How much does small business insurance cost, by policy type?
In the 2026 BizInsuranceCost model, a typical small business pays about $480/year for standalone general liability, $1,100/year for workers' compensation on a $220,000 payroll, and $2,340/year for a bundled general liability, property, and workers' comp package on $400,000 in revenue with 4 employees. Specialty lines run higher: commercial property averages $4,725/year and EPLI averages $8,400/year for a 10-employee firm, because both scale with larger exposure bases (property value and payroll respectively).
01, Summary table| Policy type | Typical annual | Typical monthly | Business profile used |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Liability | $480 | $40 | $400K revenue, office/professional risk class |
| Workers' Compensation | $1,100 | $92 | $220K annual payroll, clerical/office class code |
| Business Owner's Policy (BOP) | $1,080 | $90 | $400K revenue, $60K property value |
| Commercial Auto | $3,150 | $263 | 2 vehicles, retail delivery use, Alabama |
| Professional Liability (E&O) | $550 | $46 | $500K revenue, consultant/advisor profession |
| Commercial Property | $4,725 | $394 | $500K building + $100K contents, masonry construction |
| Cyber Liability | $900 | $75 | $1M revenue, general business/retail, under 1,000 records |
| EPLI (Employment Practices) | $8,400 | $700 | 10 employees, $1M revenue, Alabama |
| Total Business Insurance (GL + Property + WC bundle) | $2,340 | $195 | $400K revenue, 4 employees, $220K payroll |
Full row detail, including the exact formula behind each figure, is in the downloadable CSV.
Where these numbers come from
Every figure above is the default output of BizInsuranceCost's own live calculator for that policy, using the representative small-business profile shown in the table (the same numbers a visitor sees before adjusting any input). The underlying formulas apply an industry or class-code risk factor to revenue, payroll, or property value, the same structure carriers use when underwriting: industry class, exposure base (revenue, payroll, property value, or employee count), and a coverage-limit multiplier. These are budgeting estimates from our own model, not carrier quotes; real premiums vary by carrier, state, claims history, and underwriting. Change any input on the linked calculators above to price your own business.
For external corroboration on general liability specifically: Insureon, a commercial insurance marketplace, reported a $45/month ($540/year) average general liability premium across roughly 100,000 small-business policyholders, in data last updated March 30, 2026 (Insureon, general liability insurance cost). That national median sits close to our $40/month model default for a low-risk office business, which is the comparison point, not an identical business profile. We did not find a comparably dated, sourced figure for the other eight policy types, so those rows rely on our own model alone and are labeled that way above.
Last updated: July 2, 2026. Reviewed on the same schedule as the calculators it summarizes.
https://bizinsurancecost.com/2026-small-business-insurance-cost-referenceHow much does small business insurance cost by policy type in 2026?
Per the BizInsuranceCost 2026 model, typical annual premiums range from about $480/year for standalone general liability to $8,400/year for EPLI at higher payroll, with a combined GL, property, and workers' comp bundle averaging $2,340/year for a $400,000-revenue business with 4 employees.
Where do these insurance cost figures come from?
Each figure is the default output of BizInsuranceCost's own live calculator for that policy type, using a representative small-business profile shown in the table. Figures are a budgeting model, not carrier quotes, and are labeled as such throughout.
Published July 2, 2026, Updated July 2, 2026
A former credit analyst, Jessica Martinez turns dense financial paperwork into something you can actually use. She holds that a number without a source is just a rumor wearing a tie.