Pollution Liability Insurance

No. Standard commercial general liability policies contain a pollution exclusion that bars coverage for virtually all claims involving pollutants, contaminants, and hazardous materials. Pollution liability is a separate policy specifically designed to cover these excluded exposures. If your work involves any contact with hazardous materials, mold, asbestos, lead, or chemicals, you need a pollution liability policy.

Environmental and remediation contractors obviously need it, but so do many other trades. HVAC contractors who work with refrigerants, plumbers dealing with sewage or lead pipes, excavation and grading contractors, roofers using tar and solvents, painters using chemical solvents, and demolition contractors all face pollution exposures. Any contractor who disturbs or works around soil, hazardous materials, or chemical substances should evaluate their need for pollution coverage.

Contractors Pollution Liability (CPL) is a form of pollution liability insurance designed specifically for contractors. It covers third-party bodily injury, property damage, and cleanup costs resulting from pollution events that arise from your contracting operations — both ongoing operations and completed work. CPL is often required by contract for environmental contractors and is increasingly required for general construction.

Many pollution liability policies can be written to include coverage for mold, asbestos, lead, and other specific hazardous substances. However, coverage for these materials varies significantly between carriers and policy forms. We will review your specific operations and exposures to find a policy that covers the pollutants you actually encounter in your work.