Commercial Coverage Cheat Sheets

$1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate most common. Umbrellas add excess.

Every business that has customers, operates a physical location, or is required to carry it by contract.

Gross revenue, payroll, square footage, or sales depending on class

Prior GL claims, high-hazard operations, no prior coverage

Full replacement cost value. Must meet coinsurance (80-90%) requirements.

Any business that owns or leases a physical space with contents they care about.

Building value, BPP value, construction type, protection class, occupancy

Underinsurance, older roofs, frame construction, coastal exposure

CSL $1M standard. FMCSA mandates vary by cargo type ($750K–$5M for hazmat).

Any business that owns, leases, or regularly uses vehicles for business purposes.

Vehicle count, radius, type, driver MVR records, cargo hauled

Young or high-incident drivers, heavy trucks, specialized cargo, long-haul

Statutory limits for WC. Employers liability: $100K/$100K/$500K or $500K/$500K/$500K typical.

Almost every employer with W-2 employees. Most states mandate it.

Payroll by class code × rate × experience mod (EMR)

High EMR, high-hazard class codes, construction, staffing companies

$1M/$1M to $5M/$5M depending on profession. Written claims-made.

Consultants, IT firms, accountants, engineers, architects, real estate agents, insurance agents.

Revenue, profession, services performed, prior claims, retroactive date

Prior claims, coverage gaps, high-risk services (M&A advisory, medical consulting)

$250K–$5M. Limits have tightened; sublimits on ransomware common.

Any business that stores customer data electronically — which is almost every business.

Revenue, industry, number of records, security controls, MFA status, prior breaches

No MFA, outdated systems, healthcare/finance/education, prior breach history

$1M–$10M for private companies. Negotiated with risk for public companies.

Corporations with boards, nonprofits, privately held companies with outside investors.

Revenue, assets, industry, number of executives, public/private status, prior claims

Financial distress, recent leadership changes, regulatory scrutiny, investor disputes

$1M–$10M for most commercial; higher for large contractors and high-hazard.

Any business with significant assets to protect or contracts requiring higher limits.

Underlying premium, business type, revenue, number of employees, vehicles

High-hazard underlying classes, prior large losses, contractual requirements exceed primary limits

Scheduled values for high-value items. Blanket limits for tools/equipment.

Contractors, photographers, AV companies, jewelers, mobile equipment operators.

Value of equipment/items, type of cargo, transit territory, deductibles

High-value unscheduled items, international transit, theft-prone equipment

$10K–$500K typical. Financial firms may need $1M+.

Any business handling cash, checks, client funds, or where employee theft is a real risk.

Revenue, type of business, employee count, prior losses, controls in place

Cash-heavy businesses, fiduciary roles (bookkeepers, property managers), high employee turnover

$500K–$5M per claim typical. Claims-made form.

Any business with employees. Most claims come from terminations.

Employee count, state of operation (CA = higher), HR practices, prior claims

CA/NY/WA operations, prior EEOC claims, no documented HR policies, high turnover

$300K–$1M per occurrence. Some states set minimums.

Bars, restaurants, liquor stores, caterers, any business serving or selling alcohol.

Liquor revenue as % of total, hours of operation, prior claims, training programs

High % of revenue from alcohol, late-night hours, no server training program, prior incidents