Best General Liability Insurance For Small Business

Like many insurance companies, The Hartford provides personalized quotes for liability and other commercial insurance. For comparison purposes, its general liability coverage starts at around $88/month. Your coverage may have a slightly different price, of course.

Personalized quotes are available online, and you should receive your quote the same day. You can request a quote from The Hartford by phone, too.

Along with liability coverage, The Hartford offers some special features to help business owners. Here are a few:

Risk Engineering

The Hartford can help you build a custom safety plan and analyze on-the-job risks.

Simplified Claims

The Hartford’s customers can access a unique claims system, The Hartford Productivity Advantage, to file claims.

Additional Coverage

The Hartford offers a business owner’s policy (BOP) that combines general liability and commercial property coverage. You can add coverage for business income interruption, flood insurance, cyber, home-based business, multi-national, and more. The Hartford also provides commercial and construction surety bonds.

Strong Customer Support

Live support is available during normal business hours. Support is available via email and self-help options around the clock. Claims can be filed with The Hartford 24/7.

The Hartford is rated tenth in the nation for overall customer satisfaction among small business insurers, according to a J.D. Power survey. Online reviews from users are generally positive.

High Ratings

The Hartford has an A- (Excellent) credit rating from AM Best. The Hartford is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau, but it maintains an A+ rating from the BBB.

NEXT advertises general liability coverage that starts at $11/month for small businesses in low-risk categories.

Your cost depends on the usual factors: business size and location, industry, number of employees, and so on. You can get a quote by entering basic information, with an estimated time involvement of just 4 minutes. Enter your contact information, and you’ll receive a quote within 10 minutes.

We asked for a price quote for general liability insurance for a small, single proprietorship operating out of Washington state. The entire process took less than the predicted 10 minutes, and we received easy-to-understand and competitive pricing:

Screenshot of NEXT Insurance webpage, captured 9/20/2023

NEXT offers basic policies, so you won’t find a lot of specialized coverage options with this insurer. Here’s a summary of what NEXT delivers:

Instant Online Quotes

Just type in some basic information online to receive suggestions about the types of coverage your business needs. You should receive a quote within 10 minutes.

Basic Coverage

NEXT offers general liability, a business owner’s policy (BOP), worker’s compensation, professional liability (E&O), commercial auto, commercial property, and a tools and equipment upgrade.

You’ll also find limited specialty coverage, including liquor liability, product liability, and hired and non-owned auto policies.

Bundle Discounts

If you buy two or more policies from NEXT, you activate a 10% discount.

Mobile App

Use the mobile app to print out your certificate of insurance, submit and manage claims, and update your coverage.

Strong Customer Service

Live, US-based representatives are available via chat during normal working hours.

High Ratings

NEXT Insurance has an A- (Excellent) credit rating from AM Best. Customers report that Next offers easy-to-use, basic small business insurance.

You can request a personalized price quote from Nationwide over the phone or online. If you start the process online, you may need to complete it over the phone. Quotes usually are provided within 30 minutes.

We requested pricing information on behalf of a small sole proprietorship based in Washington state and got two quotes from Nationwide. One was underwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance, and the other was underwritten by NEXT Insurance:

Screenshot of Nationwide Insurance webpage, captured 9/20/2023

As a full-spectrum insurance provider, Nationwide delivers a strong feature set. Here’s a sampling:

Specialty Coverage

Nationwide offers a business owner’s policy (BOP) that combines general liability, commercial property, business income, and equipment breakdown coverage.

Additional coverage is available for workers’ compensation, cyber, professional liability (E&O), umbrella, inland marine, builder’s risk, and accounts receivable.

Nationwide also offers fidelity and surety bonds, group insurance bonds, key person benefits, and retirement plans.

Online Access

Nationwide customers can access their accounts through a secure online portal. This portal is used to manage your billing and start or monitor a claim.

Education Tools

Free resources offer advice and support on a wide range of small business topics, including taxes, cybersecurity, hiring, payroll, and workplace safety.

Loss Control Planning

You might be able to lower your premiums if you take advantage of Nationwide’s tools and resources to review your business operations and procedures. This includes personal assistance from Nationwide’s loss control services team.

24/7 Customer Service

Nationwide customers work directly with an agent, with support available by phone and email. Claims support centers are open 24/7, with a dedicated claims service representative.

