Professional Liability vs General Liability: What’s the Difference?
Professional liability addresses claims about professional services or advice; general liability commonly addresses bodily injury and property damage to others.
The coverages respond to different alleged harms. Texas DOI describes professional liability as arising from professional services, including a mistake that causes a client financial loss, and general liability as protection for claims such as bodily injury and property damage. California DOI lists premises, operations, products, completed operations, and contractual liability among CGL forms. A consultant may therefore face both a service-error exposure and an office-visitor injury exposure. Neither label guarantees every claim: definitions, exclusions, limits, and endorsements matter. Compare the professional-services schedule and GL coverage parts, especially completed operations and exclusions for professional services. Ask whether defense costs are within limits and how overlapping allegations are handled.
The practical comparison includes exclusions and claim coordination, not just coverage names. Make sure both policies list the correct legal entity and describe every location and operation accurately.
Related Coverage
Sources
- FAQ: Professional liability insurance. Texas Department of Insurance; What’s professional liability coverage?; What types of damages…; What’s general liability insurance?; Do I need professional liability… if I have general liability…?; Is professional liability insurance required?; Can a client require…?; What’s the difference between occurrence policies and claims-made policies. Accessed 2026-09-25.
- Professional liability insurance. Insurance Information Institute; Opening paragraphs (professional services/advice and E&O name); Claims not covered by general liability; What types of businesses need professional liability insurance?; What’s covered… and what’s not (claims-made versus occurrence, defense and judgments, non-financial/intentional limits, BOP/in-home exclusion). Accessed 2026-09-25.
- Lines of Insurance. California Department of Insurance; Professional Liability Insurance paragraph (profession examples; wrongful acts; Errors & Omissions Insurance; Malpractice Insurance); Commercial General Liability five forms including products and completed operations. Accessed 2026-09-25.
