Learn the benefits offered by each policy, the key differences in coverage, and why you may need them for your business.

What is general liability insurance?

A general liability insurance policy protects your business against common business risks, such as customer’s bodily injury, damage to a customer’s property, copyright infringement, and advertising injury.

Most general liability policies also include product liability coverage, or you can add this coverage as an added endorsem*nt to your general liability policy.

A general liability insurance policy would cover the following situations:

General Liability vs. Workers' Compensation Insurance | Insureon (1)

  • A customer has a slip and fall injury at your business.
  • Property damage that yourself or an employee cause to a customer’s home or business while visiting their property.
  • Someone sues you for libel or slander over something you post on social media, your company website, or an advertisem*nt.
  • A rival business sues you for a claim of copyright infringement.
  • A customer claims they were injured using one of your products and files a product liability lawsuit.

What does general liability insurance pay for?

When your small business is sued over one of the above incidents, general liability insurance covers your attorney's fees, court costs, and settlements or judgments up to the policy limit.

Because these claims can be the result of accidents or oversights that any business may encounter, general liability is often considered an essential type of insurance.

What is workers' compensation insurance?

Workers’ compensation insurance covers your employees for work-related injuries and illnesses.

The workers’ compensation laws in most states require workers’ compensation insurance coverage for businesses with one or more employees.

Regular health insurance is unlikely to cover a personal injury or illness that happens on the job, and would instead be handled by workers’ compensation claims.

Workers’ comp coverage includes:

  • Employee medical expenses and recovery costs (such as physical therapy) for work-related injuries and illnesses.
  • An employee’s lost wages if they’re unable to work because of a work-related injury or illness.
  • Employee death benefits and dependent support payments in case of a fatal injury at work.
  • Employer’s liability expenses, such as legal fees and settlements, in case an injured employee sues your business over a workplace injury.

General Liability vs. Workers' Compensation Insurance | Insureon (2)

If you are a sole proprietor and don’t have employees, you can still carry workers’ comp insurance to cover yourself for medical costs that health insurance may not pay for.

Compare quotes for general liability insurance and workers' compensation

How are general liability insurance and workers' compensation similar?

Here’s how general liability and workers’ compensation insurance are similar:

Both policies deal with bodily injuries. General liability insurance protects you when a client suffers an injury on your property and sues you for medical expenses. Workers’ comp insurance steps in when your employee is injured while working and makes a claim for coverage.

Both policies may be required for construction professionals. If you work as a construction contractor, a general contractor may require you to carry your own general liability and workers’ comp coverage. A general liability policy can cover lawsuits over your completed work if it injures a third party or caused property damage. And having your own workers’ comp coverage means the general contractor won’t have to cover you with their policy.

In some states, construction workers must carry workers’ comp insurance coverage even if they don’t have any employees. For example, solo roofers in California must carry coverage.

How are general liability and workers' compensation insurance different?

Despite their similarities, workers' comp and general liability insurance differ in fundamental ways:

Workers’ comp insurance is regulated by state laws. It’s often the only business insurance policy that employers are legally required to carry outside of commercial auto insurance. Though the laws differ depending on where you live, most regulations apply when your business has a certain number of employees. In some states, that means one full-time or part-time employee. In others, you must have several employees before the mandate kicks in. Learn more about your state’s workers’ compensation laws.

General liability insurance matters regardless of your business’s size. While workers’ compensation mandates usually kick in at certain employee thresholds, a small business owner should have general liability coverage even if they have no employees. That's because there’s no predicting when a visitor could slip at your business, suffer an injury, and sue you for their accident.

How much do general liability and workers’ compensation insurance cost for small businesses?

General Liability vs. Workers' Compensation Insurance | Insureon (3)

Commercial insurance can be affordable. Median costs for small business owners are:

General liability: $42 per month
Workers' comp: $45 per month

Factors that influence business insurance costs include:

  • Your industry and risks
  • Business operations
  • Number of employees
  • Policy limits and deductibles

Protect your business with essential business insurance policies

You likely need both general liability and workers’ comp coverage to run a strong business. General liability insurance guards you against claims when third parties are injured on your property. Workers' compensation insurance helps your business adhere to state laws and protect your employees when their work takes a physical toll. Fill out an online insurance application to get quotes for both policies from top-rated insurance companies.

