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Small Business Insurance Explained

The policies every small business should understand.

Business insurance protects your company from the costs of lawsuits, accidents and disasters. Here are the core policies, who needs them, and how they're priced.

General liability

The foundation. It covers third-party bodily injury, property damage and advertising claims — a customer slipping in your shop, say. It's often required by landlords and clients. Estimate yours with the GL cost calculator.

Workers' compensation

Mandatory in almost every state once you have employees. It covers medical bills and lost wages for work injuries, priced per $100 of payroll by job risk. See the workers' comp calculator.

Business owner's policy (BOP)

A bundle of general liability and commercial property at a discount — ideal for most small, lower-risk businesses. Estimate it with the BOP calculator.

What it all costs

Premiums scale with your industry's risk, revenue, payroll and property. A consultant pays a few hundred dollars; a contractor pays multiples of that. Get a full picture with the total cost calculator.

How to save

Educational and budgeting only — not insurance advice. Real premiums require underwriting.