Commercial Legal Expenses

Insurance

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Commercial Legal Expenses Insurance for Business

CLE Insurance covers disputes with clients, suppliers, contractors, employees, and regulators. It also provides access to legal advice when you need it most. Coverage is subject to policy terms, limits, and insurer consent, including per-claim limits and policy excesses.

CLE Insurance safeguards businesses against legal costs from everyday disputes, including:

  • Unpaid invoices or debt recovery
  • Contract disagreements
  • Lease or property disputes
  • Employment issues (for staff, subject to policy terms)
  • Regulatory or tax investigations

Optional endorsements may cover intellectual property disputes, statutory notices, or cross-border disputes. CLE is not a replacement for other business insurances but complements PII and MLI.

Please refer to the Insurer’s Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) or Policy Wording when deciding if this product is right for you.

Disclaimer: Coverage under Commercial Legal Expenses (CLE) Insurance is subject to the full policy wording, terms, conditions, limits, and exclusions. Not all disputes or legal costs may be covered. Please review the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) before purchasing..

Commercial Legal Expenses (CLE)  vs Professional Indemnity (PII) vs Management Liability (MLI)

CLE Insurance – Covers legal costs for everyday business disputes (contracts, debt recovery, employment disputes, regulatory investigations). Does not cover fines or penalties.

Professional Indemnity (PII) – Covers claims arising from professional services, such as negligence, errors, or breach of duty. Does not cover routine business disputes or debt recovery.

Management Liability (MLI) – Covers management and governance risks, including directors/officers liability, statutory liability, and employment practices for senior staff. Does not cover everyday business disputes.

Business Insurance vs CLE Insurance

Standard business insurance protects assets and property but does not cover legal disputes.

Typical Business Insurance Covers:

  • Physical asset damage (fire, theft, machinery breakdown)
  • Public or product liability
  • Business interruption (loss of income from insured events)

Business Insurance Does Not Cover:

  • Contract or client disputes
  • Debt recovery or unpaid invoices
  • Employment disputes (unless endorsed)
  • Regulatory investigations or notices
  • Legal advice for routine business matters

CLE Insurance Covers:

  • Contract disputes with clients, suppliers, or contractors
  • Debt recovery (e.g., unpaid invoices)
  • Employment disputes (staff only, subject to policy terms)
  • Regulatory or tax investigations
  • Lease or property disputes
  • Legal advice hotline for everyday business questions

CLE coverage is subject to insurer consent, policy limits, and terms. It helps businesses reduce upfront legal costs, resolve disputes efficiently, and access proactive legal advice.

In Summary

  • Business insurance protects your assets
  • PII protects your professional services
  • MLI protects management decisions and directors/officers
  • CLE Insurance protects your legal risks

Together, they provide comprehensive protection, helping businesses manage disputes, debt recovery, and legal challenges with confidence.

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Hear Directly from Our Clients

Don’t take our word for it, see what other business owners and clients have to say.

Anthony Nelson
Once again Caroline has been amazing to deal with, her experience and knowledge is second to none, I would not insure with anyone else.
Martin Freney
Caroline Cori at CGIB has provided excellent service over many years. I particularly appreciate her thorough approach in making sure the insurance cover is genuinely suited to my needs, not just off-the-shelf, while also getting me a great price.
Kristen Heinrich
Caroline Cori has been absolutely fantastic to deal with, she has always been prompt, professional and knowledgeable with her responses and feedback. Highly recommend to any individual or Business seeking insurance advice!
Joe Ienari
Caroline has been very helpful and responsive in assisting with the insurance renewals across my businesses with CGIB. She consistently provides prompt service and reliable advice, making the process smooth.

I have also appreciated the support from Joe and Paul, who have been equally professional and attentive. It has been a pleasure dealing with the CGIB team.
Thank you for the continued support
Mark Bennett
Thank you Sarah for your hard work on behalf of our Owners Corporation - great job!
Todd hancock
Sarah was more than helpful throughout multiple insurance quotes and policy detail updates mid term. I was in and out of communication and this was not an issue. Very helpful and will continue to use these guys.
Peter Cutting
No stress experience - Caroline at CGIB has always been thoroughly detailed and accommodating in every aspect to give me the cover suited to my need.
Manuel Castro
They are very good at keeping me informed and up to date. They provide good advice and are prompt and efficient.
Damian Anderson
Been using CGIB for the past 14 years & have found them well organised, very efficient & great to deal with. Caroline Cori is fantastic, I couldn't recommend her highly enough!!!
John Mannu
We were fortunate to have Andrea Muse assist us with renewal of our policy recently.
Andrea is knowledgable, courteous, professional and responds to questions promptly!
I cannot express how happy we were to engage with her re our policy renewal and would recommend highly for assistance with policy matters.

Key Notes:

  • Fines & penalties: Not covered by CLE—only legal costs
  • Pre-existing disputes: Excluded
  • International disputes: Usually excluded unless endorsed
  • Consent: Insurer approval required before appointing lawyers or incurring major legal costs

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