Best General Liability Insurance for Small Business of March 2023

Hiscox offers quick online quotes and sends your policy documents electronically so you can get coverage for your business quickly. Also, you may be able to reduce your premium by tailoring your coverage to the specific risks your business faces. The company’s general liability policy for small business covers up to $250 per day in lost earnings and includes electronic data liability coverage. Also, you can purchase most other coverages your business would need through Hiscox, including professional liability, commercial property, workers’ compensation, and commercial auto. 

Hiscox also offers higher general liability limits for small businesses than some competitors—up to $5 million. Zero-deductible plans are available, too. A business owner’s policy (which includes both general liability and commercial property coverages) is available from Hiscox for businesses with 10 employees or less. Hiscox is A-rated (Excellent) by AM Best for financial strength.

Most businesses will pay at least $381 annually for general liability insurance from Hiscox. 

With Thimble, you can quickly get on-demand or monthly general liability coverage online, modify it as you go, and pause it for up to 30 days once. Thimble offers a business owner’s policy that includes business interruption insurance and commercial property insurance along with general liability. Also, you can add optional coverages like hired and non-owned auto or equipment breakdown. 

Thimble’s policies are occurrence-based, providing better coverage than claims-made policies. Occurrence-based policies cover you for incidents that occurred while the policy was in effect, even if you’ve since canceled your policy. 

However, you may not be able to get all the coverages you need from Thimble—the company doesn’t offer commercial auto policies, for example, or general liability policies to businesses with more than $5 million in annual revenue. 

Thimble had fewer complaints with the NAIC over the last three years than expected based on its size, and Thimble works with insurers that are A-rated (Excellent) for financial strength with AM Best. 

Thimble’s general liability policies are available with $1 million or $2 million limits (per occurrence and aggregate) and have the following starting premiums:

• On-demand: $5 per month
• Monthly: $24 per month
• Yearly: $263 per year 

Learn more in our Thimble Business Insurance Review.

Next Insurance offers an entirely online quote and application with same-day coverage available, and you can chat with the company live if you need help. Once you pay for your policy, you’ll get an instant, live certificate of insurance that you can easily update with additional insureds or share with clients. Next Insurance offers a BOP that saves you 10% and includes business interruption coverage. You can also get a standalone general liability policy with the company, which costs as little as $11 per month for some very small, low-risk businesses. 

Next also offers many basic commercial coverages, such as workers’ compensation, commercial auto, and professional liability. But Next is aimed at small businesses and offers fewer specialized coverages for industry-specific risks than a company like Chubb. 

General liability insurance from Next can cost as little as $11 per month, and more than 70% of Next’s customers pay less than $75 per month. The starting price for a business owner’s policy is $400. Next also offers up to 25% in savings through various discounts. 

Chubb is the leading commercial lines insurer in the U.S. It offers standalone general liability coverage or a BOP for businesses with up to $30 million in revenue, which includes general liability insurance and business income insurance. You can get a foreign package if you have employees taking business trips overseas. Outside of its small business offerings, Chubb provides a full range of coverages for businesses of any size, including many specialty coverages other companies don’t offer. 

Chubb provides online quotes for some small businesses with less than $1 million in annual revenue, but if your business earns more than that, you’ll need to speak with an agent to get your quote. 

The company receives A.M. Best’s top grade for financial strength, A++ (Superior). And Chubb had relatively few complaints with the NAIC over the past three years, indicating few issues with customer satisfaction. 

Chubb offers small business general liability policies starting at $250 and business owner’s policies starting at $450. 

Nationwide offers a general liability policy that you can customize with a range of food service endorsements, such as product liability, liquor liability, and hired and non-owned auto coverage. General liability policies offer up to $4 million in annual coverage, which is more than several competitors. Nationwide also offers comprehensive restaurant insurance through its Food Service Program BOP which is available to restaurants that bring in less than $5 million in revenue per location. It offers 10 restaurant-specific endorsements, including credit card forgery, spoilage coverage, and food contamination coverage. 

Nationwide has an A+ (Superior) financial strength rating from AM Best, but the company received more complaints than expected, according to the NAIC. Another drawback: You’ll need to speak with an agent to get a quote for your small business. 

Nationwide offers general liability policies starting at $300 annually and business owner’s policies starting at $350 annually. 

Huckleberry offers live chat and phone support should you need it, but you can get a quote and application entirely online, and it takes five minutes or less for 95% of customers. You’ll get an instant certificate of insurance you can share once you pay for your policy. 

You can get a general liability policy from Huckleberry or opt for BOP, which includes business interruption coverage and offers many endorsements, including liquor liability, professional liability, equipment breakdown, and a restaurant endorsement. You can also get most other small business coverages you’ll need from Huckleberry, too, such as commercial auto. Huckleberry policies are underwritten by Chubb and Markel. 

Huckleberry’s general liability policies start at $34 per month, and the median annual premium is $700. Pricing for a business owner’s policy starts at $444. 

Farmers is a great option for businesses that need a general liability policy with high limits but don’t need professional liability insurance (or already have it with another company). The company offers per-occurrence and aggregate annual limits of up to $5 million. You can also get a variety of discounts, including a 15% discount for being a corporation and several multi-policy discounts. Farmers also offers commercial auto, workers’ compensation, commercial property insurance, and cyber liability and employment practices liability coverages as well. You’ll need to speak with an agent to purchase your policy. 

Farmers does not disclose general pricing information.