D&O vs General Liability: What’s the Difference?
D&O covers management claims against leaders; general liability covers common third-party injury and property-damage claims.
Match an investor’s governance suit to D&O and a visitor’s injury claim to general liability, subject to each policy’s terms.
The distinction is the type of alleged harm and insured activity. General liability commonly addresses third-party bodily injury, property damage, and defined personal or advertising injury; D&O addresses management liability. A premises injury generally is not a governance claim, and a shareholder dispute is not bodily-injury coverage. D&O A/B/C grants do not broaden a general-liability insuring agreement, and general-liability exclusions may address professional or management conduct. Compare the allegations to each policy’s insuring agreement, exclusions, and limits. If an umbrella sits over general liability, confirm its schedule; do not assume it adds D&O limits unless the form expressly says so.
