What is 'completed operations' coverage in CGL?

Completed Operations coverage protects against liability claims arising from the insured's work after the work is completed and the insured has left the work site. Critical for contractors, repair services, installers, and similar businesses. The 'completed operations hazard' is defined to include work that has been substantially completed at the work site, or work that has been put to its intended use, after the contractor leaves. Example: an electrician completes a wiring job; a year later, faulty wiring causes a fire — that is a completed operations claim. Without completed operations coverage, the electrician's CGL would not respond. Most CGL policies include completed operations automatically (subject to a separate aggregate limit), but some policies and endorsements exclude or limit it — particularly for construction defects. Completed operations coverage often must be maintained for years after the work is done to cover delayed manifestations of problems.