Commercial General Liability (CGL)

Property Conversion Claims Against Warehouses

You insure a mini-storage warehouse owner. The rental/lease contract stipulates that the owner can sell any property stored by a renter/lessee if they fail to pay. Your insured sells the property of a delinquent tenant and is then sued. In addition, he mistakenly sells property of a tenant who had paid on time. Does the…

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The CGL “Your Work” Exclusion & Subcontractors

One of the most misunderstood provisions in the CGL policy is the “your work” exclusion. In this article, we’ll take a look at several actual claims and when the exclusion does and doesn’t apply in a contracting situation. We’ll also take a look at a couple of new ISO endorsements that make this exclusion absolute.

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What Is(n’t) “Your Work” in the CGL?

A carpenter built a garage building and, upon leaving, it burned down due to the improper extinguishing of a cigarette. Will the carpenter’s CGL cover the loss? Not according to the adjuster. Keep reading to find out why we didn’t think the reasoning on this claim denial was too hot….

Care, Custody & Control in Property Management

One of the most debated provisions of the ISO Commercial General Liability policy is the “care, custody and control” issue, which actually involves several exclusions in the CGL. While it appears that we’ll never be able to resolve this dilemma, we will defend to the death our right to keep on debating it! Below is…

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Care, Custody & Control in Storage Warehouses

An insured owns a mini storage warehouse business. Customers rent space in which they store their personal property and have the right to add or remove their property as they wish. The insured only rents space but is concerned that, should he mistakenly remove or dispose of a renter’s property, would he be covered under…

Private Equity Firms Seek Opportunities in Distressed Assets.

When Contractors Have CGL Policies, But No Coverage

You insure a homebuilder. Several years after selling a home, it burns down due to faulty installation of some electrical wiring and your insured is sued. Does he have any coverage under the CGL policy and, if so, under which one? Answer to both questions: It depends.

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Is Fishing a Sport or Athletic Contest?

A CGL endorsement excludes BI to anyone while involved in any sports or athletic contest sponsored by the insured. The insured sponsors a fishing tournament for kids. So the question is, does a fishing tournament constitute a sporting or athlethc contest?

Insuring the Loss of Customers’ Information

Many businesses have extremely valuable information in electronic form. If your insureds have access to the information of others on their or a customer’s premises, how can it be insured from loss, in particular, theft? What if your clients’ own employees steal it? What if it’s stolen by computer hackers or burglars? Is it a…

CGL “Designated Premises” Coverage

Based on the number of “Ask an Expert” questions we’re getting, there appears to be an increasing use of the the CGL “Designated Premises” endorsement. Generally speaking, this is something your insured wants to avoid. On top of that, we’re seeing it used for the wrong reason and/or used to accomplish something the insurer thinks…

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The CGL and Damage Caused by Pesticides and Herbicides

A lawn maintenance company was hired to fertilize a residential client’s lawn. The lawn was damaged by the application of the incorrect fertilizer and needed to be replaced. The carrier denied the claim based on the determination that the lawn was part of “your work” and excluded. Is this correct?

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