Definition:Personal and advertising injury

📰 Personal and advertising injury is a category of liability coverage found within commercial general liability (CGL) policies that protects businesses against claims alleging non-physical harms such as defamation, libel, slander, wrongful eviction, malicious prosecution, invasion of privacy, and the misappropriation of advertising ideas or trade dress. It occupies its own coverage section—typically Coverage B in the standard ISO CGL form—separate from Coverage A, which addresses bodily injury and property damage arising from an occurrence.

⚙️ Coverage B is triggered when an "offense" listed in the policy takes place during the policy period and within the coverage territory. Unlike Coverage A's occurrence-based trigger, personal and advertising injury relies on the commission of a specified offense, and the policy responds to damages the insured becomes legally obligated to pay plus defense costs the insurer assigns. Common scenarios include a business competitor suing over an advertising campaign that allegedly copied its slogan, a landlord-tenant dispute involving claims of wrongful eviction, or a company accused of publishing false statements about a rival. Underwriters often attach exclusions for intellectual property infringement committed knowingly, for insureds in the media or publishing sector, or for cyber-related privacy violations, tailoring the coverage to the insured's specific risk profile.

🔍 Many policyholders overlook Coverage B until a claim arrives, yet it can represent substantial exposure—especially for companies with active marketing operations or those in industries where competitive disputes are common. Brokers and risk managers need to understand the boundary between personal and advertising injury coverage and other policies that might overlap or leave gaps, including media liability, cyber insurance, and employment practices liability policies. As digital advertising and social media expand the ways businesses can inadvertently commit covered offenses, the frequency and complexity of Coverage B claims have grown, making careful policy review and endorsement management essential components of a well-structured commercial insurance program.

Related concepts