As a small business owner, it’s important to have the right types of insurance to protect your company from potential risks. General liability insurance is one of the most essential policies, which covers your business against third-party claims of bodily injury, property damage, and advertising injury, other than auto or aviation accidents and employee injuries.
When shopping for a general liability insurance provider, there are a few things to consider, like coverage options, cost, and customer service. To help you find the best general liability insurance for small businesses, we rated and reviewed some of the top insurers.
The Hartford »
The Hartford offers the best general liability insurance for small businesses overall. The company has been in business for more than 200 years, and it currently insures more than 1.5 million small business owners across the U.S.
General liability insurance from The Hartford covers your business against third-party claims of bodily injury, property damage, advertising injury, and other risks. The company serves dozens of different professions, including architects, interior designers, lawyers, schools, hair salon owners, biotech companies, and others.
The Hartford has an excellent selection of coverage options. In addition to general liability insurance, you can get workers’ compensation, commercial auto insurance, home-based business insurance, inland marine insurance, management liability insurance, surety bonds, and other policies you might need.
You can get quotes online, and The Hartford has an online claim reporting system. If you need help filing a claim or have questions about your coverage, you can reach a customer service agent 24/7.
You can purchase general liability insurance from The Hartford in most states. However, the company doesn’t sell insurance in Alaska or Hawaii.
Thimble has some of the most affordable general liability insurance for small businesses. According to Thimble’s website, its general liability insurance policies start at just $17 per month. However, most small business owners pay an average of around $42 per month for general liability insurance.
One of the most unique features of Thimble is the flexibility of coverage. You can purchase insurance for a year, month, or even a day, depending on your business’s needs. It’s easy to get a quote online and purchase coverage within minutes. Plus, you can modify your policy, pause it, or cancel your coverage at any time.
Once you have general liability insurance, you can access your certificate of insurance (COI) instantly and share it with as many clients as you need, at no extra cost.
Thimble offers a good selection of coverage options, but not as many as some competitors. Depending on your state, you can get business equipment protection insurance, workers’ compensation insurance, product liability insurance, cyber insurance, hired and non-owned auto insurance, and a few others.
Nationwide »
Nationwide stands out for its superior customer satisfaction. In J.D. Power’s 2023 U.S. Small Commercial Insurance Study, Nationwide ranked first place for overall customer satisfaction out of 13 insurers. Nationwide’s score is 883 out of 1,000, which is much higher than the study average of 847.
Nationwide offers excellent general liability insurance coverage for small business owners in a variety of industries. Some of the covered professions include florists, dry cleaners, gift shops, retail stores, auto shops, contractors, wholesalers, restaurants, and HVAC businesses.
Several endorsements can be added to a Nationwide general liability insurance policy, such as hired and non-owned auto insurance, fire legal liability insurance, directors and officers liability insurance, products and completed operations liability insurance, and umbrella liability insurance.
Another benefit of Nationwide is that it offers employee benefits packages. If you want to provide supplemental health insurance, life insurance, or other benefits to your employees, Nationwide has options for you.
Some of Nationwide’s business insurance policies are underwritten by partner companies. However, Nationwide only works with reputable underwriters, like Hiscox and Liberty Mutual, which have strong financial stability ratings.