The Hartford earned our top spot for the best small business insurer for ad agency companies due to its affordability and coverage. However, we recommend comparing quotes from our other top picks, including Simply Business, Progressive Commercial and Coverdash.
Best Ad Agency Business Insurance
Updated: July 10, 2025
Advertising & Editorial Disclosure
Key Takeaways
The Hartford is the best business insurance company for ad agency firms because it offers the greatest balance of customer service and affordability.
The Hartford offers the best combination of affordability and customer service for ad agency businesses, with competitive rates across multiple coverage types.
To shop for business insurance for your ad agency business, assess the risks in your industry, consult agents and other similar organizations and compare multiple options.
Best Business Insurance for Ad Agency Companies
| The Hartford | 96 | 98 | 91 |
| NEXT Insurance | 95 | 95 | 94 |
| Simply Business | 90 | 90 | 83 |
| Progressive Commercial | 89 | 94 | 81 |
| Coverdash | 89 | 89 | 83 |
| biBERK | 89 | 87 | 91 |
| Nationwide | 88 | 84 | 91 |
| Thimble | 88 | 91 | 81 |
| Hiscox | 88 | 90 | 87 |
| Chubb | 85 | 80 | 87 |
*All scores were based on an ad-agency business with two employees across professional liability, general liability, workers' comp and BOP policies.
1. The Hartford
pros
Lowest professional liability rates
High financial stability (AM Best A+)
Strong BOP and general liability pricing
cons
Not as fast as digital-first insurers
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
The Hartford is the top pick for ad agency businesses, offering the most affordable professional liability insurance at $125 per month. It also ranks high in customer service and BOP affordability, making it a well-rounded choice for both solo consultants and growing firms. Backed by an A+ from AM Best, The Hartford is a reliable option for long-term risk management. It's especially useful for agencies needing E&O coverage, office property protection, or general liability. The main tradeoff is a slower digital quoting experience compared to newer platforms.
2. NEXT
pros
Fast, online-first application process
Strong customer satisfaction score
Competitive professional liability pricing
cons
Less flexible for complex coverage needs
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
NEXT is a strong choice for ad agencies that prefer a fully digital insurance experience. With an overall score of 95, it performs especially well in customer service and affordability, offering professional liability coverage at $130 per month. Its streamlined interface makes it ideal for boutique agencies and freelancers managing fast-paced projects and remote teams. NEXT also earned a 4.7‑out‑of‑5 rating from thousands of small business customers. That said, more complex agency operations may need to layer in other providers for niche coverage.
3. Simply Business
pros
Cheapest general liability pricing
Easy multi-carrier quote comparison
Strong BOP and workers’ comp rates
cons
Support quality varies by carrier
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
Simply Business is the most affordable option for general liability insurance, coming in at just $20 per month for ad agencies. It’s an insurance marketplace, which means you can compare quotes across multiple carriers for tailored policy selection. This flexibility is especially useful for creative firms that need budget-conscious protection across multiple lines like BOP, E&O, and workers’ comp. It also ranks among the top providers for BOP pricing. Just be aware that customer service quality depends on the carrier you ultimately choose through the platform.
Cheapest Business Insurance for Ad Agency Firms
Based on our study of business insurance pricing, Simply Business offers the cheapest overall commercial insurance for ad agency companies across most policy types. However, this applies only to ad agency companies with two employees, and you may find lower rates elsewhere. Below are the most affordable providers by major coverage types.
Cheapest General Liability Insurance for Ad Agency Companies
With average monthly rates of $20, Nationwide and Simply Business tie for the lowest-cost general liability insurance for ad agency companies, with Simply Business slightly cheaper annually. Also consider getting quotes from the next-most-affordable insurers: Thimble and biBERK.
| Nationwide | $20 | $241 |
| Simply Business | $20 | $240 |
| Thimble | $24 | $294 |
| biBERK | $25 | $298 |
| The Hartford | $25 | $298 |
| Progressive Commercial | $28 | $333 |
| Hiscox | $30 | $364 |
| Chubb | $34 | $410 |
| Coverdash | $34 | $406 |
| NEXT Insurance | $44 | $530 |
Cheapest Workers' Comp Insurance for Ad Agency Companies
For ad agency businesses shopping for workers' comp insurance, Progressive Commercial and Thimble tie for the most affordable coverage, with average rates of $7 per month. But you may also want to compare prices from other low-cost providers like Hiscox, biBERK and NEXT Insurance.
| Progressive Commercial | $7 | $88 |
| Thimble | $7 | $82 |
| biBERK | $8 | $96 |
| Coverdash | $8 | $93 |
| Hiscox | $8 | $91 |
| NEXT Insurance | $8 | $95 |
| Simply Business | $8 | $91 |
| The Hartford | $8 | $93 |
| Chubb | $9 | $110 |
| Nationwide | $9 | $102 |
Cheapest Professional Liability Insurance for Ad Agency Companies
The Hartford offers the most affordable professional liability insurance options for ad agency companies, with low average monthly rates of $125. You may also want to compare prices from other low-cost providers like NEXT Insurance, Progressive Commercial and Thimble.
