General Liability Insurance

General liability insurance covers third-party claims that your business caused bodily injury or property damage, along with personal and advertising injury such as libel or slander. It pays for legal defense, settlements, and judgments up to your policy limits, whether the claim is valid or not.

It’s the foundation of most commercial programs because it addresses the everyday risks of dealing with customers, the public, and other businesses. At Rafail Insurance Agency we size your limits to your real exposure and the contracts you sign, then explain exactly what’s protected.

General liability isn’t mandated by Texas law for most businesses, but it’s required in practice by the people you do business with. Landlords, lenders, general contractors, and clients routinely require GL with specific limits before they’ll sign a lease or award a contract.

So while it’s technically optional, going without it usually means losing work and exposing your assets to a single lawsuit. We help you carry the right limits to meet your contracts without overpaying for coverage you don’t need.

General liability covers physical risks — bodily injury and property damage you cause to others. Professional liability, also called errors and omissions (E&O), covers financial harm from your professional work, such as a mistake, an omission, or advice that didn’t deliver the promised result.

A consultant who gives flawed advice needs E&O; a contractor whose ladder damages a client’s floor needs GL. Many businesses need both, and we’ll tell you honestly which exposures apply to your operation.

No. Employee injuries are handled by workers’ compensation, not general liability. GL covers third parties — customers, clients, and the public — not the people on your payroll. Relying on GL for an employee injury is a common and costly misunderstanding.

If you have employees, we’ll review whether workers’ comp makes sense for your situation and how it works alongside GL. The two cover different risks, and a complete program usually needs both.

Adding someone as an “additional insured” extends your policy’s protection to them for claims arising out of your work. Clients and general contractors require it so they’re defended under your policy if your operations lead to a claim against them.

The exact endorsement wording matters — a certificate alone may not be enough if the policy isn’t actually endorsed. Send us your contract’s requirements and we’ll confirm your policy meets them, not just on paper.

Cost depends on your industry, revenue, payroll, location, claims history, and the limits you carry. Low-risk service businesses pay relatively little, while contractors and businesses with heavy public exposure pay more because the likelihood and size of claims is greater.

Because we’re independent, we compare your risk across multiple A-rated carriers to find the right limit at the right price. We’ll also flag if a higher limit is worth it given the contracts you’re signing.

A common baseline is a $1 million per-occurrence and $2 million aggregate limit, but the right number depends on your industry, the size of the contracts you take on, and what your clients require. Higher-risk or higher-value work often calls for more, frequently layered with a commercial umbrella.

We size your limits to your actual exposure and contractual obligations, then show you the cost of moving up a tier. The goal is enough protection that one large claim can’t exhaust your coverage.

It’s free and carries no obligation. Upload your current policy and any contract insurance requirements through our contact or appointment form, and we’ll review your limits, endorsements, and certificates, then compare your coverage across A-rated carriers.

If your coverage already fits, we’ll say so. If a contract requires something you don’t have, we’ll fix it before it costs you the job — and the decision stays yours.