Products and Completed Work: The Coverage Owners Forget
Most business owners picture general liability protecting them during the workday, a customer slipping in the shop, a ladder tipping on a job site. But a significant piece of a general liability policy is designed for what happens after a sale is made or a project is wrapped up. It’s called products-completed operations coverage, and it’s easy to overlook until it’s needed.
Two Kinds of Businesses, One Shared Exposure
Food producers, soap and skincare makers, and craft sellers at Kauaʻi markets send products home with customers and visitors. If something they made later causes injury or damage, the claim can arrive long after the sale.
Builders, roofers, electricians, and lanai installers finish a job and move on. Problems tied to that finished work can surface months or even years later.
What This Coverage Does and Doesn’t Do
- Does: Respond to injury or property damage to others caused by your product or completed work
- Does: Help with legal defense if someone brings a claim
- Doesn’t: Pay to repair or replace your own product or redo your own work
- Doesn’t: Act as a warranty or guarantee for quality
Why Timing Matters
Most general liability policies respond based on when the injury or damage happens, not when the work was done. That means a policy needs to be active when a problem shows up. Owners who retire, close a business, or let coverage lapse should ask what options exist for claims tied to past work.
Quick Questions for Your Next Review
- Does your policy include products-completed operations coverage?
- Does it fit the products you sell or the work you perform today?
- What happens to past work if your business changes or closes?
Mokihana Insurance Agency helps business owners in Līhuʻe and across Kauaʻi understand every layer of their general liability coverage in plain language. To review how your policy protects the work you’ve already finished, reach out through Mokihana Insurance Agency in Lihue, HI.
