Does general liability cover pollution?
CGL policies commonly contain pollution exclusions, with limited exceptions. The actual form must be reviewed.
Contractors Pollution Liability
A contractor can create an environmental loss without operating a chemical plant. Fuel spills, mold, disturbed contaminants, silica, refrigerants and job-site releases may fall outside ordinary general-liability protection.
What to Review
Contractor insurance starts with the work—not a generic class description.
Project type, job-site conditions, subcontracting, contracts, fleet, equipment and completed work can all change the insurance conversation.
Job-site releasesFuel, hydraulic fluid, chemicals or contaminated materials can create cleanup liability.
Mold & bacteriaWater intrusion or remediation work can create microbial exposures.
TransportationPollutants in transit can create separate environmental and auto-related issues.
Contract requirementsOwners increasingly require contractors pollution liability for certain trades and projects.
Common Questions
Questions worth answering before renewal.
Who needs CPL?
Environmental, excavation, HVAC, plumbing, roofing and industrial contractors are common examples, but exposure depends on operations.
Can it include completed operations?
Many CPL forms can address completed-operations pollution exposure, subject to terms and retroactive dates.
Keep Exploring
Related contractor insurance topics.
Related
General Contractor Insurance
See how project coordination and subcontractor use affect the program.
Learn more →RelatedIndustrial Contractor Insurance
Explore plant, shutdown and critical-process exposures.
Learn more →RelatedRoofing Contractor Insurance
Review height, hot work and completed-operations issues.
Learn more →Have a renewal coming up?
Start with a conversation about your operation, current program and what you want to improve.