The best general liability insurance companies offer a general liability policy with robust limits and a number of endorsements that tailor the policy to a business’s specific industry. They also provide great customer service, convenience, quotes, and additional services, like an instant certificate of insurance (COI).
Using our proprietary rubric, we evaluated 20 insurers to find the six best general liability insurance companies:
- The Hartford: Best commercial general liability insurance company
- Simply Business: Best for comparing quotes
- Next Insurance: Best for contractors and businesses in the construction industry
- Nationwide: Best for agribusiness
- Thimble: Best for short-term general liability insurance
- Chubb: Best for marketing businesses
Commercial General Liability Insurance Providers Compared
Company | Quote Process | Policy Purchase Process | Accessibility | Instant COI | Financial Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Online | Online | 24/7 call center | ✓ | A+ (Superior) |
 | Online | Online | Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. ET | ✓ | A++ (Superior) |
 | Online | Online | Monday–Friday, 6 a.m.–5 p.m. Pacific Time | ✓ | A- (Excellent) |
 | Begin online or call an agent | Over the phone | 24/7 call center | ✕ | A+ (Superior) |
 | Online or through the app | Online | Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. ET | ✓ | A- to A (Excellent) |
 | Begin online or call an agent | Over the phone | 24/7 call center | ✕ | A++ (Superior) |
The Hartford: Best Commercial General Liability Insurance Company
Pros
- CGL contains six key categories of coverage.
- It provides instant access to policy.
- It offers 24/7 claims services.
Cons
- You usually cannot purchase a policy online.
- It does not offer same-day coverage.
- It has no mobile app for commercial customers.
Standout Features
- Instant access to policy documents through the online portal
- In-house claims team to work with you through losses
- One of the preferred choices by independent agents
- General liability contains six key categories of coverage
Financial stability: The Hartford is financially sound with two centuries of established success. It has an AM Best rating of A+ (Superior).
The Hartford stands out as the best general liability insurance provider for several reasons. First, its general liability is customizable for different industries through available endorsements. For example, we got a quote for a photography business for this article. Because we stated our business was photography, it provided specific coverages that we would need, including drone insurance and data breach liability.
Next, it developed a quoting system that creates industry-specific policies, and because of this customizable quoting system, it offers flexibility on limits. Besides that, it has tremendous customer service and an extremely robust account maintenance platform. Finally, it has nearly every type of insurance a small business may need, so if you need more than general liability, you can purchase that and have all of your policies with the same provider.
As a standard carrier, The Hartford quotes you a policy directly through it. If you would like to compare prices, consider a broker like Simply Business, as it lets you compare quotes from top-rated carriers.
We received a quote for a photography business that had limits of $1 million liability and $2 million aggregate. The cost of this policy was $1,166 annually. This quote is in line with what it states is the average amount its customers pay for general liability, which is $805 annually or $67 monthly.
The Hartford’s standard general liability includes bodily injury, property damage, product liability, fire damage to premises your business rents, and medical payments. It also includes personal advertising and injury coverage.
Online, you can get a quote, purchase a policy, and then manage it. If you prefer to call, it has 24/7 availability for its customers.
When evaluating providers, we factor the convenience of policy management and purchasing into our scores. The Hartford does have a great digital interface, and from your account dashboard, you can change coverage, limits, and insureds, as well as pay your bill and file a claim.
Overall, policyholders like The Hartford. Complaints with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) are lower than the national average.
Simply Business: Best for Comparing Quotes
Pros
- Provides quotes online or over the phone.
- Same-day coverage
- The quoting system is simple and fast.
Cons
- Customer service is unavailable 24/7.
- To file a claim, you’ll need to contact the carrier directly.
- Commercial property insurance may be unavailable online.
Standout Features
- Compare quotes in real time for multiple lines of coverage.
- Customize coverage as you go, and then it will generate an updated quote with accurate pricing.
- Get policies from top-rated carriers like biBERK, Hiscox, and Travelers.
