The 6 Cheapest General Liability Insurance Companies for Small Business
Nathan Weller is an Insurance Expert focusing on insurance for small business. He has 15 years experience in insurance operations, FNOL, and claims handling.
This article is part of a larger series on General Liability Insurance.
It can be expensive protecting your business from third-party property damage or bodily injury claims. We researched more than 18 insurance providers using our evaluation system focusing on financial stability, policies offered, convenience, and customer satisfaction to find the six best companies offering the cheapest general liability insurance.
- Progressive: Best overall for general liability
- The Hartford: Best for accounting and tax services
- Vouch: Best for startups
- biBERK: Best for bundling
- Thimble: Best for contractors
- CoverWallet: Best for policy financing
Cheapest General Liability Insurers Compared
Company | Online Quote | Accessibility | Instant Certificate of Insurance (COI) | Financial Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Yes | 24/7 call center | No, have to call | A+ Superior |
 | Yes | 24/7 call center | Yes | A+ Superior |
 | Yes | 24/7 call center | No, available within 1 to 2 days | A Excellent |
 | Yes | Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern time | Yes | A++ Superior |
 | Yes | Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET | Yes | A- to A Excellent |
 | Yes | Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET; Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET | Yes | A Excellent |
Progressive: Best Overall for General Liability
Progressive
Overall Score:
4.25 / 5
What We Like
- Claims services 24/7
- Online quoting
- Available in 49 states
- A+ Superior Rating
What We Didn’t Like
- Information about requesting a certificate of insurance is difficult to find
Deciding Factors
- In-house claims: Claims handled directly by Progressive
- Policy options: Multiple types of commercial policies available
- App: User-friendly app to manage your policy
- Independent agents: Available to advise you on your policy
Progressive Commercial insurance is the best overall insurance company offering affordable general liability coverage. It scored 4.25 out of 5 because of its financial security, customer service, and convenience for the customer.
Cost & Coverage
A $1 million general liability policy, with a $2 million aggregate limit, costs $30 a month, or $366 annually.
General liability is usually offered by Progressive bundled with a BOP. However, it is available as a standalone policy through its Progressive Advantage® Business Program. Through this program, you can obtain quick quotes and receive discounts for bundling, even if not all of your existing policies are with Progressive.
Customer Service and Satisfaction
Offering great convenience, Progressive customer service is available for you 24/7. You can call, go online, or use the app to manage your policy and file a claim.
Existing policyholders are happy with its service, and complaints for commercial liability are lower than the national average.
Financial Rating
Around since 1937, Progressive has been offering commercial insurance for more than 50 years. Financially, it has remained strong through the decades with a current AM Best rating of A+.
The Hartford: Best for Accounting and Tax Services
The Hartford
Overall Score:
4.00 / 5
What We Like
- Claims services 24/7
- Online quoting and binding
- Years of experience
- Available in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
What We Didn’t Like
- Information about requesting a COI is difficult to find
Deciding Factors
- Online portal: Manage your policy Instantly
- Experience: Years of experience insuring small businesses
- Independent agents: Available to advise you on your policy
- Small businesses insurer: More than 1 million strong
The Hartford is an excellent choice for your small businesses’ general liability coverage. It scored 4 out of 5 because of its financial strength, convenience, and the policies it offers. Not only affordable, it’s also one of the best general liability insurance providers.
Cost & Coverage
With The Hartford a $1 million general liability policy, with $2 million in aggregate limits, costs $29.25 a month or $351 annually.
The Hartford offers a wide range of policies you can bundle with its monoline general liability policy, including professional liability and limited liability coverage. If your small business is a tax or accounting firm, or if you have formed a limited liability company (LLC), then The Hartford is the right choice for you.
Customer Satisfaction and Convenience
Policies with The Hartford are available nationwide. You can get a quote and purchase a policy online or through an independent agent. Once purchased, you can also manage your policy online.
Financial Rating
As one of the oldest insurance companies in America, The Hartford has the experience and financial stability you want. They have an A+ Superior rating from AM Best.
Call for a Quote: (888) 219-3051
Vouch Insurance: Best for Startups
Vouch Insurance
Overall Score:
3.50 / 5
What We Like
- 24/7 availability
- Excellent financial rating
- Quote and bind online
- Niche insurance coverage
What We Didn’t Like
- No app
Deciding Factors
- Fast quotes: Online and convenient
- Startup Insurance: Targets businesses with nontraditional business models
- Multiple policies: Offered beyond traditional BOP
- Low complaints: Lower-than-average complaints
Vouch insurance scored 3.5 out of 5 because of its convenience, financial stability, and the policies it offers. Because Vouch insurance exists for startups, it’s the best general liability insurance carrier for new businesses.
General Liability Cost & Coverage
A policy with Vouch costs $25 a month, or $300 annually. This policy has a limit of $1 million with $2 million in aggregate limits and does carry a $1,000 deductible per occurrence.
Because its emphasis is on startups, unlike every other carrier reviewed for this guide, Vouch does not ask about the revenue of your business. Based on the quote, the general liability policy with Vouch appears to come bundled as a BOP. You can add additional coverage such as digital accessibility or hired/non-owned auto coverage.
Customer Satisfaction and Convenience
You can obtain a quote, purchase a policy, and manage your account on the Vouch website. The application takes less than 10 minutes, and coverage is available within 24 hours. Under the claims tab for your account, you can also file and manage a claim online.
