Next Business Insurance Review 2023: Pros, Cons, Alternatives

Next Insurance

Next Insurance is a business insurance company that sells policies online. You can purchase business insurance policies individually or in packages tailored to specific industries, like construction, child care and fitness. Next users can access and share their certificates of insurance digitally and manage their claims online.

Next is a good fit for small-business owners who need coverage fast and want to manage their policies digitally. While Next was only founded in 2016, it handles its own claims and is independently rated by AM Best, unlike some other online business insurance companies.

If your business requires specialized types of coverage, Next may not offer everything you need. NerdWallet recommends getting quotes from several providers to find the best coverage for you.

Next Insurance: Pros and cons

Next business insurance products

Next offers a number of policies that can be purchased individually or bundled together for up to a 10% discount. As a general rule, businesses that carry less risk, such as online publishers, tend to pay less for insurance coverage than high-risk industries such as construction.

Business owner's policy

Next’s business owner's policy combines general liability and commercial property coverage, including business income insurance.

A BOP is a good idea for small businesses seeking:

• A single policy that provides multiple types of coverage.

• Insurance for a physical business location, equipment or inventory.

• Customer-facing businesses.

General liability insurance

General liability insurance, also called business liability insurance, protects you and your company when you are responsible for paying someone’s medical expenses, attorney fees or damage.

Next offers this product as part of a BOP or as an individual policy.

Commercial property insurance

Commercial property insurance, or business property insurance, protects your physical place of business in the event of damage or loss. Business personal property can include inventory, furniture and equipment, as well as any signage, storage sheds, landscaping and fences.

Commercial property insurance is the second component of coverage bundled in Next’s BOP, but it also can be purchased as an individual product.

Business income insurance

Next users can include business income insurance, also called business interruption insurance, as part of a BOP or purchase it as an individual product.

Business interruption insurance protects your company’s money and assets when business operations are disrupted by circumstances out of your control. This type of coverage can help you pay for lost business income, payroll, taxes, any temporary expenses that can arise as a result of missed operations and more.

Workers’ compensation insurance

Workers' compensation insurance is required in many states for businesses with employees — and in some cases, contractors need to be covered as well. Workers’ comp can help pay for medical expenses, lost wages, survivor benefits, long-term disability and other costs incurred when your employees suffer injuries or illnesses that are related to work.

Self-employed business owners can even benefit from workers’ comp for themselves to cover any expenses that may not be covered under their personal health insurance policies.

Next Insurance says its workers’ comp can cost as little as $14 per month depending on the size of the company and can be bundled with other packages for additional discounts.

Professional liability insurance

This type of insurance protects you against claims that your professional service or advice caused someone harm. This can include accusations of business errors or poor financial outcomes, as well as claims of negligence and more.

Next offers the same policy under two names: professional liability insurance and errors and omissions insurance. These terms are often used interchangeably to talk about the same type of coverage.

Tools and equipment insurance

This type of insurance provides extra coverage for specialized or expensive equipment that can be pricey or difficult to replace. Tools and equipment insurance can help keep your business operating when you need quick replacements or repairs.

Next offers this coverage as an add-on to a general liability insurance policy.

Commercial auto insurance

Commercial auto insurance protects your company when you or your drivers are involved in auto-related incidents that result in damage or injury to yourself and others.

Hired and non-owned auto insurance can be added onto a commercial auto policy for companies that use rented vehicles to do business. Most auto insurance policies apply to vehicles that you own only, so hired auto insurance protects you and your employees if you get in an incident involving a rented car or truck.

» MORE: What does business insurance cover?

Should you purchase Next business insurance?

Next Insurance is a good fit for business owners who:

Prefer an all-digital approach to managing their insurance coverage. Next Insurance provides easy online service and support. You can submit insurance claims directly through the online customer portal as well as over the phone. You can also access your certificate of insurance and add additional insureds digitally.

Don’t need an insurance agent, but want some personal support. When you’re shopping for insurance, Next has advisors who can help you understand your options. And if you have to file a claim, you’ll be paired with a claims advocate you can call, text or email throughout the process.

Run smaller businesses that don’t have specialized insurance needs. For particular types of business insurance, like builder’s risk insurance or key person insurance, you may need to turn to a more-established provider. Next, like most business insurance startups, focuses on common types of coverage.

» MORE: Business insurance companies: How to compare options

Alternatives to Next business insurance

If you want to explore Next insurance alternatives, try these options.

For several quotes at once: If you’re focused on finding cheap business insurance, try shopping with an online insurance marketplace like Simply Business. Simply Business will generate quotes from several different insurance providers, and you can purchase one online. But you’ll manage your policy through that provider, not Simply Business.

For quick, temporary coverage: Thimble is another business insurance startup that sells policies online. Thimble offers coverage by the job or on a monthly basis, so if you only need business insurance for an event or another temporary engagement, it might be a good option. Thimble sells policies from other insurers, though, and you'll work with those insurers if you need to file a claim.

For a wider variety of coverage types: Chubb is a longstanding provider that offers virtually every type of business insurance. You can only purchase a limited number of policies online, but can work with an agent to get fully covered.

How to get a Next business insurance policy

Since Next may require you to upload digital copies of some business documents, it’s a good idea to have the following information on hand before beginning your online application:

• Basic information about your business, including your annual sales receipts.

• Where applicable, construction details on any buildings you own including age, material and square footage.

• The number of workers you employ, as well as their employment information. Some states require workers’ compensation coverage for contractors as well.

• For commercial auto or fleet insurance, you will need to list your vehicle types, vehicle identification numbers and the names of any drivers.

• Details on any prior insurance claims your company may have made.