Completed Operations
CGL coverage for bodily injury or property damage arising from the insured's completed work after it has been finished and handed over.
What It Is
Completed Operations coverage is the portion of a Commercial General Liability policy that responds to bodily injury or property damage claims arising from the insured's work after that work has been completed or abandoned. It falls under Coverage A of the CGL policy and is subject to the Products-Completed Operations Aggregate limit.
Work is considered "completed" when all operations under the contract have been finished, when the insured's obligations under the contract have been fulfilled, or when the portion of work out of which the claim arises has been put to its intended use. Until one of these triggers is met, the claim falls under the ongoing operations coverage.
Completed operations coverage is essential for contractors, manufacturers, and any business whose work product could cause harm after delivery. The standard CGL policy includes this coverage, but it can be excluded by endorsement — something brokers must watch for carefully.
Why It Matters for Brokers
For brokers placing construction accounts, completed operations is often the most critical coverage element. Defective workmanship claims frequently surface months or years after project completion. If a subcontractor's policy excludes completed operations — or if the additional insured endorsement does not extend to completed operations — the upstream party has no coverage for post-completion claims. Brokers must verify both that the named insured has completed operations coverage and that any additional insured endorsements extend to it.
Real-World Example
An electrical subcontractor finishes wiring a 120-unit condo building in June 2024. In February 2025, a faulty junction box causes a fire in Unit 47, resulting in $340,000 in property damage and $85,000 in medical bills. Because the work was completed eight months prior, this claim falls under the completed operations coverage of the sub's CGL policy. The sub's $1M per occurrence limit and $2M products-completed operations aggregate respond to the claim.
Common Mistakes
- 1Failing to verify that the additional insured endorsement includes completed operations coverage (CG 20 37 or equivalent), leaving the GC or owner exposed post-completion.
- 2Not checking whether the carrier has added a completed operations exclusion endorsement, which some carriers attach to artisan contractor policies to reduce premium.
- 3Confusing the general aggregate with the products-completed operations aggregate — they are separate limits and exhaust independently.
How brokerageaudit.com Handles This
Policy Checker identifies whether the CGL policy includes or excludes completed operations coverage and flags any completed operations exclusion endorsements. It also verifies that additional insured endorsements extend to completed operations by checking for CG 20 37 or equivalent forms. COI Manager ensures certificates for construction accounts accurately reflect completed operations coverage status.