What does premises liability insurance cover?
Premises liability insurance protects the property owner from claims that a person was injured on the premises. While premises liability insurance is important protection, there are limits to the liability in scope and coverage.
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Zach Fagiano
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Zach Fagiano has been in the insurance industry for over 10 years, specializing in property and casualty and risk management consulting. He started out specializing in small businesses and moved up to large commercial real estate risks. During that time, he acquired property & casualty, life & health, and surplus lines brokers licenses. He’s now the Senior Vice President overseeing globa...
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UPDATED: Nov 13, 2023
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UPDATED: Nov 13, 2023
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider.
Our insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different insurance providers please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
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Premises liability insurance protects the property owner from claims that a person was injured on the premises. While premises liability insurance is an important protection, there are policy limits to the liability in scope and coverage.
Protect yourself and your business with premises liability coverage. Compare business insurance quotes from all the top insurance companies to find the best business insurance coverage. Enter your zip code above to begin!
It is Not General Health Insurance
A premises liability insurance policy is not a general business insurance policy. If an employee is injured while on the job and makes a claim, the premises liability policy would not be the insurance that would cover the situation. The injury to an employee would be covered under a general business health insurance policy or by worker’s compensation coverage.
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It is Not Property Insurance
Premises liability insurance does not cover damage to general property such as furniture, computers, printers or files. It does not cover damages due to hail, fire, flood or vandalism. Insurance for these type of damages would be under the umbrella of a different type of policy altogether.
When Premises Liability Applies
Premises liability insurance covers injuries that take place on the premises covered by the insurance policy. Such a liability policy does not extend to clients or patients on their way to an appointment or after they leave the premises. Slipping and falling on a wet floor on the ground floor of a high rise on which your office is on the ninth floor, would not apply to your premises liability coverage if you only rent or own your office space on that floor and do not own or rent the entire building.
However, if you meet clients away from the office at another site on a regular basis, the premises liability policy would apply if that factor is part of the policy. This becomes an important issue for counselors who meet with clients in other locations such as hospitals or who do workshops. Premises liability insurance also applies to work done from an office area in the home. If you ask for this extended coverage, make sure the liability policy is worded to include what needs to be included to protect you in various situations relating to where you conduct business.
What Premises Liability Insurance Covers
A premises liability policy covers those slips and falls with injury on your premises. It covers tripping on the edges of a rug. It covers slipping on a wet floor that has been washed, but has not yet dried, and, for certain, when no notice has been put out as a warning. It covers falling down stairs, even if that means only one step. It covers tripping over an object or falling because of a hole in the ground or floor. It covers injuries sustained due to construction work being done or repairs being made.
When a claim is made over injuries sustained on the premises by a patient, client or other person on the premises not covered under other insurance polices, premises liability insurance covers costs related to the primary injury such as the doctor visits, medical bills and surgery, permanent physical disfigurement, inability to work as well as pain and suffering. There is liability only if the injured person was injured on your property.
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Limits to the Premises Liability Insurance Coverage
A premises liability insurance policy doesn’t cover the owner against every possible claim. Every insurance policy has upper limits of coverage. While you try to buy a liability policy that covers most claims, there is always the possibility the injury claim may exceed the limits of the premises liability policy in force.
If the claims exceed the policy limits, the owner of the property becomes liable for the uncovered expenses. Whether or not an owner has a premises liability insurance policy, the ultimate responsibility for paying the cost for injuries sustained on the premises rests with the property owner.
The Question of Handicap Accessibility
Handicap accessibility is important. Injury claims may be made if the access is not adequate, such as a ramp
not being wide or sturdy enough, keeping someone from being able to use it safely or if an injury occurs from trying to use it. There can also be a problem that the handicap access is blocked or made unavailable in some way to patients or clients.
Negating Policy Coverage
There are reasons an insurance company may renege on paying out on a premises liability claims. A main reason is negligence. If an owner is negligent in taking care of the property or acts in a manner to create an unsafe situation, injury claims may land in the owner’s lap without the benefit of the liability insurance assistance. If the property owner refuses to maintain the premises, injuries are bound to happen. They are foreseeable due to the negligence and recklessness of the owner. An owner who runs around a store pushing the customers is a foreseeable problem. Injury claims may be followed by lawsuits. In such a case, the premises liability insurance company may not pay out for injuries sustained.