Financial Rating
A venture capital company with at least $160 million in funding, Vouch was formed in 2018 to insure startups. It currently has the backing of State National Insurance Company and United Specialty Insurance Company. Both companies have an A rating with AM Best so, while Vouch is new, it’s still financially stable.
biBERK: Best for Bundling
biBERK
Overall Score:
3.75 / 5
What We Like
- Instant access to a COI
- Quick online quotes
- In-house claims team
- Online claims reporting
What We Didn’t Like
- Weekday-only services
Deciding Factors
- No brokers: Policies offered directly from biBERK
- Affordable: Quick, affordable coverage
- Berkshire Hathaway: Provides financial stability
- Target audience: Created to cover small businesses
biBERK scored 3.75 out of 5 because of its affordability, quick online quotes, and the services it offers to the customer. Its policies come bundled and affordable and are the best general liability insurance company for a business looking to bundle its coverage.
General Liability Cost & Coverage
When obtaining a quote from biBERK for general liability, the details state the policy is only $42 annually. However, it has a minimum annual premium of $275. For this price, you can obtain a BOP that includes general liability.
The general liability policy with biBerk excludes personal and advertising injury. If that is the coverage you seek, you will need a professional liability policy from the provider.
Customer Satisfaction and Convenience
Conveniently, you can quickly obtain a quote and purchase a policy online. If something happens to your business, you can file a claim online, and a member of biBERK’s in-house claims department will be in touch shortly.
Financial Rating
In 2015, Berkshire Hathaway founded biBERK to provide insurance for small businesses. Currently, it offers coverage for more than 50 different industries. Because it’s a part of Berkshire Hathaway Group, biBERK has a solid financial rating of A++ (Superior) from AM Best.
Thimble: Best for Contractors
Thimble
Overall Score:
3.75 / 5
What We Like
- Affordable
- Unlimited COIs available
- Easy online experience
- Quick quotes online
What We Didn’t Like
- Claims handled by third party
Deciding Factors
- Independent agents: Able to help you with your policy
- App: Convenient for managing your policy
- Affordable: Cheapest general liability that we reviewed
- Hourly coverage: Available when you need it
Thimble scored 3.75 out of 5 because of its convenience and policies offered. Thimble also received a bonus in our evaluation by providing the cheapest general liability insurance quote. Thimble is the best provider for independent contractors.
General Liability Cost & Coverage
A general liability policy with a $1 million limit costs $21.88 a month or $262.50 annually with Thimble.
Customer Satisfaction and Convenience
Whether you’re a current customer or looking, you can download the Thimble app. From the app, you can get a quote and purchase a policy on the app. Getting a quote on an app is a unique feature for small business insurance.
Once the policy is purchased with Thimble, you receive an instant COI. You can request as many copies of the COI as you need, and a digital copy is available on the app. You can manage your policy or file claims online or through the app.
If you are a contractor, Thimble provides a certificate manager service that helps you manage your contractor insurance and follow state-specific guidelines.
Financial Rating
As a managing general agent, it offers policies that are through a variety of different carriers. All of them are rated A- to A by AM Best.
CoverWallet: Best for Policy Financing
CoverWallet
Overall Score:
3.75 / 5
What We Like
- Instant COI
- Ease of use
- Policy financing
- Support services
What's Missing
- Not open 7 days a week
Deciding Factors
- Online quotes: Available online
- Purchase policy online: After obtaining a quick quote
- One-stop shop: For insurance from different providers
- Dedicated agent: To help you manage your policy
CoverWallet scored 3.75 out of 5 in our evaluation because of its convenience and the policies it offers. CoverWallet is the best provider for a business owner looking for a payment plan for its policy.
General Liability Cost & Coverage
Its general liability policy covers personal and advertising injury, medical payments, bodily injury, and property damage. We received two quotes from CoverWallet. One was for $586 and the other for $596 from Hiscox and Chubb, respectively.
Customer Satisfaction and Convenience
It has a unique model of financing the premium for you. CoverWallet pays for your policy upfront, giving you immediate coverage for a year. Then, it works out a payment plan with you to pay for the policy over a year.
You can get a quick quote and purchase a policy on CoverWallet’seasy-to-use website. Once purchased, you have access to a “self-service wallet” where you can request a COI, pay your bill, review active policies, and file a claim. You will also be assigned a designated agent to help you with anything.
Financial Rating
Owned by Aon, CoverWallet has an A (Excellent) rating by AM Best. This financial rating means you can be comfortable shopping for insurance on their marketplace. It’s the best overall broker in our Best Business Insurance Brokers Guide for 2022.
Methodology: How We Evaluated
To determine which insurance companies would be the best for affordable general liability, we utilized a proprietary evaluation system developed in-house. We reviewed 18 insurance providers and presented the six with the highest scores. For this guide, we only considered carriers that would provide a quote. Each quote is for the same type of business with the same revenue, payroll, and number of employees. In evaluating insurance companies, we have focused on the customer’s needs. We paid particular interest to convenience, financial ratings (AM Best), customer service, types of policies offered, and the overall experience as a policyholder for a specific provider. Most people only care about insurance when they need it, and we wanted to ensure that what we are recommending is something that, should that moment come, you’ll feel comfortable with your purchase.
Bottom Line
General liability is essential to protect your business from lawsuits for negligence. But as a business owner, you have many expenses, so we researched more than 18 providers to find the cheapest general liability insurance policy for your small business. Progressive is the best overall for cheap general liability insurance. Visit Progressive today for a quote.
