General Liability

General liability for travel agencies

The physical side of the business: someone gets hurt around your work, or you damage property that isn't yours. It is also the policy that produces the certificate a venue or trade show asks for.

Informational only. This page does not constitute insurance, legal, or financial advice. Coverage terms vary by carrier, policy, and jurisdiction. Full disclaimer.

Where the exposure actually is

Travel agents rarely picture themselves with a bodily-injury claim, because most of the work happens over email. Then the year includes a client meeting at the office, two trade shows, a supplier night at a hotel, and a cruise-night event at a restaurant — and each of those is a place where someone can trip over a banner stand you set up.

General liability responds to third-party bodily injury and property damage arising out of your business. A client who slips in your office. A pull-up display that goes over and takes a hotel television with it. Damage to a booth space you rented. It also covers personal and advertising injury, which is the piece that responds to some claims of libel or copyright issues in your marketing.

Working from home does not transfer the risk

A homeowners policy excludes business activity. That exclusion is not a technicality carriers waive for small operations — it is the reason the premium is what it is. If a client comes to your house to plan a trip and falls on the front step, the business-activity exclusion is exactly the argument the homeowners carrier will make.

The same applies to business property. The laptop, the printer, the sample inventory and giveaway stock in the garage: a homeowners policy caps business property at a low sublimit if it covers it at all. That is what a business owners policy is for, which pairs general liability with property on a single form.

Certificates, and why people keep asking for them

A certificate of insurance is a one-page summary showing a venue, trade show, or supplier that your coverage is real and in force. Many of them will also ask to be named as an additional insured, which extends your policy to protect them for claims arising out of your operations at their location.

Once a policy is in force, a certificate takes minutes. Before a policy is in force, it takes as long as underwriting does — which is why the request usually arrives at the worst possible time, three days before the show.

Typically covered

Third-party bodily injury at your office, booth, or event
Property damage you cause at a venue, hotel, or booth space
Personal and advertising injury from your marketing
Medical payments for minor injuries, without a liability finding
Certificates of insurance, with additional insured status where needed

Not covered here

Booking mistakes and professional advice — that is E&O
Your own property and equipment — that needs property coverage
Employee injuries — that is workers compensation
Client data exposed in a breach — that is cyber liability
Auto accidents while driving for business — that is commercial auto

Common questions

I never meet clients in person. Do I still need general liability?: The office exposure may be small, but trade shows, supplier events, and any in-person marketing bring it back. It is also the coverage most often named in a certificate request, so agents who never expected to need it often end up buying it to satisfy a venue.
What limit do venues usually ask for?: One million per occurrence and two million aggregate is the common request. Convention centers and larger venues sometimes ask for more, or for the venue to be added as an additional insured.
Can I combine general liability with property coverage?: Yes — that is a business owners policy, which packages the two and usually costs less than buying them separately. It is a good fit for an agency with an office, a storefront, or meaningful equipment.

Get general liability quoted

One form covers every line. About three minutes, and the questions adapt to how you operate.

Start Your Quote