California Business Insurance

General liability insurance, also known as commercial general liability (CGL), protects your California business from another person or business’s claims of bodily injury, associated medical costs, and damage to property. Some examples of what could be covered are below.

• Bodily injury: A client falls over their personal trainer’s gym bag and the trainer is found legally liable for the injury. A general liability insurance policy could cover the client’s claim for related medical expenses up to policy limits.
• Property damage and data loss: A consultant spills coffee on a client’s server causing damage and loss of data. The consultant’s general liability coverage could cover the claim, up to policy limits, and could pay for an attorney to defend the consultant if necessary.
• Personal injury: An employee of a public relations firm is at lunch. He talks to some of his fellow co-workers about a client in a false and unflattering way. The client learns of this discussion and sues for slander. General liability coverage could cover the subsequent claim, up to the policy's limit, and pay for an attorney if necessary.

Learn about how much general liability insurance costs.

Professional liability insurance, also known as errors and omissions (E&O) insurance, covers claims of negligence, faulty workmanship, breach of contract, and more. Here are some examples of what could be covered.

• Alleged failure to deliver services: A business consultant makes several recommendations to a client company to reduce costs and increase productivity. Some, but not all, of the recommendations are implemented but the company’s financial situation doesn’t improve. The client sues the consultant, but their professional liability insurance policy covers the consultant’s defense costs and a settlement.
• Negligence: A personal trainer instructs an older client to perform exercises that involve a lot of physical exertion. Afterward, the client feels dizzy, complains of chest pain, and must be rushed to the hospital. The client claims the trainer caused their heart attack. The claim is covered by the trainer’s professional liability insurance policy.

Learn more about professional liability insurance.

A business owner's policy (BOP) combines general liability with business property insurance. BOP is often used to provide balanced coverage for California small businesses who want to protect themselves from third-party claims as well as their own business equipment, tools and property such as computers, printers and furniture. Here are some examples of what could be covered.

• Third-party claims of property damage or bodily injury
• Damage to or theft of business property
• Advertising injury (copyright infringement)
• Property damage and loss of income from a covered cause of loss
• Claims of libel or slander

Learn more about business owner's insurance.

Hiscox now offers workers’ compensation insurance to ensure that injured workers receive prompt and fair compensation for job-related injuries and illnesses. In most states, certain laws require employers to pay for an injured worker’s medical care, lost wages, and death benefits. To get a free quote, call us at 1-855-740-2345 and speak to a licensed insurance agent, Monday – Friday, 7am – 10pm ET
Saturday – Sunday, 9am – 4pm ET.

Learn more about workers compensation insurance.

Cyber security insurance, also known as cyber risk insurance or cyber liability insurance, protects California businesses against losses that are a result of a data breach, security failure or extortion threat. Some examples of what could be covered are below.

• Phishing: A consultant receives an email that appears to come from a trusted vendor. The email includes a link to access an invoice. When the consultant clicks the link, his computer freezes and a ransomware demand pops up. A cyber security insurance policy could protect the consultant from the costs associated with such an attack.
• Business interruption: A web developer’s system is infected with malware and they are unable to access their data or do any development work. A cyber security insurance policy could cover the revenue lost due to a breach.
• Breach response services: A social media firm has a data breach and is required to identify and notify all affected parties. Their cyber security insurance policy includes assistance from breach response experts to ensure all appropriate steps are taken and covers the cost.

Professional photographers may require more than one type of policy due to the specific risks they face. They could be liable for damage to a client’s property during a photo shoot, for failing to provide photographs from a wedding due to an equipment failure, and more.

Policies for professional photographers include general liability insurance, business owner’s policies, professional liability insurance, cyber security insurance, and workers’ compensation insurance. These types of insurance policies help protect photographers and their employees in the event of an accident, a mistake, or a data breach that could cost the business money or adversely affect their ability to generate income.

Insurance coverage is necessary for professionals in the fitness industry. Personal trainers should consider both general and professional liability insurance to cover third-party claims of bodily injury, medical payments, and legal costs from accidents that might occur during a training session, as well as claims of negligence.

Personal trainers in California may be required to purchase workers’ compensation insurance if they employ trainers, assistants, accountants, or other fitness and health consultants.

Realtors in California often acquire both general and professional liability insurance for their small businesses. Media and marketing coverage for marketing collateral, such as signs, brochures, business cards, billboards, and media storage, is beneficial for all realtors who advertise available homes on the market. The state of California requires real estate agency owners who employ multiple realtors or support staff to purchase workers’ compensation insurance.

Cleaning professionals should consider insurance to safeguard their business and their crews from lawsuits, property damage, accidents and related financial risks. Those who operate professional cleaning businesses know that training and experience goes a long way in this physically demanding industry, but protecting their staff and their equipment the way proper insurance coverage can, goes one crucial step further.

Commercial general liability insurance could certainly cover their business, and any cleaning service that employs a crew is required in California to purchase workers’ compensation insurance.

Esthetician coverage includes general liability insurance, which is needed to mitigate the costs of claims in cases in which clients suffer bodily injury, property damage, or even copyright infringement in the form of advertising injury.

Property insurance is often advised if an esthetician owns or rents a studio space and owns their own equipment. In California, estheticians who have a team of beauty and skin care professionals are required to purchase workers’ compensation insurance to cover their employees.