The 6 Best General Liability Insurance Companies for Small Businesses
Protect your business from costly expenses that could be avoided with general liability insurance.
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Best OverallVisit SiteLearn More
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Most Competitive PricesVisit SiteLearn More
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Most CustomizableVisit SiteLearn More
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Most FlexibleVisit SiteLearn More
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Best Client EducationVisit SiteLearn More
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December 6, 2019
6 min read
No business operates risk-free. General liability insurance protects your business from costly lawsuits like bodily injury and property damage claims. Below, we’ve assembled our picks for this year’s best general liability insurance companies for small businesses.
We looked at 30 of the biggest and most promising small-business insurance carriers and spent over 60 hours researching the details of their general liability policies. The companies that made our list had the best combination of coverage options, competitive rates, and full-service features.
The Hartford – Best Overall
Trained specialists with The Hartford tailor business insurance coverage to your unique risks and needs. You may qualify for 5% discounts when you bundle several small-business insurance products.
- Flexible payment options either monthly or yearly
- Over 500,000 US healthcare providers in network
- 5% discount when bundled with workers compensation insurance
Hiscox – Most competitive pricing
Our second-favorite pick for general liability insurance is Hiscox, which focuses on small businesses with 10 or fewer employees. Hiscox is available in all 50 states and offers competitive rates, flexible coverage, and real-time online quotes. The company also provides coverage for legal defense costs.
Find the right workers compensation insurance for your business
Travelers – Most customizable
Travelers sells through a national network of local, independent insurance agents, giving you personalized service backed by Travelers’ 160+ years experience and strong reputation. In addition, a general liability plan with Travelers means:
- Customized, enhanced products and coverage limits available
- 24/7 claims center and mobile app—file online or by phone
Zurich – Most flexible payment options
This international carrier has more than 100 years of insurance experience in North America. Zurich offers a massive range of business insurance products like liability, commercial auto, and workers comp. With a Zurich policy, you can get the following features:
- Flexible payment options for check, credit, or online payers
- A wide range of business products for companies of any size or industry
Berkshire Hathaway GUARD – Best customer education
GUARD, part of the Berkshire Hathaway group of insurance companies, focuses on insuring small- to medium-sized businesses with revenues up to $12M. Major advantages of GUARD include the following:
- Focus on restaurant, hotel, and automotive industries
- Loss control, safety training, and fraud identification
Chubb – Best program benefits
Chubb is a global insurance provider with over 130 years’ experience in insurance and services for businesses. In the United States, Chubb offers special services and commercial liability products for businesses with up to $10M in revenue. Major benefits include the following:
- Enhanced coverages like privacy, earthquake, and cyber data
- Policies automatically including subsidiaries, vendors, and equipment lessors
- World-renowned special risk management services for cybersecurity
Other things to consider when getting general liability insurance
What you don’t know can leave you liable
General liability insurance coverage should mitigate the risk of third-party lawsuits. Without coverage, your business, its owners, and employees are at risk of paying claim expenses like these:
- Advertising injuries
- Legal defense costs
- Medical expenses
- Property repair or replacement
- Personal injuries
- Settlement from covered suits
Liability claims may come from customers, vendors, or business partners. Bear in mind that general liability insurance doesn’t cover injuries or property damage caused by business owners or employees.
Liability claims may come from customers, vendors, or business partners—general liability insurance doesn’t cover injuries of or property damage caused by business owners or employees.
Compare general liability insurance
You work every day to build and protect your business. So there’s no reason to let commercial liability insurance become an afterthought. As your business changes and grows, the risks you face may change too, leaving you vulnerable to lawsuits. Review your options regularly, and make sure you’re getting the right coverage at the right price.
Package your protection with a business owner policy (BOP)
Many businesses need more coverage than what’s covered by a general liability insurance policy. A business owner policy (BOP) combines property insurance, liability protection, and business interruption insurance (coverage in case you have to suspend operations due to disaster). BOPs may also shield you from electronic data loss, forgery, identity theft, and mechanical failures. A BOP gives you comprehensive coverage for a variety of risks, all with one trusted carrier.
Consider getting a general liability or BOP quote from one of our top picks to shield your business from costly risks—both expected and unforeseen.
The takeaway
General liability insurance is a must for any business. Our picks above offer thorough options to suit a variety of industries; whatever you’re looking for, one of the insurance providers listed here can help.
Interested in learning more about how crucial insurance for your business? Check out our piece on the best workers compensation insurance companies for businesses like yours.
Disclaimer
At Business.org, our research is impartial and meant to offer general product and service recommendations. We don’t guarantee that our suggestions will work best for each individual or business, so consider your unique needs when choosing products and services.
