Umbrella / Excess Liability for commercial landlords

It's driven by your building value, tenant mix, and asset profile. Many owners carry $2M–$5M, with higher limits for high-hazard tenants (contractors, food service) or large portfolios. We model worst-case scenarios and size the umbrella to your real exposure.

Yes — the umbrella sits above your LRO/GL and commercial auto, adding limits once those primary policies are exhausted. We make sure the underlying limits and the umbrella layer are coordinated so there are no gaps at the boundary.

Commercial lenders want to protect the collateral and often require liability limits well above a primary policy's $1M or $2M. Carrying an umbrella satisfies that requirement and protects you from a catastrophic claim reaching your other assets.

Umbrella premium is a fraction of your underlying liability cost and reflects your operations, underlying limits, and the umbrella layer chosen. It's one of the most cost-effective ways to add significant protection — millions in limits for a modest premium.

Often yes. If a refinance or new acquisition requires higher limits, we can frequently increase the umbrella (subject to underwriting) so the requirement is met. Tell us the requirement and we'll move.

Yes. An umbrella responds to the same types of claims your underlying LRO/GL covers — including a tenant-caused fire or a serious premises-injury claim — once primary limits are exhausted.

A true umbrella can drop down to cover some claims not covered by underlying policies; a straight excess policy simply adds limits on top of the same coverage. We place the form that fits your exposure and budget.

Most commercial building owners pay $750–$2,500 a year for base Lessor's Risk Only, with the full program (LRO, property, equipment breakdown, umbrella) running $2,500–$9,000. Cost depends on building value, construction, tenant mix, and location. We quote the full program in about 15 minutes.

Yes. Contractors Choice Agency is licensed in all 50 states and writes lessor's-risk and commercial property programs from the Sun Belt and Texas to the Northeast, Midwest, and West Coast.

About 15 minutes for a standard program. Once bound, we turn around certificates of insurance and additional-insured endorsements for lenders, tenants, and partners — usually within minutes.

LH-1 is the ISO class code for a Lessor's Risk Only building — a commercial property leased to tenants where the owner's only occupancy is as a landlord. Correct LH-1 classification keeps premium fair and ensures claims aren't denied for misclassification.

Yes — that is the central purpose of Lessor's Risk Only. If a tenant's operations cause a fire that damages the building or other tenants, LRO covers the owner's property loss and liability. Generic policies often mishandle this exact exposure.

Standard commercial property excludes internal breakdown. We add equipment-breakdown (boiler & machinery) coverage so failed HVAC, boilers, chillers, elevators, and electrical panels are covered, including the resulting business-interruption loss.

Most carry $1M/$2M on liability with a $2M–$5M umbrella, and property limits equal to the building's full replacement cost. We size limits to your building value, tenant exposure, and lender requirements.

If you or your maintenance crew drive company vehicles between properties, yes — personal auto excludes business use. We also add hired/non-owned coverage if employees drive personal vehicles for property work.

Often, yes. We have excess-and-surplus (E&S) and specialty markets for buildings with loss runs, high-hazard tenant mixes, older construction, or other exposures that standard markets decline.

Yes — your lease should require every tenant to carry general liability and name the building owner additional insured on a primary, non-contributory basis. We provide a sample lease clause and help track certificates.

You reach a person with context, not a queue. We respond within 2 hours, help you document the loss, and manage the claim with the carrier so it's paid correctly and your building keeps operating.

Commercial property leased to tenants has a specific risk profile that generic carriers exclude or misprice. A specialty broker knows the LH-1 class code, the markets that write each tenant mix, and how to manage a tenant-caused claim.