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Media liability in Georgia

Georgia’s anti-SLAPP procedure reaches claims tied to speech or petitioning about an issue of public interest. A defendant can seek an early strike, and the court weighs the pleadings and evidence against the claimant’s likelihood of prevailing. For a newsroom or publisher, that makes the subject and record behind a challenged story relevant when discussing defense planning with a broker; it does not determine whether a policy responds. 1,2,3

What Is Media Liability?

Media liability can help pay defense costs for claims about content you create or distribute, such as allegations of defamation or infringement. Consider it if you publish or produce content for your business or clients; match the quote to each activity. Read the national Media liability guide.

What to Watch for in Georgia

  • Early motion and evidence

    A covered claim may face a motion to strike, with a probability-of-prevailing standard and review of pleadings and supporting affidavits. Ask whether your defense plan can address an early evidentiary record, rather than assuming the dispute will proceed through ordinary discovery first. 1,2

  • Pleading verification

    Georgia’s amended procedure requires a contemporaneous sworn verification for covered claims and provides a verification form. Have counsel assess whether a complaint involving reporting, commentary, or publication falls within that rule before filing. 1

  • Stay and fee exposure

    Proceedings are stayed while a qualifying motion is pending. A prevailing movant is entitled to litigation fees and expenses; a prevailing respondent may recover fees when the motion was frivolous or solely intended to cause unnecessary delay. These statutory consequences are separate from any insurance terms. 1,2

  • Public-interest connection matters

    The statute is framed around speech or petitioning connected to a public issue or concern and specifies examples and exceptions. A media business should not assume every statement about a customer, product, or transaction qualifies; have counsel analyze the actual claim and publication. 1

Who Regulates Insurance in Georgia

Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire

Georgia’s elected Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner licenses and regulates insurance companies and insurance professionals, investigates insurance fraud, and oversees consumer complaint services. The Office’s state license lookup covers agents, agencies, and companies. 4,5,6

Surplus-lines tax and stamping office

Reported tax rate: 4% of total premium when Georgia is the home state Georgia charges 4% on the total premium written and received by a surplus-lines broker when Georgia is the insured’s home state. Current fee treatment is not described here because the Department’s latest fee bulletin could not be retrieved as readable text; ask your broker for the policy-declaration and tax breakdown. This record does not state a Georgia-specific guaranty-fund conclusion. 7

Providers With Documented State Licenses

These providers publish a national listing for Media liability; the state records document licenses for the entities and roles shown below. Some records rely on company-reported information rather than independent regulator verification. A national listing does not confirm the product is available in Georgia. Check the regulator’s license lookup and confirm state availability for your business when requesting a quote.

  • CoalitionCoalition Insurance Solutions, Inc.Insurance producer, Surplus-lines broker · checked 2026-09-28Coalition’s license page lists producer and surplus-lines licenses for Coalition Insurance Solutions, Inc. in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The page separately lists insurers; this record covers the brokerage entity only. 9
  • CorgiCorgi Insurance Services, Inc.Insurance producer · checked 2026-09-28Corgi’s company producer-license table lists 50 jurisdictions: 49 states and the District of Columbia, including DC license 3003091619. New Mexico does not appear in the table and is not included here; the omission does not establish that Corgi is unlicensed there. The company-reported table has no stated as-of date and does not establish product availability. 10

Questions to Ask Before You Buy in Georgia

  1. Which reporting, commentary, advertising, and audience-interaction activities should we describe separately when asking about media liability?
  2. How would the proposed policy handle defense-cost advancement and consent when a complaint triggers an early motion to strike?
  3. What records should our newsroom preserve so counsel can assess the publication, its public-interest context, and its factual support?