Strong Ratings

Nationwide is ranked third in the nation for customer satisfaction among small business insurance customers. The company is rated A+ (Excellent) by AM Best for its financial strength.

Quick quotes are available from Hiscox by phone or online, and the company says you can be insured within 10 minutes. You’ll need to enter some basic information to get a quote.

While quotes are customized around your specific business details, Hiscox says small business general liability coverage typically costs around $30/month or less. Hiscox generally offers liability coverage in a bundle with commercial property insurance.

Notably, Hiscox allows business owners to pay insurance premiums monthly rather than annually, with no added fees.

Here are a few of the features that helped Hiscox land a spot on this list of the best small business liability coverage:

Support For Home Businesses & Contractors

Hiscox offers special policy packages for sole proprietors, home-based businesses, and independent contractors.

Monthly Payments

Hiscox customers can make monthly payments instead of paying annually, with no added fees. That’s a standout feature in the insurance world, and it could make a difference to small businesses working on a tight budget.

Quick Quotes & Coverage

Hiscox lets you apply online and receive a quote within minutes. Coverage can start immediately if you want it to.

Small Business Resources

Hiscox offers informative newsletters and maintains an online library of articles. Subscribe to the company’s podcast, “Side Hustle to Small Business,” via Apply, Spotify, or Google.

Referrals Program

You can be entered into a monthly drawing for one of ten Amazon gift cards worth $50 each when you share a referral link with friends or share it on your social media accounts.

Strong Customer Support

Hiscox’s online claims center is open 24/7, with live agents available by phone every weekday. If you file a claim, you’ll be assigned to a claims representative who will stay with you through the claims process.

Strong Ratings

Hiscox has a credit rating of A (Excellent) from AM Best and is rated 4.5/5 stars by customers commenting via Consumer Affairs.

Thimble policies start at $17/month, though you may pay more depending on factors such as your business size and location. Thimble policies are underwritten by Benchmark Insurance Company.

Here are some notable features of Thimble Insurance:

Adjustable Coverage

You can purchase Thimble coverage by the job, month, or year. You can pause, modify, or cancel coverage as needed, too.

Monthly Payments

Thimble allows customers to pay annually or monthly with no added fees. That’s a standout, budget-friendly feature.

Instant Quotes & Coverage

Thimble’s online quote process is one of the easiest I’ve seen. You’ll be guided through a series of basic questions about your business, and you’ll be able to see your personalized quote instantly. Make a payment online, and your coverage starts immediately.

Additional Coverage

You can purchase additional coverage from Thimble in addition to general liability. The company offers a business owner’s policy (BOP), professional liability, business equipment protection, commercial property, workers’ compensation, business interruption, equipment breakdown, auto liability, hired and non-owned auto coverage, product liability, and cyber insurance.

Mobile App

Download the highly-rated Thimble app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play store, and you’ll be able to purchase insurance on the spot or provide proof of insurance, update your coverage, get a refund, and more.

Good Customer Service

Thimble offers chat and email support on weekdays during normal business hours (Eastern Time).

High Ratings

AM Best rates Thimble A (Excellent) for financial strength. The company is accredited by the Better Business Bureau, where it holds an A+ rating. Customer reviews indicate that Thimble is easy to use and hassle-free.

Like most insurance companies, biBERK offers personalized price quotes. The company states that small business owners can save 20% on their premium purchases from biBERK. Policies start around $27.50/month, though yours may cost more depending on your location, business size, number of employees, and other factors.

You can get a quote from biBERK online or by phone, with near-instant quotes and coverage.

biBERK offers useful features that enhance its value to small business owners, including:

Instant Quotes & Coverage

Apply online and receive a quote in minutes. You can even purchase coverage on the same day.

Additional Coverage

Add endorsements to your general liability policy to cover cyber liability, hired and non-owned auto liability, employment-related practices liability, employee benefits liability, liquor liability, and contractors’ installation, tools, and equipment policies.

biBERK also offers standard business coverage, including a business owner policy (BOP), workers’ compensation, professional liability, errors & omissions, commercial auto, and umbrella policies.

Excellent Customer Service

Customers rave about biBERK’s customer service, frequently mention representatives by name, and praise their helpfulness and knowledge. Customer service is available by phone on weekdays from 7 AM-9 PM ET and via a contact form on the website.

Outstanding Ratings

biBERK is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and has an A+ rating. biBERK’s financial stability is rated A++ (Superior) by AM Best.