In the worst of times, insurance can be a building owner’s best friend. But if the policy doesn’t cover what you think it covers, you’ll quickly be facing a nightmare — and an expensive one at that.

In addition to property insurance, which covers damage to your property by someone else, nearly all buildings carry comprehensive general liability (CGL) policies that protect the building owner against others’ claims of injury or damage. But what you may not realize is that the standard terms in these policies are defined quite differently by many states. What you don’t know could cost you.

What Can Happen?