General Liability Insurance
Artisan Contractors Liability Insurance
Artisan contractor insurance can include many different classes. The work you do may even be in this class of business even though the general definition of an artisan refers to a skilled worker or craftsman who practices a handicraft or trade. While it may sound benign, as with any trade artisan work has its inherent risks which usually come from customers. You want to move those risks onto a good insurance company. One that will be there if you do get sued. One that will be able to take care of problems related to a lawsuit. One that has an insurance program that understands the artisan’s business exposures.
General Liability Insurance
As the main part of your business insurance program, GL (General Liability) insurance takes care of a variety of potential expenses for you. They include:
- Court expenses, the cost of your attorney/s, bills related to any expert witnesses and really most any other reasonable charges related to putting on your defense.
- Court ordered judgments or an agreed upon settlement if your side ends up losing the case.
- Compensation for the time you spend working your case.
- Any court-required bond premium.
GL covers a large group. In fact, everyone who performs duties for your business (as long as they are authorized) is covered. In addition to yourself, any partners, employees, stockholders, execs and even spouses who meet this criteria are protected by general liability.
Common General Liability Coverages Include:
Bodily Injury (BI):Â This is similar to your auto insurance. If you or someone connected with your business causes an injury to another, the injured party’s medical expenses, lost compensation and costs associated with loss of services will be taken care of.
Property Damage (PD):Â If property is damaged by something you or your employee did or even did not do, GL will pay out on the damage and loss of use of the property.
Products and Completed Ops:Â If the material you use ends up being defective or you unintentionally skipped a step in the work process, any claims that result will be taken care of.
Medical Payments: Subject to lower limits (usually $5,000 to $10,000) this coverage pays any medical expenses regardless of who is at fault. The idea is that if prompt medical payments are disbursed, a lawsuit may be prevented.
Personal and Advertising Injury:Â If a third party is defamed or libeled because of the advertising of your products or services, it is called a personal and advertising injury. Any resulting claims will be handled by your GL.
Damage to Rented or Leased Premises: This takes care of any damages to property you rent or lease.