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Commercial Insurance Claims Attorneys in Houston, Texas

If you’re planning to open a business in Texas, you will need to explore your options for Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance. CGL policies protect business owners against claims of liability for bodily injury, property damage, and personal and advertising injury (slander and false advertising).

CGL insurance, however, often comes with various exclusions and limitations, though it also offers the option of expanding coverage for excess liability and umbrella liability. What you purchase above and beyond a basic CGL policy might well offer the added protection you need when you need it most.

If you’re already operating a business, and you’ve made a claim against your CGL policy, and the insurer is stalling or denying your claim, you will need the help of an experienced commercial insurance liability attorney.

If you find yourself fighting your insurer for a CGL claim in or around Houston, Texas, or the surrounding areas of Sugar Land, Baytown, Katy, or Pearland, Texas, contact our firm, McLaurin Law. We know how to deal with the big insurers, and we can get past their stalling techniques to help you obtain the compensation you need and deserve.

What Is Commercial General Liability Insurance?

As mentioned above, CGL policies — also known as general liability insurance or business liability insurance — cover your business against third-party claims for personal injury, property damage, and legal actions arising from slander or false advertising.

Say someone is in your store and slips on a wet spot on the floor, falls backward, and injures their back. They have the right to come after you for medical expenses. CGL policies are designed to help you cover these expenses.

Likewise, if you’re moving a piece of heavy furniture around your store and you create deep scratches in the floor and cause dents in the walls, your landlord has the right to demand payment for the damages. Your CGL policy is there to help cover expenses like this as well.

Consider another example. Imagine that you create an advertising campaign comparing your services to those of a competitor, but the competitor says you went too far and sues you for slander. Your CGL policy can help cover any impending legal expenses from a lawsuit as well.

Excess Liability Riders & Umbrella Liability

Also, as mentioned above, you can expand the range of your CGL policy by purchasing an excess liability rider, which will help pay for covered losses that exceed your policy’s limit. You can also purchase umbrella liability that expands the types of claims that are covered (see exclusions below).

The CGL policy can also be one of two types — “occurrence” and “claims made.” Occurrence policies cover any injury or damage that occurs during the policy’s term, even if the claim is made after the expiration of the policy. Claims-made policies generally only cover incidents that both occur during the policy’s term and are reported during the policy’s term.

Denials and Delays

Your CGL insurer may deny your claim based on a number of exclusions contained within the policy, which we will discuss below. They may also deny your claim by asserting it is fraudulent, claiming it was filed outside the filing limit, claiming that it lacked relevant information, or claiming that you have exceeded your coverage limits. As for the filing time frame, each policy will state a time frame for reporting a claim. Some range as high as 120 days, while others are as low as 30 days.

Even if you don’t get an outright denial, insurers are notorious for using stalling tactics, constantly coming back for further information or clarifications. They have even been known to switch insurance claims adjusters on you in the middle of the process so that you are forced to start the process all over again. By delaying, the hope is that you will simply give up out of exasperation.

In any of these situations, you will need the help of an experienced commercial liability insurance claims attorney who knows how to stand up to the insurers’ “bad faith” tactics and other techniques that they use to avoid liability.

Exclusions in Cgl Policies

Reading the fine print on any insurance policy, including the section that lists what’s not covered, is always important. Typically, CGL policies will exclude claims that are:

• Caused by Your Own Work – For example, if you construct a brick wall and it collapses, your policy will not cover it.
• Intentional – The policyholder intentionally causes property damage or bodily injury.
• Contractual – The insured assumed the liability of another in a contract or agreement.
• Liquor-Based – If the insured’s business sells alcohol, the insurer may exclude coverage if damage or injury results from liquor usage.
• Pollution-Caused – If a discharge of pollutants from the premises causes bodily injury, that will be excluded.
• Goods or Services that Fail to Perform as Advertised – if goods sold or services rendered do not live up to advertised standards, no coverage is available.
• Infringing on A Patent, Trademark, or Trade Secret – if the insured infringes on others’ intellectual property, coverage is excluded.

Work with a Firm that Understands Commercial Insurance Claims

At the end of the day, the old phrase, buyer beware applies, especially when you’re shopping for Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance. Not only are there exclusions, but there are also limitations and caps on payouts. Be sure you obtain a policy that covers what you perceive to be potential liabilities.

Even if you get the policy of your choice with all the inclusions and features you want, insurance companies will still likely try to delay or deny any claim you make. The adjuster assigned to your case may try to get you to say or admit to something that can be used against you and your claim.

Luckily, you don’t have to face these challenges alone. With an experienced commercial insurance claims attorney on your side, you can be sure that your rights will be protected and that you won’t be taken advantage of by the insurance company. If you or someone you know is facing an issue with an insurance claim, don’t wait. Call or reach out to our firm, McLaurin Law, today for reliable legal guidance and representation.

Commercial Insurance Claims Attorneys in Houston, Texas

It’s always a good idea to let a knowledgeable and experienced insurance claims attorney handle negotiations for you. Our legal team is very familiar with all of the insurers’ techniques and tactics and know-how to counter them. If you’re in the process of making a claim — or you’ve made one and have been met with resistance — contact our office immediately. We proudly serve clients in Houston, Texas, and the surrounding areas of Sugar Land, Baytown, Katy, and Pearland, Texas, so call today to schedule your own case consultation.