Commercial General Liability

Commercial General Liability Insurance in Texas

Protection for Businesses from Cedar Park to San Antonio

If you own a business anywhere between Cedar Park and San Antonio, you already know something: risk comes with the territory.

Whether you run a contracting company in the Hill Country, a retail shop in New Braunfels, a restaurant in San Antonio, or a professional office in Cedar Park, one lawsuit can derail years of hard work.

That’s where Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance comes in.

At Dowd Insurance Agency, we help businesses across the Texas Hill Country protect what they’ve built with properly structured liability coverage — not cookie-cutter policies, but tailored protection that actually responds when it matters.

What Is Commercial General Liability (CGL) Insurance?

Commercial General Liability insurance protects your business against third-party claims involving:

• Bodily injury
• Property damage
• Personal and advertising injury
• Legal defense costs

In simple terms: if someone claims your business caused them harm — physically, financially, or reputationally — CGL is designed to respond.

And here’s the part many business owners underestimate:

Even if a claim is groundless, you still have to defend it.

Legal defense alone can cost tens of thousands of dollars. A properly structured CGL policy pays for:

• Attorney fees
• Court costs
• Settlements
• Judgments (up to policy limits)

Without it? You’re paying out of pocket.

What Does Commercial General Liability Cover?

Let’s break this down in practical terms.

1. Bodily Injury Liability

Example:
A customer slips on a wet floor in your San Antonio storefront and breaks their wrist.

Your CGL policy can cover:

• Medical expenses
• Legal defense
• Settlement costs

If you don’t carry coverage, your business assets are exposed.

2. Property Damage Liability

Example:
You’re a contractor working in the Hill Country. An employee accidentally damages a client’s hardwood flooring during a remodel.

CGL can help pay to repair or replace the damaged property.

3. Personal & Advertising Injury

This is where many business owners get confused.

This coverage can protect you against claims of:

• Libel or slander
• Copyright infringement
• False advertising

Example:
A competitor claims your marketing materials damaged their reputation. Legal defense costs alone can be significant — even if you win.

What CGL Does NOT Cover

Let’s be clear — Commercial General Liability is essential, but it’s not all-encompassing.

It does not typically cover:

• Employee injuries (that’s Workers’ Compensation)
• Professional mistakes (that’s Professional Liability / E&O)
• Commercial auto accidents (Commercial Auto Insurance)
• Damage to your own building or equipment (Commercial Property Insurance)

This is why businesses in Cedar Park and San Antonio often combine CGL with a Business Owners Policy (BOP) for broader protection.

Why Central Texas Businesses Face Unique Liability Risks

Operating between Cedar Park and San Antonio comes with region-specific exposures:

• Rapid population growth
• Increased construction activity
• Higher traffic density
• Severe weather risks
• Tourism and event-based foot traffic

More people = more opportunity
More opportunity = more exposure

If your business interacts with customers, vendors, job sites, or the public in any way, liability risk is built into your operations.

Ignoring it is not a strategy.

How Much Commercial General Liability Coverage Do You Need?

This depends on:

• Industry
• Revenue
• Contract requirements
• Number of employees
• Customer traffic volume
• Risk exposure

Most small businesses start with:

• $1,000,000 per occurrence
• $2,000,000 aggregate

But that’s just a baseline.

For contractors or businesses bidding on larger jobs in the San Antonio metro area, higher limits or umbrella policies may be required.

At Dowd Insurance Agency, we analyze your risk profile and contracts to make sure your limits match your real-world exposure.

FAQ: Commercial General Liability Insurance in Central Texas

Is Commercial General Liability required in Texas?

Texas does not universally require CGL by law.

However:

• Many landlords require it.
• Most commercial leases require it.
• Nearly all contractor agreements require it.
• Many clients will request a Certificate of Insurance before working with you.

In practice? If you want to operate professionally in Cedar Park, San Antonio, or anywhere in the Hill Country, you need it.

How much does CGL insurance cost?

Premiums depend on:

• Industry classification
• Payroll
• Gross revenue
• Claims history
• Coverage limits

Low-risk professional businesses may pay significantly less than higher-risk trades like roofing or construction.

The key is not finding the cheapest policy — it’s finding the correct one.

What’s the difference between CGL and a BOP?

A Business Owners Policy (BOP) bundles:

• Commercial General Liability
• Commercial Property
• Business Interruption

If you own or lease physical space in Cedar Park or San Antonio, a BOP is often a cost-effective option.

Do home-based businesses need CGL?

Yes — in many cases.

Most homeowners policies exclude business-related liability. If you meet clients, store inventory, or perform services from home, your exposure increases.

Don’t assume you’re covered. Verify it.

Why Work With Dowd Insurance Agency?

We’re not a call center.

We’re a local agency serving businesses across:

• Cedar Park
• New Braunfels
• Boerne
• San Marcos
• San Antonio
• And surrounding Texas Hill Country communities

We understand the growth happening in this region — and how that growth increases liability exposure.

Our process includes:

1. Risk analysis
2. Contract review (if applicable)
3. Coverage comparison across multiple carriers
4. Clear explanation of exclusions and endorsements
5. Ongoing annual reviews

We focus on long-term protection, not short-term pricing.

Protect Your Business Before a Claim Forces You To

Here’s the reality:

Most business owners don’t think about liability insurance until they need it.

By then, it’s too late.

If you operate anywhere between Cedar Park and San Antonio, now is the time to make sure your Commercial General Liability coverage is structured correctly.

Dowd Insurance Agency helps Texas Hill Country businesses protect what they’ve built — with clarity, confidence, and coverage that works.