Compare Business Insurance Quotes

Business insurance is a category, not a single product. It refers to the set of policies a business uses to protect itself from financial loss — lawsuits, property damage, employee injuries, cyber attacks, professional mistakes, and lost income after a disaster. Different businesses need different combinations.

The common thread: without adequate coverage, a single lawsuit or catastrophic event can force even a profitable business to close. Small business insurance is less about compliance (though some coverages are legally required) and more about making sure one bad day doesn't end the company.

Most small businesses need some combination of:

• General liability — covers third-party bodily injury and property damage claims. Essentially non-negotiable.
• Professional liability (E&O) — covers mistakes in your professional work. Critical for consultants, agencies, medical professionals, real estate agents, and anyone giving advice.
• Commercial property — covers your owned or leased physical space and its contents.
• Business Owner's Policy (BOP) — bundles general liability + commercial property at a 10–25% discount.
• Workers' compensation — legally required in almost every state once you have employees.
• Cyber liability — increasingly mandatory for anyone storing customer data.
• Commercial auto — required if vehicles are used for business purposes.

Typical small-business premiums:

• General liability: $30–$60/month for most service businesses.
• Professional liability (E&O): $50–$100/month for solo consultants and freelancers.
• BOP: $50–$120/month for a typical small office or retail location.
• Workers' comp: varies dramatically by industry and payroll — $0.50 to $7.00 per $100 of payroll.
• Cyber liability: $75–$200/month for small businesses storing customer data.

The big cost drivers are industry risk classification, annual revenue, number of employees, location, and prior claims. A $1M general-liability policy for a graphic designer working from home might cost $28/month; the same limits for a roofing contractor can easily run $300/month.

A Business Owner's Policy (BOP) is a pre-packaged bundle designed for small businesses. It combines general liability and commercial property insurance into a single policy, usually at a 10–25% discount versus buying them separately, and often adds business interruption coverage.

BOPs are a strong fit if you have a physical location (retail store, office, warehouse) and fewer than ~100 employees. They're not available to high-risk industries like manufacturing, construction, or restaurants, which need individually underwritten policies.

The process for small businesses:

1. List the risks specific to your operation (client injuries, property loss, employee claims, professional mistakes, cyber breaches).
2. Match each risk to the coverage that handles it.
3. Get quotes from 2–3 carriers. The Hartford, Hiscox, Progressive Commercial, and Next Insurance all quote online in under 10 minutes.
4. Pay attention to the policy's occurrence vs. claims-made trigger — occurrence is better for long-tail risks (things discovered years later).
5. Once bound, store your Certificate of Insurance (COI) somewhere accessible — clients and landlords will ask for it regularly.