What insurance does a security guard need?
There's no one-size answer. The right mix depends on how you work, who you work for, and what your contracts ask for. These are the coverages a security guard typically looks at first:
General liability
Covers third-party injuries and property damage during patrols and incident response, with the $1,000,000 per-occurrence limit clients typically request.
Professional liability
For claims that your judgment, response, or performance on a shift caused a loss, like a claim that you failed to prevent a foreseeable incident.
Workers' compensation
Once you have guards on payroll, on-shift injuries are handled here, and clients often want it shown on your certificate.
Coverage always depends on your specific situation. The fastest way to see what fits is to get a quote and review your options.
What does it protect against?
The risks that matter aren't abstract. They're the everyday accidents of the work. A few scenarios that turn into real claims:
A visitor is injured during an incident you respond to
You physically intervene to break up an altercation at a client's property, and the person involved is hurt in the process. Their injury claim, and the question of whether your response was appropriate, lands on your business.
A client says you failed to prevent a foreseeable incident
A break-in happens during your shift, or a fight escalates while you're posted at the entrance, and the property owner alleges your patrol or response fell short. Claims that your professional judgment or performance caused a loss fall under professional liability, not general liability.
Equipment or a patrol vehicle damages property
A patrol cart clips a parked car in a garage you're covering, or a barrier you set up damages a client's landscaping. Property damage caused by your equipment or vehicle is a general liability claim.
A visitor trips over equipment at your post
Someone trips over a cable from your monitoring equipment or a barrier stanchion near your checkpoint. Third-party injuries at your post, whether it's a visitor, a tenant, or an employee, are the classic general liability claim.
Certificates of insurance
For security guards, certificate requests usually come from the client hiring the service: property managers, event venues, and commercial clients often require proof of general liability before a guard is posted, and larger contracts frequently ask for professional liability and a workers comp line if you run a crew. Olli's general liability policies include instant certificates, so proof is ready before your next shift starts.
New to certificates? Start with our guide to the certificate of insurance: what's on one, who asks for it, and how to provide yours.