Commercial General Liability
Three coverages
Coverage A, Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, is occurrence-based for most risks. Coverage B covers personal and advertising injury (libel, slander, wrongful eviction, infringement of advertising ideas, invasion of privacy). Coverage C pays medical expenses for injuries to others on the premises regardless of fault, typically small limits and excluding the insured and employees.
Limits structure
Memorize the standard structure: General Aggregate (top limit for the policy period, excluding products-completed operations), Products-Completed Operations Aggregate, Each Occurrence, Damage to Premises Rented to You (fire legal liability), and Medical Expense per person. Products coverage is triggered away from the premises after the insured relinquishes possession.
Worked example: Limits are $1,000,000 each occurrence, $2,000,000 general aggregate. Claim one pays $700,000; claim two pays $900,000. Total $1,600,000 leaves only $400,000 of aggregate for further claims in the policy period, even though the each-occurrence limit is $1,000,000.
Exclusions worth memorizing
Expected or intended injury; contractual liability (except an insured contract such as a lease of premises); liquor liability when in the business of serving alcohol; autos, aircraft, watercraft; workers compensation and employer's liability; pollution; damage to your product, your work, or impaired property; recall expenses; professional liability; and damage to property you occupy or rent.
Traps
Additional insured status and certificates do not create coverage where none exists. Know that the CGL pays nothing for the insured's own property and that employer's liability is never covered by the CGL.