Best Small-Business Insurance 2025: Compare Companies and Coverage

The best small-business insurance companies are financially secure and receive relatively few customer complaints.

business insurance: More details

Other business insurance companies

The following insurers didn’t make our list of top choices, but their unique offerings may make them a good fit for you.
Other commercial insurers NerdWallet rates and reviews:
Want to compare multiple companies? An online broker, like Coverdash or CoverWallet, can help you get several quotes from different insurers at the same time.

What is business insurance?

There are many different types of business insurance that protect against particular kinds of risk. Here's an overview of some common policy types:
Type of insurance
When it protects your business
Who needs it
Find a provider
If a third party or their property is harmed as a result of your business activity.
All businesses. May be required by a landlord or contractor.
If you’re in an auto accident while working or in a company vehicle.
Businesses that use vehicles in their operations. May be required by law.
If an employee is injured on the job.
Businesses with employees. Required by law in most states.
If a client accuses you of making a mistake or giving them bad advice. This is also known as errors and omissions insurance.
Businesses that provide services for a fee. May be required by law or industry regulation.
If your manufacturing or retail space, office, or assets like equipment or inventory are damaged and need to be repaired or replaced.
Businesses with owned or rented space or a significant amount of property. May be required by a landlord.
If your business can’t generate revenue for a period of time.
Most businesses with recurring expenses.
A business owner’s policy, or BOP, is a single insurance policy that includes several common types of small-business insurance coverage listed above:
  • General liability insurance.
  • Commercial property insurance.
  • Business income insurance is usually included, but not always.
  • Some insurers offer optional add-ons, like data breach coverage.
A BOP is a convenient choice for small businesses that rent space or stock inventory and need both liability and property coverage. If you don’t have employees, a BOP may provide all the insurance you need. (If you do have employees, make sure you have workers' comp too.)

What business insurance do you need?

Follow these steps to determine your insurance needs and get coverage.
  1. Find out what coverage is required by law. Some business insurance, like workers’ compensation, is required by law. Check the workers’ compensation regulations in your state to make sure you’re in compliance. Be on the lookout for industry-specific regulations as well; for example, state law might require lawyers to carry legal malpractice insurance.
  2. Find out if your contracts require insurance. Landlords, lenders and contractors may require certain types of coverage before doing business with you.
  3. Talk to a professional. If you’re unsure about what kinds of business insurance you need, a licensed commercial insurance agent near you can help you evaluate your risks.
  4. Get an online quote. Lots of online business insurance providers ask questions during the quote process and suggest certain kinds of coverage as a result. For instance, if you say your business works in a professional services industry, they might recommend professional liability insurance. Getting a quote can highlight certain risks and help you understand how much insurance might cost.
  5. Reassess your needs regularly. As your small business hires employees, adds locations or grows its product line, your insurance needs will grow too. Check on your insurance policies every year to make sure they still provide the best coverage for you.

How much does business insurance cost?

Business insurance costs can vary widely depending on:
  • What your company does.
  • How many employees you have.
  • Where you’re located.
  • How public-facing your business is.
  • Your claims history.
  • What policies you need to buy.
To get a ballpark figure, try getting a quote from an online business insurance company. They can usually show you a price estimate in a matter of minutes, based on some basic information about your business.
The best way to find affordable business insurance is to get quotes from several different providers and choose the best option for you.
Last updated on January 27, 2026
Fundera by nerdwallet logo

How Fundera by NerdWallet works

Getting a business loan can be challenging, and several factors — cost, speed, repayment schedule — can play a role in deciding which product is right for you. Let us help you through the process.
A hand holding a paper with check list

Fill out one simple application

Answer a 3-minute questionnaire about your business to get personalized lending options. It’s free and won’t impact your credit score.

A woman sitting using a computer

See your business loan options

Compare interest rates and repayment terms to choose the best product for your needs.

Some dollar bill and coins

Get your loan

If the lender approves you, you’ll sign closing documents in order to receive funds. Some lenders can approve and fund loans within one business day.

Testimonials

"I was on the market for small business funding to help expand my business and they were able to get me funded in record time, with a great amount and better rates than I was getting with other companies."
Osamede Osa Imasuen
See all reviews on

Frequently Asked Questions

Small-business insurance is coverage that limits your company’s financial losses in case of property damage, injuries, lawsuits or other claims your business might face.
If your business has employees, performs services for a fee, has an office or storefront, or sells products, you need business insurance. What policies you need and how large those policies should be will vary depending on what your business does, how many people you employ and lots of other factors.
Business insurance can cover financial losses due to property damage, lawsuits, injuries to customers or employees, work stoppages and many other events. Different types of policies protect against different kinds of risks. Most businesses need several types of coverage.
The cost of business insurance depends on what your company does, where you’re located, how many employees you have and how much space you occupy, among other factors. Get quotes from several different insurance providers to find the best price.
Most business insurance policies spell out specific exclusions, which are events that they won’t cover. Read your policies closely to understand what’s covered and what isn’t. Business insurance doesn’t cover losses beyond the policy’s limit, which is the maximum amount your insurance company will pay out in a certain period of time.
You need small-business insurance if a state law, a lease, a business loan application or another type of business agreement requires you to have it. Workers’ compensation insurance and commercial auto insurance are often required by law. Check your state’s regulations and read all of your agreements closely to find out what coverage you need.

Methodology

Business insurance ratings methodology

NerdWallet’s business insurance ratings reward companies that offer small-business owners reliability and ease of use. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including financial strength, customer complaint data, shopping experience and customer service. Learn more about how we rate small-business insurance companies.
These ratings are a guide, but insurance policy details and prices can vary widely from business to business and provider to provider. We encourage you to shop around and compare several insurance quotes.
NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines.

Insurer complaints methodology

NerdWallet examined complaints received by state insurance regulators and reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 2018-2021.
To assess how insurers compare to one another, the NAIC calculates a complaint index each year for each subsidiary, measuring its share of total complaints relative to its size, or share of total premiums in the industry. To evaluate a company’s complaint history, NerdWallet calculated a similar index for each insurer, weighted by market shares of each subsidiary, over the three-year period.
Our star ratings consider ratios for both general liability insurance and commercial property insurance. When an insurer sells policies that are underwritten by several different insurance companies, we consider the NAIC complaint ratios of all the underwriters.