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Years Proudly Serving Our Customers
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Digital Small Business Insurer by Keynova***
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Whether you’re in the retail, construction or financial services industry, most small business owners need small business insurance. Having it can help protect the livelihood you’ve worked so hard to build. The right small business coverage can help cover expensive damage and lawsuits from:
- Accidents
- Natural disasters
- Professional errors
- Workers’ comp claims
Find the Right Type of Insurance for Your Small Business
Small business insurance helps protect your company’s personal property and income. It also helps safeguard you against liability claims. Learn more about what small business insurance is.
General Liability Insurance
This helps protect your business and its assets in the event of a lawsuit for things like negligence, bodily injury, property damage, libel and slander.
Workers’ Compensation Insurance
Most state laws require you to carry this insurance to help compensate employees for expenses associated with work-related injuries or illnesses like medical bills, rehabilitation and lost wages.
Data Breach Insurance
Data breach insurance, also known as cyber insurance, helps cover liability expenses from technology-related risks such as a data breach or cyberattack. If you collect, store, send or receive customer information, it’s important to protect against cyber risks.
Commercial Auto Insurance
Commercial auto insurance helps cover the cost of an auto accident if you or your employee is at fault. If you or your employees drive a vehicle for business reasons, having the right commercial vehicle insurance is important.
Professional Liability Insurance
Professional liability insurance helps protect you and your company if you’re found negligent in the professional services you provided to a client, even if you didn’t make a mistake.
Business Property Insurance
Business property insurance, also called commercial property insurance, helps protect your owned or rented building, tools and the equipment you use to operate your business.
Business Income Insurance
Business Income Insurance, also known as business interruption coverage, helps replace your lost income if you can’t operate because of covered property damage. This includes damage from a fire, wind or theft.
More Coverages
How Much Does Small Business Insurance Cost?
On average, the cost of small business insurance is about $85 per month and $1,019 per year.1 Keep in mind that the cost of insurance varies because every small business is different and faces unique risks. What you’ll pay depends on different factors, like:
- The type of insurance you need
- Your claims history
- What industry you’re in
- The number of employees you have
- Your payroll
To save money, you can consider bundling coverages, like with a Business Owner’s Policy.
Learn more about small business insurance costs.
Who Needs Small Business Insurance?
Every small business has unique needs and risks associated with what they do. Having the right business insurance coverage is the best way to safeguard your business from unexpected events and accidents.
See All Industries
Frequently Asked Questions About Small Business Insurance
Most states require some form of insurance for small business owners. No matter how careful you are, accidents can happen. When they do, having the right types of coverage can make all the difference. Without business insurance, you’d have to pay out of pocket for costly claims like lawsuits, libel, bodily injury, property damage and other unexpected events. Learn more about insurance needed for small business.
There’s not a one-size-fits-all small business insurance policy that covers every claim.The best small business liability insurance policy for one company may not be good for your company. Many small business owners start with a BOP because it contains liability and property coverage. A BOP can help protect your business from:
- Claims that it caused bodily injury or damage to someone else’s belongings
- Damage to the owned or rented building and equipment used to operate
- Losing income if you can’t operate because of covered property damage
We proudly partner with more than 1.5 million small business owners throughout the country. If you’re looking for more information about how to get small business insurance where you live, check out ourstate business insurance page.
Registering your business as a limited liability company (LLC) doesn’t protect your business from risks. We created our LLC insurance specifically for small business owners. The cost of LLC insurance can help keep you covered from devastating financial losses.
Three essential types of business insurance you may need when starting a small business are:
- General liability insurance
- Business property insurance
- Business income insurance
Our BOP bundles these threetypes of business insurance together to make it easier for you to protect your company.
Whether you’re starting a new venture or expanding your operations, nearly all small businesses will need extra capital at some point. Whatever the reason, there are several financing options available for small business owners to choose from. The Hartford has partnered with leading lenders to help you find the rightsmall business loan for your business.
- Assess your business operations.
- Consider your risks.