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Strict Liability Actions
The insurance company may also not pay out if an action is considered a “strict liability” action. In such cases the owner is automatically liable for injuries that occur because of actions taken that are considered inherently dangerous, and hazardous, unpredictable, or unreasonable. Storing a large amount of explosives on the premises would qualify as such an action. Harm is the logical consequence of these actions and a premises liability insurance claim may be denied.
Always Talk to a Professional
Not all premises liability policies are alike. Discuss your needs and potential liability with an insurance agent knowledgeable in the area of liability, before purchasing a policy. Once a claim is filed, do not handle the situation without the advice of an attorney.
Before making any final decisions on your insurance company, it is important to learn as much as you can about your local insurance providers, and the coverages they offer. Call your local insurance agent to clear up any questions that you might have. Questions to consider asking include, “What is the best coverage plan for me/my family/my situation?” “What are the minimum coverage requirements in my state and what form of coverage do you recommend?” “Do you guys offer any bundle discounts if I take out both my auto insurance and home insurance with you?” and “What is the average rate of insurance quotes you guys offer?”
Before making any big insurance decisions, use our free tool to compare insurance quotes near you. It’s simple, just plug in your zip code and we’ll do the rest!
Find the best rates available on a premises liability policy by comparing quotes online. Enter your ZIP code below to compare quotes now!
Case Studies: Premises Liability Insurance Coverage
Case Study 1: Slip and Fall Accident
In this case, a customer visiting a grocery store slipped on a wet floor near the entrance and sustained injuries. The injured customer filed a lawsuit against the store, claiming negligence in maintaining a safe environment.
The grocery store owner had premises liability insurance in place, which covered the legal costs, medical expenses, and potential settlement or judgment awarded to the injured customer.
Case Study 2: Dog Bite Incident
A homeowner invited a guest over for a social gathering, and their dog, usually well-behaved, unexpectedly bit the guest. The injured guest required medical attention and later pursued legal action against the homeowner.
Fortunately, the homeowner had premises liability insurance that covered the costs associated with the lawsuit, including legal defense, medical bills, and potential damages awarded to the injured party.
Case Study 3: Property Damage due to Negligence
In this scenario, a landlord rented out a residential property to tenants. Due to negligence on the part of the landlord, a faulty electrical system caused a fire that resulted in significant damage to the property and the tenants’ personal belongings. The tenants filed a claim against the landlord for property damage and sought compensation for their losses.
The landlord’s premises liability insurance policy covered the costs of repairing the property and reimbursed the tenants for their damaged belongings.
Case Study 4: Swimming Pool Accident
A hotel with a swimming pool faced a lawsuit when a child drowned in the pool due to inadequate safety measures. The parents of the child claimed that the hotel failed to provide proper fencing and supervision around the pool area. The hotel’s premises liability insurance policy covered the legal expenses, potential settlement, and any court-ordered compensation related to the tragic incident.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is premises liability insurance?
Premises liability insurance is a type of insurance coverage that protects businesses or property owners in the event of injuries or property damage that occur on their premises. It provides financial protection against legal claims and liabilities resulting from accidents, injuries, or property damage that occur on the insured property.
What does premises liability insurance cover?
Premises liability insurance typically covers the legal costs, medical expenses, and potential damages that may arise if a person is injured or their property is damaged while on the insured premises. It can include coverage for slip and fall accidents, injuries caused by hazardous conditions, dog bites, and other similar incidents.
Does premises liability insurance cover employees?
No, premises liability insurance generally does not cover injuries sustained by employees. For employee injuries, businesses typically need workers’ compensation insurance.
Who needs premises liability insurance?
Premises liability insurance is primarily designed for businesses and property owners who have physical premises where customers, clients, or other individuals regularly visit. This can include retail stores, restaurants, offices, hotels, shopping centers, and rental properties.
Are there any exceptions or limitations to premises liability insurance coverage?
While coverage may vary depending on the specific policy, premises liability insurance typically excludes intentional acts, criminal activities, and damages caused by gross negligence. It’s important to review the policy details and exclusions to understand the specific limitations of coverage.
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Zach Fagiano
Licensed Insurance Broker
Zach Fagiano has been in the insurance industry for over 10 years, specializing in property and casualty and risk management consulting. He started out specializing in small businesses and moved up to large commercial real estate risks. During that time, he acquired property & casualty, life & health, and surplus lines brokers licenses. He’s now the Senior Vice President overseeing globa...
Licensed Insurance Broker
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.