- Gain access to an account portal to manage your policy and request COIs.
Financial Stability: Simply Business is owned by Travelers. Travelers’ AM Best rating is A++ (Superior).
Simply Business is an online digital broker that works with multiple top-rated providers, so you can compare quotes to find the best coverage at the right price for your business. In researching this article, we received five quotes for one business, with a range of savings of nearly $80 a month. Its offerings for coverage are focused on key small business coverage like general liability insurance.
As a broker, Simply Business has minimal policy management options and does not handle the claims. If you want a carrier that offers extensive options to control your policy and also handles claims, consider Next Insurance.
We received five quotes for a small handyperson business. The quotes ranged from $580 to $1,686 annually and were all for the same level of general liability: $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate.
The most affordable quote came from American Builders Insurance Company, and after a $279.50 down, it had 10 payments of $45.05. Another option was through Markel Insurance. It only required $83.70 down and then nine installments of $52.70 monthly.
If you need it, Simply Business can provide quotes for contractor tools and equipment, workers’ comp, and cyber liability—all of which are available online. In some situations, you can also get a quote for property insurance and a business owners’ policy (BOP).
Simply Business offers insurance in all 50 states. Online, you can pay your bill and request changes to coverage, though many of those will then be reviewed. You can also create a COI.
If you wish to speak with someone, its hours of operation are Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET.
The claim filing process leaves a bit to be desired; you need to contact the actual provider. If you are unsure who it is, you can ask Simply Business, and it will provide the contact information for the claims department.
As a broker, there are no complaints tracked by the NAIC for it. However, on the site Trustpilot,[1] Simply Business currently has 4.7 out of 5 stars from over 1,100 reviews.
Next: Best for Contractors & the Construction Industry
Pros
- The quoting system is fast and simple.
- It offers same-day coverage.
- It provides tailored coverage for the construction industry.
Cons
- It has no 24/7 call center for claims.
- It is geared towards smaller businesses.
- It may not generate quotes for all coverages.
Standout Features
- Use a COI Analyzer to instantly generate and share a COI with parties during the bid process.
- Receive tailored coverages, like professional liability, built into general liability for specific industries.
- Use its commercial app for managing your policy, proof of insurance, and claims.
- Get its construction package, which includes general liability, workers’ comp, tools and equipment, property, and commercial auto insurance.
Financial Stability: While relatively new, it is financially strong, with AM Best rating Next Insurance an A- (Excellent).
Next Insurance is a tech-forward insurance company, using its website and app to help contractors and businesses in the construction industry by making it easy and free to create and share COIs. Through its COI Analyzer, it can generate custom COIs in seconds. All you need to do is take a picture of or upload documents needed for changes to the policy, and it will generate a new COI, which can be shared to bid on a job or to start work.
If you want a traditional carrier that still has a degree of digital convenience, like creating a COI online, consider The Hartford. While its COI is not as instantly available as Next’s, The Hartford offers the capability to create new ones online.
When getting insurance through Next, it will suggest coverage and work through quotes for each one separately. When the quote is ready, it typically generates multiple quotes in different tiers of coverage.
In the quote we received, tiers were broken down as follows:
- Basic coverage was general liability only, with a total limit of $1 million. The basic cost is $76 monthly.
- The premier coverage carried $1 million of general liability per occurrence, $2 million aggregate, and $20,000 of professional liability insurance. The premier cost is $99.25 monthly.
- The deluxe coverage carried the same as the premier, except it had $25,000 per occurrence and $50,000 aggregate in professional liability. The deluxe cost is $106.50 monthly.
In this quote, the professional liability insurance was called errors & omissions insurance.
General liability from Next Insurance is available in all 50 states. It isn’t open 24/7 and instead maintains business hours Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. However, its app functions like a 24/7 call center, giving you complete control over billing, policy management, and claims. The provider also offers additional services, like creating and sharing a COI.
