Short-Term General Liability Insurance

What Is Short-Term General Liability Insurance?

Short-term general liability insurance is a type of business insurance coverage for short projects that can take between two hours and two weeks to complete. It gives you the same coverage as a general liability insurance policy – just for the duration of your project. So, that means it can help cover claims that your work caused bodily injury or property damage to someone else.

This coverage is commonly known as short-term liability insurance. Other names you may have heard this coverage called include:

Project insurance
Construction project insurance
Temporary liability insurance
Temporary commercial insurance
One-day general liability insurance
One-day business insurance
Temporary business insurance

Although The Hartford does not offer short-term general liability insurance, we’ve partnered with Tivly to help you get the coverage you’re looking for.

What Does Short-Term Liability Insurance Cover?

Short-term general liability insurance can help cover:

Medical expenses if your work or the completed project hurts another person.
Property damage to someone else’s belongings due to your business’ work.
Legal costs to defend your business in a lawsuit.
Judgments and settlements resulting from a customer or client’s lawsuit.

Short-term liability insurance may also include products-completed operations coverage. This coverage may help protect you after you’ve completed the work because you can still face liability risks. So, if there’s a liability claim within a year after you finish your project, this policy can help protect you.

What Is General Liability Insurance and Why Do You Need It?

General liability insurance helps cover claims that a business caused bodily injury or property damage to others. Even if you’re working on a one-off request or multiple short projects, you face different risks. Remember, short-term liability insurance includes the same coverage as general liability insurance.

Be aware that some construction projects may also have certain requirements before you can start working. This may include providing a certificate of insurance (COI), which is also known as a certificate of liability insurance. It’s a document that proves your business has the necessary coverage.

It’s essential for businesses to know the importance of liability insurance. Most business owners need general liability coverage because it helps cover common claims that can come up during normal operations.

Who Needs Short-Term General Liability Insurance?

Anyone can get a short-term liability insurance, but certain types of workers may need this coverage, such as:

Handymen
Construction workers
Contractors
Electrical contractors
Plumbers
Landscapers

Even if you don’t primarily work in one of these industries, short-term general liability insurance can still be helpful – especially if you work on shorter projects. For example, you may work in hospitality, but install furniture on the side for extra income. A short-term general liability insurance policy may be able to help protect you while doing your side job.

What Kind of Projects Does Short-Term Liability Insurance Cover?

Short-term general liability insurance can provide coverage for many types of work. Some examples include:

Setting up furniture: Installing a home theater or hiding TV wires
Installing cabinets and countertops: Building or repairing carpentry and putting in a vanity
Fixing floors: Installing laminate, carpet or tiles, as well as refinishing hardwood
Maintaining cooling systems: A/C installation, changing filters or cleaning the vents
Working with interior walls: Building a closet, installing shelves, wallpapering or repairing drywall
Low-voltage electricity work: Installing or repairing appliances, working on ceiling fans or putting in outlets
Yardwork: Lawn care, fence installation or repair, deck building and outdoor furniture assembly
Fixing pipes: Unclogging a drain and replacing a faucet or toilet

Benefits of Short-Term Liability Insurance

If you’re doing a short project, you may be wondering, “Can you get insurance for a short period of time?” Fortunately, that’s where a short-term liability insurance policy can be useful.

It may be difficult to get general liability coverage for shorter projects or a single work request. And if you’re only working on the project for a few days, getting an annual policy may not make sense. That’s where short-term general liability insurance can help. It gives you:

Liability coverage when you need it
The same coverage as general liability insurance
A policy that only lasts as long as you need it to

How Much Does Short-Term Liability Insurance Cost?

Average costs for example projects include:

$6 for $300,000 of coverage for two hours of cabinet installation
$18 for $300,000 of coverage for two days of drywall and painting
$57 for $1 million in coverage for three days of work for a two-person crew to install a fence

Be aware that short-term general liability insurance cost is specific to the project you’re working on. It can depend on several factors, such as:

Types of work
How long it’ll take to complete the project
Size of your team

The best way to find out your exact cost for short-term general liability insurance is to get a quote with our partner Tivly who can help you find the right coverage.

Get a Quote for Short-Term General Liability Insurance

We understand the unique risks you face when taking on short-term projects or one-off requests. Protecting yourself while you complete the work is important. Find coverage you can be confident with and get your short-term general liability insurance quote through our partner, Tivly.

Last Updated: March 17, 2023

Additional disclosures below.