What are the typical steps in evaluating professional liability (E&O) claims versus general liability claims?

• A. E&O: duty, breach, causation, and damages tied to professional services; GL: negligence, duty, breach, causation, damages, with policy-specific limitations.
• B. E&O only requires payment of premiums; GL only requires claims filed.
• C. E&O uses only contract law; GL uses only property law.
• D. E&O and GL both ignore causation.

Answer: (A)

Evaluating professional liability versus general liability hinges on the distinct sets of elements each claim requires. For professional liability, the focus is on the professional relationship and the standard of care tied to performing professional services: there is a duty arising from that relationship, a breach of the professional standard, causation linking that breach to damages, and damages that are specifically connected to the professional services provided. In contrast, general liability centers on the broader negligence framework, where there is a general duty to exercise reasonable care, a breach of that duty, causation, and damages, but the process is also constrained by the policy terms—limits, exclusions, and endorsements—that can shape what counts as covered damages and who pays for defense and settlement.

So the best answer reflects these two pathways: E&O focuses on duty and breach within the context of professional standards and damages tied to professional services, while general liability follows the broader negligence structure and is governed in part by the specific insurance policy’s terms.