Complaints filed with the state-level Department of Insurance are lower than expected, indicating that customers are happy with Next Insurance as their carrier.
Nationwide: Best for Agribusinesses
Pros
- It offers in-house claim services.
- It has a 24/7 call center for claims and customer service.
- It offers a range of policies designed for agribusiness operations.
Cons
- It has no app for commercial businesses.
- The process for obtaining a COI is unclear.
- Getting a quote or purchasing a policy online can be difficult.
Standout Features
- Get a general liability policy with fertilizer, herbicide, and seedsmen liability coverage.
- Receive support from staff with a background in agriculture and its on-staff agronomists and safety experts.
- Get custom policies for small farms and ranches or large operations, like equipment dealerships.
- Work with an insurer with an appetite for farmer cooperatives and riskier businesses, like vineyards or breweries.
Financial Stability: Nearly one hundred years old, Nationwide has proven financial resilience. Nationwide’s AM Best rating is A+ (Superior).
Since Nationwide’s founding in 1926, it has been providing insurance to farmers and has developed a range of policies to fit different types and sizes of agribusiness operations. It also has endorsements from multiple state farm bureaus.
Beyond agribusinesses, it has insurance programs for retail, restaurants, professional services, and more. This makes it a great option for general liability insurance for farms, farmers’ cooperatives, homesteads, or retail shops in a rented space downtown.
Note that it will sometimes function like a broker, offering quotes from other carriers. So if you attempt to get a quote from Nationwide and it instead provides several quotes from other companies, what that usually means is that Nationwide itself will not cover you and instead presents options.
We received a standard liability quote for $394 annually. This policy had $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate, and it included products and completed operations liability.
If you have a home on several acres and grow and sell food, you might think your homeowner covers that, but the business changes the nature of your property. Nationwide offers CountryChoice® for small farms, a package of property and liability policies. It also has farm liability, which has built-in unfounded animal cruelty coverage and options for product liability.
Its base general liability for small businesses does not include personal and advertising injury coverage, although it is available as an endorsement.
You can get a quote on Nationwide’s website, but it is slowly moving away from online quotes. If you want to purchase it for your farm, you will need to speak with an agent.
Another area of convenience where Nationwide could improve is online commercial policy maintenance, especially creating a COI. If you need to make changes to your policy or get proof of insurance, you will need to reach out to your agent.
Nationwide has 24/7 claims services for agribusiness and regular businesses. It also has high marks for customer satisfaction, ranking #1 on J.D. Power’s Customer Satisfaction Survey.
Thimble: Best for Short-term General Liability Insurance
Pros
- It offers flexible policy terms.
- You can get insurance in 60 seconds.
- The quoting system is simple and convenient.
Cons
- It has no 24/7 claims or customer call center.
- Claims are handled by a third-party administrator.
- It is very difficult to actually reach anyone by phone.
Standout Features
- Purchase short-term liability insurance by the hour, day, week, or month.
- Use its commercial app to manage your policy and file claims.
- Generate and share a COI within 60 seconds on the app.
- Get a quote and purchase insurance on the app whenever you need it.
Financial Stability: Thimble is a managing general agent (MGA) and works with Benchmark Insurance, Markel Insurance, NSIC, and Spinnaker. These all earned a high rating from AM Best, as follows:
- Spinnaker’s AM Best rating: A- (Excellent)
- Markel’s AM Best rating: A (Excellent)
- Benchmark’s AM Best rating: A (Excellent)
- NSIC’s AM Best rating: A (Excellent)
For commercial general liability, Thimble gives you two options: an annual policy or a short-term policy. If you just need normal CGL, Thimble is a good option, but it is the best choice if your business is a side hustle and needs short-term coverage on a periodic basis. This is because it offers general liability insurance by the hour, day, or month. You can get a quote and purchase insurance through the app whenever you need general liability.
It is similar to Next Insurance in its convenience and app but differs from it in that it doesn’t handle any of the claims. If you are looking for a company similar to Thimble but without multiple points of contact during a loss, consider Next Insurance.
