Your name is on the box. So is the lawsuit.
Coverage for businesses that make, import, distribute or sell products under their own brand, from supplements and cosmetics to electronics and home goods.
By Sam Alishahi · CA Insurance License #4348151 · Reviewed October 2026 · How this page is researched
If you sell it, you can be sued over it
When a product injures someone or damages property, everyone in the chain can be named: the manufacturer, the importer, the distributor and the seller. Importers of products made overseas are often treated like the manufacturer because the foreign maker is hard to reach.
Product liability usually sits inside a general liability policy, but many standard policies limit or exclude it for higher-risk products. Marketplaces and retailers often require their vendors to carry it and name them as additional insureds. I place product liability with carriers that write manufacturers and brands, including surplus lines markets for harder products.
- Bodily injuryPeople hurt by a product you made, imported or sold.
- Property damageDamage your product causes to others' property.
- Defense costsAttorneys' fees, which can be significant even when you win.
- Vendor requirementsAdditional insureds for retailers and marketplaces.
What underwriters will ask
Having these ready means I can go to market on the first call. The quote form asks for the same things, and anything you don’t know yet can wait.
- Products: what you sell and where it's made.
- Sales: annual sales by product line and channel.
- Role: manufacturer, importer, distributor or seller.
- Controls: testing, labeling, warnings and supplier contracts.
- Requirements: retailer or marketplace insurance terms.
- History: current policies, claims and recalls.
Product liability insurance, answered
Does my general liability policy cover my products?
Often, but not always. Many policies limit or exclude certain products, especially ingestibles, cosmetics or imported goods. The policy wording decides.
I only resell products. Do I need it?
Sellers and distributors are commonly named in product lawsuits. Supplier contracts and vendor insurance help, but your own coverage is the backstop.
Does product liability cover recalls?
Usually not. Product recall coverage is a separate policy or endorsement.
What do underwriters rate on?
The products, where they're made, annual sales, safety controls and claims history.
Do you offer product liability insurance outside California?
Yes. Clients across the country send the same quote form. California policies are placed directly; outside California the request is handled together with a partner agency in your state, and the shopping across carriers works the same way. Rules, minimums and markets differ by state — see insurance requirements by state.
Tell me what you sell. I'll shop it.
Your products, sales and where they're made are enough to start.
Alishahi Insurance · Saman Alishahi, independent insurance broker, California License #4348151. General information, not a quote or a promise of coverage; coverage depends on underwriting and the terms, conditions and exclusions of the policy actually issued. Some policies may be placed with nonadmitted (surplus lines) insurers, which are not members of the California Insurance Guarantee Association (CIGA).
Tell me how to reach you. I’ll take it from there.
Takes about 30 seconds. I review every request personally and call you back, usually the same day.
(424) 552-4545Answered 24/7 · CA License #4348151
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