What is commercial general liability (CGL)?

Commercial General Liability (CGL) is the foundational insurance that protects your restaurant from claims of bodily injury, property damage, and advertising injury caused by your business operations or premises.

What you need to know

CGL is non-negotiable—it’s the most fundamental restaurant insurance. It covers customer slip-and-falls, food poisoning, property damage you cause to others, and personal/advertising injury like libel or copyright infringement.

Why it matters for restaurant owners

No landlord will lease to you, no serious vendor will contract with you, and no bank will lend to you without CGL coverage. Standard coverage limits are $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate, but high-volume restaurants or those serving alcohol should carry higher limits ($2M/$4M or more).

This policy pays for legal defense even if claims are groundless, which alone can cost $50,000-$100,000.