Updated:

January 31, 2024

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General Liability vs. Workers' Compensation Insurance | Insureon (2024)

FAQs

Is general liability worth it? ›

A general liability insurance policy is essential if you open your business to the public, handle client property, or rent or own commercial property. It can protect you from expensive lawsuits for only about 42 dollars per month. Don't put your business at risk, apply for your policy today.

How do you explain general liability coverage? ›

General liability insurance definition

General liability insurance can help cover medical expenses and attorney fees resulting from bodily injuries and property damage for which your company may be legally responsible.

What is professional and general liability insurance and what is the difference between them? ›

General liability covers physical risks, such as bodily injuries and property damage. Professional liability insurance covers more abstract risks, such as errors and omissions in the services your business provides.

What is the maximum employer claim liability? ›

The maximum liability employers take on can range from $10,000 to $1 million, and generally fall within 3 to 6 percent of the expected annual claim amount.

What are the risks of not having general liability insurance? ›

What Happens If You Don't Get General Liability Insurance? Most legal defense, settlements, court fees, or judgment costs can quickly add up and could be expensive. If there ever is a situation where an individual files a claim against your small business, you may need to hire legal counsel.

Can you self insure general liability? ›

Some large businesses may choose to self-insure to save money and control costs for their commercial property, auto and general liability coverages.

What is not covered under a CGL policy? ›

In summary, while CGL policies provide broad coverage for general business liabilities, policyholders should be aware of common exclusions like expected harm, contractual obligations, pollution, aircraft/watercraft, and professional services.

Does CGL cover employees? ›

A: No, a CGL policy does not cover injuries to employees. Employee injuries are typically covered under workers compensation insurance, which is specifically designed to provide coverage for medical expenses, lost wages, and rehabilitation costs for employees injured on the job.

What is the difference between comprehensive and general liability insurance? ›

The difference between comprehensive and liability insurance is that comprehensive covers your car when it's damaged by something other than a collision, while liability coverage pays for other people's property damage and injuries when you cause an accident.

Is workplace liability the same as general liability insurance? ›

General liability insurance protects your business from damages it may cause, while workers' comp insurance helps protect your employees from work-related injuries or illnesses.

Is general liability insurance the same as employers liability? ›

In terms of the scope of what it encompasses, general liability insurance only covers a business from outside claims including customer injuries or negligence. It does not protect a business from employee-related negligence. Employers' liability insurance is for legal claims filed by injured workers.

What is the difference between personal injury and general liability insurance? ›

The main difference, however, is that personal liability insurance covers for injuries or damages that the insured is personally held responsible for while general liability policy, which is also called commercial general liability insurance, pays for the costs incurred from bodily and property harm associated with a ...

Which type of insurance coverage do employers typically provide to their employees? ›

Many employers offer some type of group healthcare insurance coverage to their employees. Plans will differ, and can be anything from basic coverage to a more comprehensive plan. Typically, employers will provide different plan options, allowing employees to select the type of insurance that best meets their needs.

What is workers comp employers liability coverage? ›

Employer's liability insurance is a coverage that helps pay a business owner's costs related to a lawsuit resulting from an employee's work-related injury or illness. Without employer's liability insurance, you'd have to pay for these legal costs out of pocket, which can get very expensive.

In what states is workers' compensation mandatory? ›

In the United States, 49 of the 50 states must carry workers' compensation insurance. Texas is the only state that doesn't mandate its businesses to purchase this coverage. That said, it's safe to say that your business most likely needs workers' compensation to comply with state laws — and protect your employees.

What are the benefits of general liability insurance? ›

General liability insurance may help cover repair or replacement costs if your business accidently damages someone else's property. You might also feel better and could have increased peace of mind knowing your business may be covered just in case an accident happens.

How much is a $1 million dollar insurance policy for a business? ›

On average, Insureon customers pay $42 per month, or about $500 annually, for a $1 million general liability insurance policy. Additionally, 29% pay less than $30 per month, and 40% pay between $30 and $60 per month. Customers who need more coverage will likely pay a higher premium.

What triggers a general liability policy? ›

Under an occurrence policy, the occurrence of injury or damage is the trigger; liability will be covered under that policy if the injury or damage occurred during the policy period. Under a claims-made policy, the making of a claim triggers coverage.

What is the difference between business insurance and general liability? ›

What Is General Liability Coverage? Unlike commercial property coverage, general liability only provides coverage for damage and injuries your business causes to a third party. It does not cover damage to your business' own property or injuries to your employees.

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