Compare
Insurance terms, compared in plain English.
The terms sellers trip over, side by side, so you know exactly what a marketplace or buyer is asking for.
General liability vs Product liability
General liability is the broad commercial policy covering third-party injury, property damage, and advertising injury from your operations. Product liability is the piece focused on claims that a product you sold caused injury or damage. Online sellers of physical products usually need both, and they are commonly bundled together.
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Occurrence vs Claims-made
Occurrence and claims-made are two policy forms. An occurrence policy covers incidents that happened during the policy period, no matter when the claim is filed. A claims-made policy only responds if the policy is active when the claim is filed. For marketplaces, this matters: Amazon requires occurrence-based coverage.
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Business owner's policy (BOP) vs General liability
General liability is a single liability coverage. A business owner's policy (BOP) bundles general liability with commercial property, and often business interruption, into one package. A BOP suits sellers who also need to protect inventory or equipment; general liability alone covers the liability side only.
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Product liability vs Professional liability (E&O)
Product liability covers claims that a physical product you sold caused injury or damage. Professional liability, or errors and omissions, covers claims that your advice or services caused a client financial loss. Product sellers need product liability; professional liability is for consultants and service providers.
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Certificate of Insurance (COI) vs Proof of insurance
Proof of insurance is any evidence that you carry coverage. A Certificate of Insurance (COI) is the standard business document that proves it, summarizing your policy, limits, and any additional insured. When a marketplace or wholesale buyer asks for proof, they almost always mean a COI.
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Named insured vs Additional insured
The named insured is the policyholder, your business, who owns the policy and its rights. An additional insured is another party added to your policy so it also responds on their behalf. Marketplaces and retailers, like Amazon or a wholesale buyer, ask to be named as additional insured before they work with you.
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Per-occurrence limit vs Aggregate limit
A per-occurrence limit is the most your policy pays for a single claim. An aggregate limit is the most it pays in total across the whole policy period. Amazon's requirement of $1,000,000 per occurrence and in aggregate refers to both of these limits on the same policy.
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Product and general liability for eCommerce sellers, with a marketplace-ready Certificate of Insurance. Starts at $26/mo.
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