6 Best Painting Insurance Companies for 2023

We received a quote for a business owner’s policy (BOP) that cost $2,990 annually. The policy included $15,000 in coverage for commercial property and a general liability limit of $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate. The coverage for this quote would not start until the next business day. To finalize the quote and purchase the policy, a phone call was required.

A nice feature about it is that the coverage is highly customizable. There were some coverages we could add to the quote, like inland marine ($247) and EPLI ($150). It had several other coverages more focused on contractors, like installation coverage ($178).

It also offers an independent contractors policy for painters. So, if you are a house painter who works as a 1099 contractor, this is the best policy to consider. It offers higher limits than other companies in this guide, with a $2 million per occurrence and $4 million aggregate option available.

You can call 24/7 or go online to manage your policy, pay your bill, and file a claim. All policy changes you may need to make can be done so online.

Despite holding a large percentage of the market share for policies sold, The Hartford has lower-than-average complaints for its commercial operations. It is also third in J.D. Power’s independent agent customer satisfaction survey for 2022. This means The Hartford is a preferred provider when it comes to which carriers independent agents prefer working with.

Founded in 1810, The Hartford has years of experience as an insurance provider and has maintained a strong financial position with an A+ Superior rating from AM Best.

Next usually offers three tiered levels of coverage: Basic, Premier, and Deluxe.

• Basic was for general liability and professional liability. The general liability had a total limit of $1 million, and the professional liability carried $10,000 per occurrence and $20,000 in aggregate limit. It costs $645 monthly.
• Premier was for a BOP that cost 715 monthly. It carried the same liability as basic, but it included a wide range of coverage for tools and equipment, including $10,000 in equipment coverage, $1,000 for miscellaneous tools, and $5,000 for borrowed tools and equipment. All of the property coverages carried a deductible of $500.
• Deluxe was the same as the premier except for the liability limits increase—general liability carried a limit of $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate and professional liability increased to $25,000 per occurrence and $50,000 aggregate. This policy costs $785 monthly.

It should be noted that the above quotes are for an exterior painting company that used a paint sprayer.

While Next isn’t available 24/7, it has a mobile app for iOS and Android. The app functions like a call center, giving you access to your policy, a COI, and push notifications for updates on a claim.

While it is a newer company, user reviews are overwhelmingly positive. There are over 5,000 user reviews on its site, with 4.5 out of 5 stars. It also offers a state guide for required certification and coverage requirements for painters.

Founded in 2015, Next is relatively new but has received an A- (Excellent) rating from AM Best.

Nationwide offered a quote for general liability that was underwritten and serviced by CNA. It costs $4,754 annually. It had minimal information on the limits, and you had to call to finish the process.

Nationwide also offers an inland marine policy to cover your tools and equipment, workers’ comp, commercial property, and surety bonds.

Over half a million small businesses trust Nationwide. Though it is one of the largest insurers, the complaint level, as monitored by the NAIC, is well below average.

If you purchase a policy through Nationwide, you will have access to an online account where you can manage the policy, pay your bill, and file a claim.

There is a 24/7 call center for customer service and claims.

Nationwide’s credit is rated A+ (Superior) by AM Best.

Thimble offers coverage for interior and exterior painting. We received a quote for interior painting that cost $546 monthly. This was for a BOP, and it had the price breakdowns for each coverage in case you wanted to eliminate one. If you want to adjust the limits or deductibles before purchasing, it gives you that choice, too.

The quoted policy carried $1 million in total general liability, $25,000 in business property, and $2,500 for tools and equipment.

Like Next, Thimble offers an iOS and Android app that lets you manage your policy, file claims, check claim status, and create and share a COI. There is no upcharge on the creation of a COI, so you can create and share as many as you need. Getting a quote on an app is a unique feature for small business insurance—one that Thimble provides.

If you are a painting contractor, Thimble provides a certificate manager service that helps you manage your contractor insurance and follow state-specific guidelines.

It is well-reviewed by its policyholders. On the independent review site Trustpilot, Thimble has 4.6 out of 5 stars from over 1,200 reviews.

As a managing general agent, it offers policies that are through a variety of different carriers, such as Spinnaker or Markel Insurance. All of the carriers it works with are rated A- to A (Excellent) by AM Best.

We received a quote from Progressive for $2,044 annually. The quote was for a general liability policy with limits of $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate. There were no other details provided on the policy. To finalize and purchase it, you have to call it directly.

The policy was through Progressive’s Business Advantage program, so it was underwritten by Hiscox.

Progressive is available nationwide and operates a 24/7 call center for claims. It does have an online account where you can manage your policy, but the full extent of what services it provides online are not available.

The NAIC shows a trend of increasing complaints against Progressive for its commercial auto, property, and liability policies. Complaints for 2022 are higher than the national average.

Progressive Insurance was founded in 1937 and has nearly 100 years of proven financial reliability. It has an AM Best rating of A+ (Superior).

We received four quotes from Simply Business. All were for general liability insurance, and two had additional coverages that you could purchase for your business.

• Hiscox: $752.30 due today, then 10 monthly payments of $225.67
• Harborway: $1,238 due today, then 10 monthly payments of $371.41
• Accredited America: $1,243 due today, then 10 monthly payments of $373.12
• Markel: $744.62 due today, then 10 monthly payments of $468.82

All the policies carried the same limit of $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate.

The policies from Harborway, Markel, and Hiscox all had the option to purchase additional coverage for your tools and equipment coverage.

Simply Business is available nationwide. Its offerings are more focused on micro businesses than large businesses, and while not all coverages are available, you can get a quote for general liability, workers comp, and professional liability online. More options are available if you call the provider.

Its customers are happy with their experience. On the independent review site Trustpilot, Simply Business has 4.7 out of 5 stars from over 600 reviews.

After purchasing a policy, you can manage it online, pay bills, and request a COI when you need proof of insurance.

In addition to working with top-rated carriers like biBERK or CNA, Simply Business is owned by Travelers, which AM Best rated A++ (Superior).