General Liability Insurance Cost for Retail Stores (2026)

Physical retail stores pay more for GL because of premises liability. Customer slip-and-fall injuries, merchandise falling off shelves, and parking lot accidents all create claims. Online-only retailers have lower GL costs because they have no public-facing premises, but they may need more product liability coverage if they sell physical goods.

If you operate both a physical store and an e-commerce site, your GL policy covers both. The premium is based on total revenue across all channels.

Standard GL includes products-completed operations coverage, which handles claims arising from products you sell. However, if you sell imported goods, private-label products, or items without clear manufacturer liability, you face higher risk. Retailers importing directly from overseas manufacturers should consider standalone product liability coverage ($300-$1,000/yr as an add-on) because pursuing a foreign manufacturer for indemnification is difficult and expensive.

Commercial landlords require GL insurance for retail leases. Typical requirements: $1M per occurrence, $2M aggregate, with the landlord named as additional insured. The additional insured endorsement costs $25-$100 or is included free with some carriers. Without a certificate of insurance, you cannot sign most retail leases.