Many small businesses carry Georgia general liability insurance. If someone who doesn’t work for you claims that your business caused an injury or property damage, it can help cover related expenses, including legal fees.

For instance, a landscaper in Augusta forgets to remove bags of mulch from a walkway at a client’s office, and a visitor trips over them. General liability insurance could help the landscaping firm pay for medical bills and legal costs if the visitor is injured and needs treatment.

Clients may request to see proof of general liability insurance (this is known as a certificate of liability insurance) before they commit to working with your company, and commercial leases may require this coverage to reduce landlord liability if a person is hurt at your business.

Georgia requires businesses with three or more employees to carry workers’ compensation insurance.

This kind of coverage can help your company cover medical bills and lost wages for employees who get hurt on the job.

For example, an employee of a Macon-based retail store falls from a ladder and suffers a back injury, which results in a trip to the hospital, missed days at work and physical therapy. Workers’ comp insurance could help cover the employee’s medical expenses and missed wages.

Georgia requires small businesses that own vehicles to carry commercial auto insurance. This kind of coverage can help pay for medical expenses and property damage that happen while driving for business purposes.

For instance, a general contractor in Augusta is driving a work truck to a job site, runs a red light and hits another driver. Commercial auto insurance could help the contractor pay for the damage to both vehicles, as well as help cover any related medical care for the contractor and other driver.

Georgia commercial property insurance can benefit your business by helping to pay for damaged or destroyed business property that after covered water-, fire- or wine-damage events.

For example, a real estate agency in Columbus experiences a sprinkler malfunction that destroys their furniture and equipment. Commercial property insurance could help pay to clean up the damage and cover replacing damaged items.

It’s important to note that commercial property insurance can have exclusions, such as for flooding or hurricane damage. Be sure to read your policy documents carefully so you know exactly what your coverage includes.

What if a client claims you made a professional mistake, missed a deadline or delivered an incomplete project that hurt their bottom line? They could pursue legal action because of your alleged negligence.

If this happened, professional liability insurance could help offer crucial protection. Also known as errors and omissions insurance (E&O), this kind of coverage can help cover attorney and court costs, as well as any damages if you are held liable.

For instance, an accounting firm in Atlanta forgets to file an important tax form for a client, who gets hit with an IRS fine. E&O insurance could help the accountants to reimburse the client if both parties agreed to settle out of court.