Which liability exposure would most likely apply to a janitorial service whose completed work later causes damage?

Which liability exposure would most likely apply to a janitorial service whose completed work later causes damage?

• A. Premises liability
• B. Completed operations
• C. Employee liability
• D. Product liability

Answer: (D)

The concept being tested is how liability can attach to a product the insured supplies or distributes, not just to the service performed. In a janitorial service scenario, if damage occurs after the work is completed and that damage is caused by a product the service provided to the client—such as a cleaning chemical, floor finish, or other product the client received from the service—then the loss falls under product liability. Product liability covers injuries or property damage caused by a product’ itself, regardless of when the work was done, so if the damaged item stemmed from the product rather than from the actual cleaning workmanship, this exposure would be the relevant one. If the damage were caused by the act of performing the service itself (the workmanship), completed operations would be the more typical exposure, but when a supplied product is the culprit, product liability best fits.

The concept being tested is how liability can attach to a product the insured supplies or distributes, not just to the service performed. In a janitorial service scenario, if damage occurs after the work is completed and that damage is caused by a product the service provided to the client—such as a cleaning chemical, floor finish, or other product the client received from the service—then the loss falls under product liability. Product liability covers injuries or property damage caused by a product’ itself, regardless of when the work was done, so if the damaged item stemmed from the product rather than from the actual cleaning workmanship, this exposure would be the relevant one. If the damage were caused by the act of performing the service itself (the workmanship), completed operations would be the more typical exposure, but when a supplied product is the culprit, product liability best fits.