Does General Liability Cover Professional Negligence and Errors and Omissions?

CGL Coverage A commonly concerns bodily injury or physical property damage arising from premises and operations, not financial loss caused by an error in professional services. Triple-I lists professional liability among the risks that may be excluded from CGL and describes CGL as covering nonprofessional negligent acts. The ISO form also contains a professional-services exclusion, though the precise services and exceptions are policy-specific. A claim against a consultant, designer, accountant, or technology firm therefore needs review under the applicable professional liability or errors and omissions form.

Some incidents can raise more than one coverage question: for example, an alleged service mistake might also be said to have caused physical injury or property damage. Do not assume either policy responds without reading both. Compare the definitions of professional services, covered damages, claims-made reporting requirements, retroactive dates, exclusions, and any endorsements in the quote. Tell the broker what services the business actually performs, including work done by employees and subcontractors.