What Damages Are Covered by a CGL Policy?

For contractors, commercial general liability (CGL) insurance plays a vital role in managing risks that arise on a job site. Nearly all construction contracts require contractors to have CGL insurance to protect against bodily injury or property damage claims. This coverage protects your business from significant financial and legal risks that could jeopardize your projects.

While CGL insurance provides essential safeguards, it doesn’t cover everything. Understanding what’s included—and excluded—can help you make informed decisions and tailor your policy to your specific needs. This article will dive into the damages typically covered, explore standard exclusions, and explain how customized endorsements can enhance your coverage.

Read on for expert advice from Thomas McMillan, a commercial lines staff underwriter at Central Insurance.

What Does a CGL Policy Cover?

CGL policies address the unpredictable and often high-stakes risks that contractors and builders face daily. McMillan stresses that at their core, these policies protect businesses from third-party claims related to bodily injury, property damage, and legal defense costs.

The benefits go beyond just protecting against lawsuits. Many CGL policies include fire legal liability coverage, which offers protection for damages to rented or leased spaces caused by fire. This coverage is particularly valuable for contractors who use rented offices or storage facilities.

McMillan explains, “Central does have fire legal liability, which provides the insured with some first-party property protection if they rent or lease an office space or a place to store equipment.” Even though CGL policies primarily focus on third-party claims, some provisions can feel like first-party property damage coverage, especially for leased properties.

Tailored Enhancements for Contractors

The ability to tailor CGL coverage to specific needs is a game changer for contractors working on complex projects. Carriers like Central offer specialized programs that enhance the standard coverage form to meet contractors’ unique requirements. 

Blanket Additional Insured

Per Project and Location Aggregates

What it Does: This enhancement allows multiple parties, such as project owners, general contractors, or property managers, to be added as “additional insureds” under your CGL policy. It eliminates the need to add each party individually, simplifying the process. Why it Matters: Many construction contracts require naming other stakeholders as additional insureds. This endorsement ensures you’re compliant with those contractual requirements without creating gaps in coverage or requiring multiple policy updates.

What it Does: This feature provides separate liability limits for each project or location covered by the policy. Essentially, one project’s claims will keep the coverage for other ongoing projects available. Why it Matters: Construction professionals often manage multiple projects simultaneously. A significant claim at one site could otherwise exhaust the policy’s overall coverage limit, exposing other sites. This enhancement prevents that risk.

These enhancements often include blanket additional insured endorsements or per-project and per-location aggregates, which is particularly beneficial for businesses managing multiple projects simultaneously. It ensures adequate coverage across different jobsites without requiring separate policies for each.

Having a tailored policy makes all the difference for businesses juggling multiple projects. McMillan recommends discussing the policies you need with your insurance agent to ensure you have no gaps in coverage.

What is Typically Excluded from a CGL Policy?

While commercial general liability (CGL) insurance offers robust protection for contractors, it’s equally important to understand its limitations. McMillan explains that “knowing what isn’t covered can help you avoid costly surprises and identify when additional policies or endorsements are needed.”

Below are some of the most common exclusions found in a standard CGL policy, according to McMillan:

1. First-Party Property Damage

• What’s Excluded: A standard CGL policy does not cover damage to property owned, occupied, or rented by the insured, except in specific circumstances like fire legal liability for leased spaces.
• Why It Matters: Contractors often lease offices, storage facilities, or job sites. Without additional coverage like a commercial property policy or an endorsement, you may be responsible for repairing or replacing damaged property.

Example: If a contractor damages their tools or equipment during a project, their CGL policy will not cover this loss.

2. Pollution-Related Claims

• What’s Excluded: Pollution incidents, such as spills or releasing hazardous materials, are generally excluded from a CGL policy.
• Why It Matters: Many artisan contractors, such as painters or HVAC specialists, handle materials that could cause environmental harm. Without a separate pollution liability policy, the CGL policy would not cover claims arising from these events.

Example: A spill of chemicals used in construction causes soil contamination. This type of claim would fall outside the scope of standard CGL coverage. Learn More: Pollution Liability Insurance: Everything You Need to Know 

3. Professional Services Liability

• What’s Excluded: A CGL policy does not cover errors or omissions related to professional advice, designs, or consultations.
• Why It Matters: Contractors who offer design-build services or provide project management may need professional liability insurance (Errors and Omissions coverage) to protect against these risks.

Example: A contractor provides design recommendations that lead to structural issues in a completed building. The resulting damages would not be covered by their CGL policy.

4. Employee Injuries

• What’s Excluded: Injuries to employees on the job are excluded from CGL policies.
• Why It Matters: Employers must carry workers’ compensation insurance to cover medical expenses and lost wages for injured employees. CGL insurance will not fill this gap.

Example: An employee falls from scaffolding and requires extensive medical treatment. A Workers’ Compensation policy would need to cover these costs.

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5. Completed Operations and “Your Work” Exclusions

• What’s Excluded: Defective artistry or damage caused by your work after project completion is not automatically covered.
• Why It Matters: Contractors must obtain endorsements for completed operations coverage to protect against claims arising after they finish their work.

Example: Years after completing a project, a contractor is sued for structural damages caused by poor craftsmanship. Without a completed operations endorsement, the CGL would not cover this claim.

Understanding these exclusions can help you secure additional protections for specific projects. Before beginning construction, consulting with your insurance agent is your best bet to ensure your business is protected from all angles.

Choosing the Right CGL Policy: The Central Difference

Selecting a commercial general liability policy is not just about coverage. It’s about finding a carrier that truly understands your industry and offers tailored solutions to protect your business. At Central Insurance, we work with experienced agents who understand the unique risks contractors face so they can recommend coverage options that meet legal and practical requirements.

“For home builders and artisan contractors, we have a tailored coverage program in place that’s pretty robust,” McMillan explains. This program means you can fine-tune coverage as a contractor who manages varied and complex projects:

• Home Builders Plus Coverage is designed specifically for residential contractors, with jurisdiction-specific adjustments.
• Endorsements like blanket additional insureds and per-project aggregates that provide customized protection for multi-site operations.
• Increased defense limits are needed to ensure adequate resources are available in the event of a significant claim.

A key aspect of choosing carriers is ensuring they can pay claims promptly and consistently. Central maintains financial solvency to support its insureds, providing peace of mind that your policy will work when you need it most.

Did You Know: The A.M. Best Financial Strength Rating is a great way to determine how safe a carrier’s financial outlook is. For example, A.M. Best reaffirmed Central’s Financial Strength Rating of “A” (Excellent) with a “Stable” outlook in 2024—a rating many organizations were not able to achieve considering the problematic state of the industry.

Central’s tailored coverage, customer service, and industry expertise make it a clear choice for contractors looking to safeguard their businesses. With solutions designed to address real-world challenges and the flexibility to adapt to your needs, Central empowers contractors to focus on their projects confidently.