We received a quote with a total liability limit of $1 million. It also had $1 million for products and completed operations and $50,000 for cyber liability, plus an endorsement for customer protection, which provides coverage if you damage or lose a client’s personal property while working on their premises. This policy was quoted at $46.88 monthly and was for an annual policy.
As a new insurtech, Thimble prioritizes the digital experience. Online and through its app, you can get a quote, manage your policy, and file a claim. You can also get instant and unlimited COIs.
In researching the provider, I called its phone number, and all of the prompts led to email addresses instead of an actual person. The difficulty in reaching a person is reflected in its customer satisfaction score in our evaluation.
Chubb: Best for Marketing Businesses
Pros
- It offers 24-hour claim response.
- It offers custom policies.
- It offers overseas coverage.
Cons
- It has no mobile app.
- The online policy management is limited.
- COIs are generated via your agent.
Standout Features
- Make use of the online claim filing and tracking system for instant updates.
- Purchase highly tailored coverage for specific industries.
- Work with an insurer that has an appetite for small businesses with revenue as high as $30 million.
- Receive a separate aggregate limit for advertising and reputational harm liability.
Financial Stability: Chubb is a global insurance company and has the financial strength you want to handle your claims. AM Best rated Chubb an A++ (Superior).
Chubb has developed industry-specific policies that are customized for the needs of the business. For example, most policies have an aggregate limit, meaning the total amount the policy will pay out in a term. Because of this, along with its multiple options for liability, it is the best provider for marketing or PR firms.
If you prefer a carrier that has more convenience for policy management and generating COI, then check out Next Insurance. Next lets you manage your policy online or on the app, including creating and sharing a COI.
We received a quote for Chubb’s Customarq general liability with limits of $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate. It included a separate $2 million limit for products and completed operations. This quote was for $322 annually.
Chubb’s proprietary Customarq policy packages include general liability as standalone coverage or bundled as a business owner’s policy. Most policies limit coverage to the US and its territories, but this policy has global coverage, which is good for businesses with overseas operations. So, if someone in another country claims their reputation was harmed because of a post on social media, Chubb can help handle that type of claim.
Some other features include coverage for oral contractual liability and unscheduled partnerships.
You can get a quote and sometimes purchase the policy online—although you’ll have to call its team more often than not. If you have a claim, you can file it online or call; lines are open 24/7. Thus far, there have been no reported complaints filed against its handling of general liability claims.
Chubb offers online bill payment, but it is unclear what other policy management options are available for small business owners. To obtain a COI, you will likely need to contact your agent.
How We Evaluated the Best Commercial General Liability Insurance Companies
We determined the best general liability insurance companies by using our in-house proprietary evaluation system. In reviewing 20 different insurers, we paid particular attention to convenience, financial ratings (from AM Best), customer service, types of policies offered, and the overall experience as a policyholder with a specific provider.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
General liability insurance protects your business from claims of negligence that result in third-party property damage, bodily injury, and advertising or reputational harm. Because of the general type of risk it protects your business from, it is important coverage for every industry.
Depending on the industry and risk, premiums for general liability vary widely, but expect to pay $300 to $3,200 annually for liability. Some of the best general liability insurance companies will bundle liability with property, which can result in savings. If you’re looking to save on your general liability insurance, consider the providers in our guide to the cheapest general liability insurance companies.
It depends on your state and profession. Typically, workers’ compensation insurance is the only required insurance, but some niches, such as HVAC technicians, often require active liability insurance to be certified. The cost of not having insurance is far riskier for your business than the price of having the policy.
Bottom Line
General liability insurance is a critical part of a successful business as it offers protection from claims of negligence. The best commercial general liability insurance has the limits you need with endorsements to provide as broad a coverage as possible for your business. Based on our evaluation, The Hartford offers the best general liability insurance for small business owners.
Visit The Hartford for a Quote
[1]Trustpilot
