Does Insurance Cover Intellectual Property?

“Insurance” is not a single coverage grant. The NAIC lists intellectual property infringement insurance separately among business liability products and identifies copyright, trademark, and patent claims as examples. A business might also have relevant wording in a media, cyber, or general liability policy, but those policies use their own triggers and exclusions. A certificate or policy title cannot establish how a particular allegation will be handled.

Start with the risk: are you worried about an accusation that your business infringed, a third party using your rights, or a contract requiring you to defend someone else? Then check the actual policy's covered claims and property or rights definitions. Confirm whether the policy includes defense, enforcement, settlements, damages, and the territories where the dispute could occur. Review exclusions and any schedule of covered products or rights. If more than one policy might apply, ask how their other-insurance and allocation terms interact rather than assuming one will fill the gaps in another.