Media Liability in Georgia: FAQ

Does Georgia’s anti-SLAPP law mean an insurer must defend a media claim? 1

No. The statute sets a court procedure and possible fee consequences. Whether an insurance contract responds depends on its wording and the facts; ask the broker to walk through those terms. 1

What should a publisher ask about before a claim is filed? 1,2

Ask how the proposed policy treats defense costs, counsel selection, consent, and an early motion to strike. Georgia’s statute can stay proceedings while a motion is considered, but it does not answer those contract questions. 1,2

Media Liability in Other States

Other Coverage in Georgia

Sources

  1. Acts and resolutions of the second session of the 153rd General Assembly of the State of Georgia, 2016, volume one — Act 420 (HB 513). Digital Library of Georgia, University of Georgia Libraries (official Georgia legislative publication); Act 420, HB 513; amendments to O.C.G.A. §§ 9-11-11.1 and 51-5-7; operative July 1, 2016. Full enrolled law text, including scope, pleading verification, motion procedure, stay, appeal, exceptions, and fees. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  2. Summary of general statutes enacted at the 2nd session of the 153rd General Assembly of Georgia, 2016. Georgia General Assembly; Title 9, Civil Practice, Act 420 (HB 513), page 2; identifies sections amended and July 1, 2016 effective date. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  3. 2016 Final Session Report with Vetoes. Georgia House of Representatives; HB 513 entry; summary of expansion to public-interest speech and motion to strike procedure. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  4. Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire. Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire; Official homepage; regulator role, elected commissioner, complaint and license lookup links. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  5. Agents, Agencies and Licensing. Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire; Official state license lookup for agents, agencies, and companies. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  6. Report Complaints & Fraud. Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire; Consumer Services complaint instructions and official complaint portal. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  7. Non-Admitted Insurance: Premium Tax FAQs. Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire; 4% applies to total broker-written and received premium when GA is home state. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  8. Licenses. At-Bay; Current producer introduction and state table; At-Bay Insurance Services LLC; P&C and surplus-lines identifiers. Accessed 2026-09-21.
  9. Licenses and Carriers. Coalition; Licenses and Carriers, re-read 22 September 2026: Insurance Licenses table for Coalition Insurance Solutions, Inc., national producer number 18419475, with producer and surplus-lines numbers for all 50 states and DC including California 0L76155, Georgia 196479, Texas 2199630 and 2205589, Pennsylvania 815731 and 817452, Colorado 539028 and Wisconsin 3000108852. Insurance Carriers table naming, with NAIC numbers, Allianz Underwriters Insurance Company 36420, Arch Specialty Insurance Company 21199, Ascot Specialty Insurance Company 45055, Ascot Insurance Company 23752, Aspen Specialty Insurance Company 10717, Chaucer Insurance Company DAC, Coalition Insurance Company 29530, Fireman's Fund Indemnity Corporation 11380, Fortegra Specialty Insurance Company 16823, Lloyd's of London, MSIG Specialty Insurance USA Inc. 34886, MS Transverse Specialty Insurance Company 41807, Steadfast Insurance Company 26387, Vantage Risk Specialty Insurance Company 16275 and Zurich American Insurance Company 16535. Accessed 2026-09-22.
  10. Insurance Producer Licenses. Corgi Insurance; Current complete Insurance Producer Licenses table for Corgi Insurance Services, Inc.; 50 rows covering 49 states and DC (DC 3003091619); no New Mexico row; no NPN or as-of date shown. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  11. About Hiscox US Insurance. Hiscox; Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. NAIC 10200 as Chicago, IL domiciled insurer admitted or licensed in all 50 states and D.C.; Hiscox Inc. as general agent and Lloyd’s coverholder for Syndicates 33 and 3624; surplus-lines placements through licensed surplus-lines brokers; A.M. Best rating statement. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  12. Licenses. ERGO NEXT Insurance; Current entity-by-state license table reopened 28 September 2026: 50 rows under Next First Insurance Agency, Inc., including Washington, DC; New York rows instead list Next Insurance Services PC-1423070 and AP Intego BR-1198885. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  13. Insurance Licenses by State. TechInsurance; Current state table; identifies TechInsurance as a division of Specialty Program Group LLC d/b/a SPG Insurance Solutions; lists DC 3000041536 and labels Rhode Island “Individual licenses,” without an agency license number. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  14. Licenses. Vouch; Effective 16 January 2025: Vouch Specialty Insurance Services, LLC, NPN 19926463; P&C table (50 states and DC); surplus-lines table includes Idaho 870820; footnote says Georgia and Idaho do not issue agency-level surplus-lines licenses; Idaho retained as producer-only due to conflict. Accessed 2026-09-15.

Updated .

This guide is informational and does not determine whether a policy is available or meets your needs. Editorial policy. To suggest a correction, contact Spot with a supporting source.

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