Construction Law
Maintaining Insurance Helps You Avoid Liabilities
As Lakeland construction attorneys we are intimately familiar with the risks involved in the construction industry. We provide OSHA defense for those in the construction industry and have seen what happens when workers are injured during the course of a construction project. With these risks come OSHA claims and lawsuits. Even with quality management and health and safety standards in place, incidents may still happen. Because of this, we want to share the importance of maintaining commercial general liability insurance (CGL) for every construction professional.
Why a CGL Policy is Important
Construction professionals are required to have proper licenses and insurance which includes Worker’s Compensation and CGL in the Florida. These protect you, workers, and unrelated third-parties. Having a CGL policy in your contract is a way to prevent liabilities that lead to disputes later. The policy provides coverage for bodily injury and property damage accidents. The insurance company’s duty will be to defend the lawsuit against you, the policyholder, and to indemnify for the damages incurred.
What it Does and Doesn’t Cover
The CGL covers you if someone tries to sue you for damages as a result of an injury on your worksite. This includes pain and suffering, financial losses, and damages that exceed normal compensation. More specifically, the insurance covers you for the following:
- Third-party injury including death
- Damage to other’s property
- Personal injury that can include physical and nonphysical such as libel and slander
- False advertising that causes non-physical injury
Insurance covers medical related expenses for injury, but it doesn’t cover your workers, who should be covered under your Worker’s Compensation plan. Coverage is not provided for employee related issues involving harassment, termination, or race and gender related claims. Nor does it provide coverage for automobile related accidents; these require different types of insurance.
The Benefits of Coverage
Insurance protects you, your company assets, and provides security. When someone files a claim, without coverage, you could end up sacrificing your business in order to pay off those claims against you. It is extremely important to contact your local insurance agent for the specifics of coverage.
To speak with one of our qualified Lakeland construction lawyers, please contact our office at 813.579.3278 or submit our contact request form.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.