What Insurance Covers Patent Infringement?
Dedicated IP insurance may cover defense of specified patent claims; paying to enforce your own patent is a separate coverage question.
A lawsuit alleging that your product or process infringes a patent can create substantial defense costs. CFC describes IP coverage with separate defense and pursuit-of-infringers features, and the NAIC lists IP insurance as a business liability category; neither establishes what your quote covers.
Ask whether your products, technologies, patents, and territories qualify, and whether you need defense against claims, enforcement costs, or both. General liability advertising-injury coverage is not broad patent protection.
Coverage Guides Related to Intellectual Property Insurance
Sources for This Answer
- Insurance for Social Media Liability. Journal of Insurance Regulation; authors Kevin T. Merriman, David M. Knapp, Meghan E. Ruesch and Nicole M. Weir; PDF pp.5–7, Coverage B personal and advertising injury; pp.20–21, standard offense wording; pp.35–37, exclusions for false advertising and intellectual property infringement. 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.