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How Much Is Small Business Insurance?
There are many different factors that can affect your small business insurance cost. The price can vary depending on your business size, industry and location. Small business insurance costs are different for every company. That’s because not everyone needs the same type of insurance.What Is the Average Cost of Business Insurance?
The most popular type of insurance for small business owners is a Business Owner’s Policy (BOP), which costs most customers $85 a month.1 This combines business property and business liability insurance into one policy. A BOP helps cover claims of bodily injury or property damage. This policy also includes coverage if your business can’t operate due to a fire, theft or other covered disasters. This list can help you see the average costs that business owners paid for different coverage with The Hartford:2
- Business Owner's Policy (BOP): Average Annual Premium: $1,019; Average Monthly Premium: $85
- General Liability Insurance (GLI): Average Annual Premium: 805; Average Monthly Premium: $67
- Workers’ Compensation Insurance: Average Annual Premium: $1,028; Average Monthly Premium: $86
Factors That Can Affect the Cost of Small Business Insurance
The cost for small business insurance coverage varies based on your company. In fact, many factors impact the amount you’ll spend on small business insurance, including your:
Industry
Certain industries have higher risks than others. So, you may find your insurance rates reflect that increased risk. For example, construction companies will likely pay more for business insurance than an accounting firm.
Number of Employees
Certain types of business insurance can use the number of your employees as a factor for insurance cost, like general liability insurance.
Payroll
Costs for certain types of insurance coverage can depend on your business’ payroll. Workers’ compensation, for example, uses payroll as a factor for the premium amount.
Claims History
A business with a clean claims history demonstrates safety and experience. This can result in a lower insurance cost. You can request an insurance loss run report to view the number of past claims.
Coverage Limits
The limits on a small business insurance policy can range broadly. One of our specialists can work with you to determine what your coverage range should be. Most liability policies have two limits: a per-occurrence limit and a aggregate limit. Your per-occurance limit is what your insurer will pay, up to a certain point, to cover any single claim. Your aggregate limit is the set amount for which your insurer will pay to cover claims within the lifetime of the policy (typically one year).
When purchasing a policy, you should consider what you are able to afford to pay out of pocket if a claim occurs. You will want to select coverage limits that will allow you to afford your deductible and use your insurance.
Cost Factors for General Liability Insurance
Our customers paid an average of about $67 a month for general liability insurance.2 Also known as business liability insurance, it helps cover claims that your business caused bodily injury or property damage.
Remember, rates vary and it’s no different when it comes to general liability insurance costs. This includes your:
- Sales: The more customers your business has, the more risk you face for claims. This can increase your general liability insurance cost. But if you keep a safe area for your customers, it can prevent claims and keep your insurance costs down.
- Industry: More hazardous industries need risk management. This can lead to higher costs.
- Location: Being in a more populated area can increase your risk of customer injury. So, your insurance rate may increase.
Cost Factors for Workers’ Compensation Insurance
According to our policy data, most of our customers with less than $300,000 in payroll pay an average of $86 a month for workers’ compensation insurance. This is a coverage that most states require.3 It helps your employees recover from a work-related injury or illness.
The factors that insurers use to determine your workers’ compensation cost include your:
- Type of work: Certain types of industries put employees at a higher risk of injury or illness.
- Claims history: Even if your business has only a few workers’ comp claims, it’s likely that you operate a safe workplace. So, this can lower your workers’ comp cost.
- Payroll: Your cost is calculated per $100 of payroll. So, the larger your payroll, the higher your costs.
Cost Factors for Professional Liability Insurance
Professional liability insurance helps protect you from claims that your business made a mistake or error in the professional services given. Some factors that can impact your professional liability insurance cost include your:
- Number of employees: In most cases, businesses with more employees pay higher premiums for professional liability coverage.
- Exposure to risk: If your business offers higher priced services or handles high value assets or sensitive information, you can expect to pay more for a professional liability policy. This is because of the greater potential for claims.
Cost Factors for Commercial Auto Insurance
A commercial auto insurance policy helps protect you and your employees on the road if you’re driving a company-owned vehicle for business. Some factors that contribute to the cost of commercial auto insurance include:
- Where and how often you drive: The more time you or your employees spend on the road and the more hazards you have when traveling can increase your commercial auto insurance cost.
- Driver demographics: Drivers with less experience are most likely to have a commercial auto claim and can drive up premiums.
- Type of driving and vehicle: Whether businesses have high or low commercial auto insurance rates depends on the type, make and model of their vehicles. Typically, more expensive vehicles have higher premium rates.
- Driving record: As with personal auto insurance, driving records can impact the cost of your premiums. Your insurance company will look at the experience of the drivers covered under your commercial auto policy. The better your driving record, the lower your commercial auto premiums may be.
- Coverage required: The level of damage coverage impacts the cost of your commercial auto insurance. This means you’ll pay more for higher coverage limits than a basic policy.
- The nature of your work: The types of goods and services you provide can impact your insurance rate.
How To Lower Your Small Business Insurance Cost
No matter the size of your company, one of the best ways to lower your business liability insurance cost is to reduce risks. However, there are a few additional ways small business owners can save on the cost of small business insurance. This includes:- Bundling insurance policies: You can save money on business insurance by bundling essential coverage into one policy. For instance, a Business Owner’s Policy (BOP) combines business income, commercial property and general liability insurance.
- Pay your entire premium up front: You could pay your premium monthly but paying for the entire total at once can get you a discount on your business insurance coverage.
- Manage your risks: The safer your business is, the less your insurance costs. Create a risk management plan to reduce the likelihood of accidents at your work location, jobsites and on the road.
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To find out how much you'll pay, get your insurance quote from us today.Last Updated: November 20, 2023
1,2,3 Premium amounts presented are based on monthly premium paid by The Hartford’s Small Business customers between 1/1/22 and 9/14/23 for 12-month policies. Premium is derived from a number of factors specific to your business and may vary.
Additional disclosures below.