Business Insurance Quotes: Get a Free Estimate

A quote is a price estimate for a business insurance policy. Getting a quote is free and can take just a few minutes online. If you have more time to shop, you can work with an insurance agent who will get quotes on your behalf.

How to get a business insurance quote online

Getting a business insurance quote online usually only takes a few minutes. You'll typically need to provide information such as:

• Your business’s annual revenue.

• The number of employees you have.

• Your industry.

• Addresses of properties your business owns or rents.

• Any past business insurance claims.

Insurance marketplaces like Coverdash, CoverWallet and Simply Business work with insurers to provide multiple quotes. You can also get a quote directly from specific insurance companies, like Next or The Hartford.

NerdWallet recommends getting multiple quotes to find the coverage you need for the best price. Using a brokerage can make that more efficient, since you can see multiple quotes at once.

How to get a business insurance quote from an agent

Insurance agents are licensed professionals who shop for insurance on your behalf. They should be able to tell you what kinds of coverage you need, get quotes for you and help you compare options.

Some agents work with just one insurance company and can’t sell policies from any other company. For example, if you call a local State Farm agent, they can offer only State Farm business insurance policies.

Other insurance agents are independent and can sell policies from many companies. You’ll explain what your business does; they’ll figure out what policies you need and get quotes from a few carriers. Then, you can work with them to pick the right policy for you.

Insurance brokers and agents typically get paid on commission, so it’s essential to find someone you trust. Your friends or fellow business owners may be able to recommend an agent.

How to compare business insurance quotes

Once you have multiple business insurance quotes, you’ll want to compare them. The cheapest business insurance isn’t always the best. Here’s what to look for.

What's covered — and what isn’t

Most business insurance policies use standard forms, making them pretty similar. But be mindful of some differences. For instance:

• Commercial property insurance and business owner’s policies often include business interruption insurance, but not always.

• Business interruption insurance, in turn, might include extra expense coverage, but it doesn’t always.

If you’re seeking coverage for a specific situation, ask the insurance company or your agent about it directly. You may benefit from working with an independent agent who knows the details of policies from many insurance companies and can help you choose the right one.

Total costs

It’s easy to tell which of your insurance quotes offers the lowest premiums. But make sure you also consider:

• Discounts. Some insurance companies offer discounts for purchasing multiple policies or paying your premiums annually instead of monthly.

• Deductibles. A policy’s deductible is the amount you’ll have to pay out of pocket before coverage kicks in. So a policy with a low premium but high deductible might be more expensive in the long run.

• Coverage limits. This is the maximum amount the insurance company will pay for a particular type of loss during the policy period. Lower limits usually mean lower premiums, but they may mean you end up paying more overall.

Insurer reputation and reviews

You’ll want to consider the performance of the insurer itself as well. Here are some places to look when comparing business insurance companies:

• The National Association of Insurance Commissioners offers information about how many people have complained to state regulators about an insurer. NerdWallet’s star ratings for the best business insurance companies incorporate these complaints.

• Firms like AM Best and Standard & Poor’s rate insurance companies on their stability and predicted ability to pay claims. NerdWallet’s ratings incorporate financial strength information, too.

• J.D. Power surveys small businesses annually about their experience with major insurance companies.

• User reviews on sites like TrustPilot and the Better Business Bureau may offer insight into the claims process.