Also known as: bodily injury liability · BI coverage
The General Liability coverage that pays when your business causes physical injury to a third party.
Bodily injury liability is one of the two core triggers of a General Liability policy (alongside property damage). It covers physical harm, injury, sickness, or death, that your business operations cause to a third party, such as a visitor slipping at your office or a customer hurt by your operations. It pays the injured party's medical costs, associated damages, and your legal defense. It does not cover injuries to your own employees, which fall under Workers' Compensation.
It is the part of a General Liability policy that covers physical injury, sickness, or death your business operations cause to a third party, for example a client who is hurt at your premises. It pays the injured person's damages and your defense costs. It is one of the two core GL triggers, alongside property damage.
No. Injuries to your own employees are covered by Workers' Compensation and Employers' Liability, not by the bodily injury trigger of General Liability. GL bodily injury applies to third parties, clients, visitors, and members of the public.
Definitions are educational and may be modified by your specific policy language, endorsements, and state rules. For regulatory guidance, refer to the California Department of Insurance or the NAIC.
Last updated: July 2026.