What Insurance Covers Intellectual Property Lawsuits?
Dedicated IP insurance may cover defined infringement defense or enforcement costs; other policies address narrower copyright, advertising, or cyber claims.
An IP lawsuit may concern patents, trademarks, copyrights, or trade secrets. CFC describes separate IP policy sections for defense, pursuing infringers, and contractual indemnity, so buying one grant does not necessarily buy the others. The NAIC lists IP insurance as a business liability category.
List the rights your products use or license and identify whether you need defense, enforcement, or both. Media, general liability, or cyber coverage may overlap for specific advertising or cyber-related claims, but those narrower grants do not cover every IP dispute.
Coverage Guides Related to Business Insurance
Sources for Business Insurance Answers
- Cyber Insurance. Federal Trade Commission; First-Party Coverage; Third-Party Coverage; What Should Your Cyber Insurance Policy Cover. Accessed 2026-09-25.
- Small Business Insurance. National Association of Insurance Commissioners; Other types of business liability insurance. Accessed 2026-09-25.
- Intellectual property insurance. CFC; Opening; Key features; Defense; Pursuit of infringers; Contractual indemnity. Accessed 2026-09-25.