- Get a custom quote from a trusted insurance company or agency.
- Choose the best rate and coverage for your business’ needs.
- Business Owner’s Policy (BOP):A BOP is the most common type of business insurance because it combines business property and general liability insurance into one policy. A BOP can be customized to the specific needs of your industry. This makes it a great option for businesses of any size, especially small businesses.
- General Liability Insurance (GLI):General liability insurance helps protect your business and its assets if you are sued by a third party for things like negligence, bodily injury, property damage, libel and slander. GLI covers a wide variety of claims resulting from unexpected events, like a burglary or a customer slipping and falling. This coverage can help pay your defense costs and any judgments or settlements that result from a lawsuit.
- Workers’ Compensation Insurance:If your business has any employees, most states will require you to have workers’ compensation insurance. Workers' compensation insurance gives employees medical, wage and other financial benefits if they’re injured or become ill on the job. Be sure to check with your state laws to find out if you need workers’ compensation.
Why Over 1 Million Small Businesses Trust The Hartford
Not all insurance companies offer the same level of service. You’ll find that we’re more than just an ordinary insurance company – we’re a partner. We help small businesses with information onbusiness insurance myths,business tax deadlines,business insurance tipsand more.
Our representatives consistently earn some of the industry’s highest ratings and reviews for customer claims. We’ve also been recognized as a World’s Most Ethical Company®14 times by Ethisphere.**
To find out how we can help protect your business, get asmall business quotetoday.
Efficient
We proudly provide a smooth claims experience and fast processing.
Trustworthy
We’re a top small business insurer with the best digital capabilities for customers.***
Experienced
We have over 200 years of experience helping more than 1 million small business owners.
Ready to Tailor Your Small Business Insurance?
Our specialists are here to help ensure you have the right kind of small business insurance, personalized to your company’s unique needs.
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More Answers to Frequently Asked Small Business Insurance Questions
Small Business Insurance Cost
What Types of Insurance Does a Small Business Need?
Liability Insurance for Small Business
Customer Reviews
“You know you never think of workers’ comp until you pay for it and when that accident happens.”
Mark
“Claim was so easy to place online. Within 15 minutes … everything was taken care of almost immediately.”
Carl
“I’m confident that [they] will provide the highest level of service and support among business insurance providers.”
Chris
“[The] customer service representative was detailed on different options that would cater to my small business needs.”
Willie
“Our experience with [them] has been excellent and easy.”
Jon
“[They] took care of our claim without involving a great deal of my time.”
Martha
Read Small Business Claim Reviews (by product)
Workers' Compensation Insurance
4.8/5 Star Claims Experience*
(3783 reviews)
Commercial Auto Insurance
4.6/5 Star Claims Experience*
(753 reviews)
Commercial Property Insurance
4.7/5 Star Claims Experience*
(4646 reviews)
General Liability Insurance
4.8/5 Star Claims Experience*
(838 reviews)
Last Updated: January 2, 2024
1 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.
** "World's Most Ethical Companies" and "Ethisphere" names are registered trademarks of Ethisphere LLC.
*** Based on a 2021 study by Keynova (formerly Dynatrace).
Additional disclosures below.
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The Hartford shall not be liable for any damages in connection with the use of any information provided on this page. Please consult with your insurance agent/broker or insurance company to determine specific coverage needs as this information is intended to be educational in nature. The information contained on this page should not be construed as specific legal, HR, financial, or insurance advice and is not a guarantee of coverage. In the event of a loss or claim, coverage determinations will be subject to the policy language, and any potential claim payment will be determined following a claim investigation. Certain coverages vary by state and may not be available to all businesses. All Hartford coverages and services described on this page may be offered by one or more of the property and casualty insurance company subsidiaries of The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. listed in theLegal Notice. The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., (NYSE: HIG) operates through its subsidiaries under the brand name, The Hartford, and is headquartered in Hartford, CT. For additional details, please read The Hartford’s Legal Notice. * Customer reviews are collected and tabulated by The Hartford and not representative of all customers.