Best Calgary Commercial General Liability Insurance with Sharp insurance
General liability insurance protects Calgary companies from common lawsuits which may arise from typical business activities. These lawsuits may allege that your business was responsible for bodily injury, personal injury or property damage.
Your business may also be presented with a lawsuit against you for injuries suffered on your premises. General liability lawsuits can range from approximately $3,000 to $150,000. Although the upper end is less likely, if your business gets sued, it could be detrimental to your business.
Even small businesses require a solid business insurance policy. According to SmallBizDaily, 30% to 50% of small businesses are sued every year. Sharp Insurance has a solution for you.
How does Commercial General Liability in Calgary Work?
It can only take a few seconds for an accident to happen, but it could take years for your business to recover from the damages. Don’t let fate determine the future of your business — get commercial general liability (CGL). We offer Calgary business owners a wide range of commercial insurance products that protect you, your employees and your services.
How does CGL work? Most business liability insurance policies in Calgary have different levels of coverage, and to choose the most optimal degree of protection for your company, we advise you to work with one of our Sharp brokers. Your policy may include coverage for bodily injury, personal injury, property damage and claims that occur on your business premises.
For businesses with a higher level of risk or propensity for liability claims, excess liability coverage may be purchased in the form of an umbrella insurance which exceeds the limits of a CGL policy. Some Calgary general liability insurance policies have specific exclusions to what is and isn’t covered, so it’s critical to pay attention to what is included and how much it will cost.
Policies may cover claims on a claims-made basis or an occurrence basis. Claims-made policies offer coverage whenever a claim is made, regardless of when the actual event happened. Occurrence policies, on the other hand, will cover claims if the claim event occurred during the policy period, even if that policy has now expired.
Sharp Insurance brokers provide coverage for liability insurance in Calgary and protect small, medium and large businesses with expertly crafted, customizable insurance solutions. Risk management isn’t sufficient on its own to protect your enterprise. Get insurance as a fallback and enjoy comprehensive damage protection.
What Does General Liability Insurance Cover for Calgary Businesses?
General liability insurance in Calgary covers your business in the event of a claim for bodily injury, medical costs and property damage.
Here are a few examples:
- If a client trips on your equipment resulting in a fall that causes an injury, general liability insurance will cover the claim up to your policy limits.
- If you’re serving coffee at your café and accidentally spill it on someone’s jacket, your insurance will cover the costs of replacing the ruined item.
Your Calgary-based business may benefit from having several different liability insurance products, from commercial general liability insurance to professional liability, director’s and officer’s insurance and more.
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Who Needs Business Liability Insurance in Calgary?
Basically, you should have a CGL insurance policy if you or your employees do the following:
- Represent your clients’ business.
- Interact with clients.
- Use third-party locations for business-related activities.
- Use or have access to equipment.
If you are a contractor, you may be required to have CGL insurance. CGL insurance does not cover your employees for negligence or faulty advice or services. In these examples, you’ll need a professional liability insurance policy.
What is Not Covered Under a Business Liability Insurance Policy?
A commercial general liability insurance policy will cover unexpected or sudden accidents occurring typically during business hours or during a job when an employee is visiting a client’s home. A CGL insurance policy will not cover intentional or expected damages, nor will it cover liability claims made by employees, such as wrongful termination, discrimination and sexual harassment.
Generally, your CGL policy will not cover:
- Intentional damages
- Contractual liability
- Professional services
- Motor vehicles
- Cyberattacks
- Patent infringement
- Intentional criminal actions
- Acts of war
- Civil unrest
- And more
Our expert brokers can help you determine what other business insurance policies you require.
The Cost of Commercial General Liability Insurance in Calgary
The cost of liability insurance in Calgary may vary from one business to another. Commercial general liability insurance in Calgary can cost some businesses as little as $300 – $500/year, while it can cost other businesses, with a higher propensity for loss, up to $1,500/year. Large businesses with higher limits or higher risks tend to pay more for their insurance.
Carriers may use different factors to gauge your insurance rates, including:
Business size
The size of your business may determine how much insurance you pay.
Business history
How long have you been in business? This may determine your premium.
Business location
How physically close your business is to risk factors may play a role in how much you pay for your insurance. Also, if you have a high-volume of pedestrians who are visiting your business, this could impact your rates. If your business is in a high-crime area, you may be paying more for your business insurance.
Insurance history
How long has your business been insured? What does your claim history look like?
Industry
Some industries are more prone to risk than others. Retail businesses have more foot traffic so the potential for risks is higher for injuries. Whereas an e-commerce website may want to focus on a cyber liability or product liability insurance policy.
Equipment and property condition
If your tools or building are starting to see wear-and-tear, the risk for loss is potentially greater.
Coverage limits
You’ll need to purchase enough coverage for your business, which could impact your insurance rate.
If you want an accurate assessment of what you will end up paying for your commercial general liability insurance in Calgary, simply request a free business liability quote with Sharp Insurance today. Premiums only apply to purchased policies — our quotes are free!
Calgary Business Liability Insurance FAQs
Liability insurance is not mandatory in Alberta but in many cases it’s highly recommended. Other types of business liability insurance in Calgary, such as errors and omissions, may be required depending on the industry that your business operates in.
Working with an experienced broker at Sharp is one of the best ways you can save money on your insurance rates. Sharp Insurance has access to some of the top insurance markets in Canada. We do the comparison shopping for you, so you know you’re getting the best insurance coverage options and the best rates.
Here are some tips to lower your business insurance rates:
- Adapt a sufficient risk management program. Insurance is part of risk management, but it shouldn’t replace it. The less claims you have overall, the less your insurance will increase. Risk management may look different for your business. It could be implementing a strict employee training regime, identifying and mitigating known risks to your industry or avoiding situations where a risk is inevitable and too costly to take on.
- Let us shop around for you. Work with a Sharp broker to comparison shop. Once we’ve found a few options for your business insurance, you can choose what price and coverage options suit you best.
- Discounts. Your business may be eligible for customer discounts. Some examples include if you’re part of a specific organization or group, or if you hold more than one insurance policy through a single insurance provider.
All businesses that sell products, offer a service or interact with clients on any level require business insurance. This applies to professional services, retailers, contractors, fitness centres, real estate companies, wholesalers or distributors and many more. Speak to one of our skilled brokers about what type of business liability matches your business needs.
Every business will face a different level of risk and therefore may need different types of business insurance. Below are some examples of business insurance you may need.
- Product liability insurance
- Pollution liability insurance
- Crime insurance
- Cyber liability insurance
- Liquor liability insurance
- Errors and omissions insurance
- Commercial auto insurance
- Contractor liability insurance
Depending on what industry your business operates in, you should consult with a Sharp broker to discuss what insurance options work best for you.
Get a Business Liability Insurance Quote in Calgary
Our experienced brokers will work with you to find the right coverage for your needs. You can spend less time worrying, and more time on what you love to do.
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