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Glossary term

Contractual liability

Liability you take on by agreeing to it in a contract, most often through an indemnity clause that makes you pay for a customer's losses. Policies respond to some of it and exclude the rest, so the clause and the form have to be read together.

Why it matters for your company

A general liability policy usually covers liability assumed in an insured contract, which typically includes a promise to indemnify someone for bodily injury or property damage you cause. It usually does not cover promises that go further, such as paying a customer's financial losses, their lost profits, or claims unrelated to your own negligence.

Technology contracts often ask for more than any policy will pay. An uncapped indemnity for anything arising from the product, or a promise to cover the customer's intellectual property claims, puts your balance sheet behind the gap. Narrowing the clause during the contract review costs nothing and changes what the policy can reach.

Related terms

This page describes coverage in general terms. It is not an offer of insurance, and carrier appetite, policy wording, licensing, and availability govern every quote and every claim.