The written publication of untrue, defamatory statements that lower a person's esteem in his or her community and that gives rise to a legal cause of action against the publisher. Standard commercial general liability (CGL) insurance policies apply to slander and libel claims made against the insured. Libel is distinguishable from slander in that libel refers to defamatory statements that are written, while slander refers to defamatory statements that are spoken.
Definition provided by the International Risk Management Institute (IRMI) Glossary of Insurance.