| The Hartford | $125 | $1,506 |
| NEXT Insurance | $130 | $1,562 |
| Progressive Commercial | $133 | $1,600 |
| Thimble | $138 | $1,650 |
| Hiscox | $140 | $1,680 |
| Simply Business | $140 | $1,678 |
| Coverdash | $142 | $1,699 |
| biBERK | $145 | $1,739 |
| Nationwide | $152 | $1,818 |
| Chubb | $164 | $1,965 |
Cheapest BOP Insurance for Ad Agency Companies
Nationwide provides the most affordable business owner's policy (BOP) coverage for ad agency companies, with an average yearly cost of $361 for bundled general liability and property protection. That’s a savings of roughly $2 annually compared to Simply Business, the second most affordable option.
| Nationwide | $30 | $361 |
| Simply Business | $30 | $363 |
| biBERK | $32 | $389 |
| The Hartford | $32 | $380 |
| Thimble | $38 | $454 |
| Progressive Commercial | $42 | $502 |
| Hiscox | $45 | $541 |
| Coverdash | $49 | $590 |
| Chubb | $51 | $611 |
| NEXT Insurance | $64 | $768 |
What Type of Coverage Do You Need for a Ad Agency Business?
If you have employees, you'll need workers' comp insurance in most states, and businesses that use vehicles must have commercial auto coverage. Many clients or contracts also require businesses to carry general liability insurance before starting work. A surety bond may also be necessary in certain industries, especially when contracts require guarantees of service or compliance.
RECOMMENDED AD AGENCY BUSINESS COVERAGE
General liability insurance is strongly recommended for ad agency companies because it covers common risks like bodily injury, property damage and legal defense costs, which can arise during the course of business operations.
Professional liability insurance also works well if you work under client contracts or provide specialized services. It’s particularly helpful for ad agency businesses with commercial contracts or high-risk jobs like technical, legal, or customized services.
Coverage Recommendations by Ad Agency Company Type
We've organized a list that outlines various ad agency service types by their risk exposure and insurance needs, ranked from highest to lowest risk. Understanding these differences helps businesses tailor their coverage to better protect against potential claims. Agencies offering higher-risk services should consider more comprehensive insurance options to safeguard their operations.
Ad Agency Type | Coverage Types Recommendation | Most Common Insurance Claims | Most Common Reasons For Litigation |
|---|---|---|---|
Full-Service Ad Agency | Professional Liability, General Liability, Cyber Liability, Workers’ Comp, Business Owner’s Policy (BOP) | Creative work disputes, missed deadlines, client data breaches | Breach of contract, intellectual property lawsuits, defamation claims |
Digital Marketing Firm | Professional Liability, Cyber Liability, General Liability, BOP | Website errors, SEO performance disputes, phishing-related losses | Client revenue loss claims, data misuse lawsuits, service scope disputes |
Creative Studio (Design/Video) | General Liability, Professional Liability, Business Property, Tools & Equipment, Workers’ Comp | Equipment damage, editing errors, property damage during shoots | Copyright infringement suits, delivery deadline disputes, studio accidents |
Public Relations Firm | Professional Liability, General Liability, BOP, Workers’ Comp | Reputation damage, miscommunication errors, libel claims | Defamation lawsuits, breach of confidentiality, contract disputes |
Media Buying & Planning | Professional Liability, General Liability, BOP, Cyber Liability | Placement errors, ad performance complaints, overbilling | Contract breach, campaign result disputes, negligence in ad spend |
Freelance Consultant or Solo Creative | Professional Liability, General Liability, Business Property (home office), Cyber Liability | Service dissatisfaction, lost files, privacy concerns | Non-performance claims, NDA violations, small contract disputes |
How to Get the Best Cheap Business Insurance for Your Ad Agency Company
Here's a step-by-step method for finding the best and cheapest business insurance for your ad-agency company.
- 1
Decide on coverage needs before buying
Consider risks specific to your business for claims, get advice from similar businesses, talk to agents and research the types of business insurance. This will give you a balanced perspective on your coverage needs and prevent you from being convinced to get excessive coverage.
- 2
Research costs
To ensure you get the best deal, research average costs for your business profile and determine which providers offer the cheapest rates overall. This will give you a measuring stick for how much you're saving when comparing quotes and which companies to start with.
- 3
Look into company reputations and coverage options
To further narrow your list, research what customers say on online rating sites and forums to get a more comprehensive look at company services. Also, so you're covered for what you actually need, research coverage options to ensure you're covered for the right items.
- 4
Compare multiple quotes through different means
The best way to find the best deal is to compare multiple quotes for apples-to-apples coverage. Pricing differs by your comparison method, whether with captive agents, comparison sites, company websites or independent agents.
- 5
Reassess annually
Your business situation will change, influencing your rates and coverage needs. Repeat these steps annually to ensure you still have the best deal.
How to Decrease Your Ad Agency Business's Liability Risk
Reducing liability risk helps ad agencies wanting to keep insurance costs down. We've organized practical strategies by business risk level to help you find the right approach for your agency.
Ad Agency Risk Type | Included Types of Ad Agencies | Risk Mitigation Tactics |
|---|---|---|
Highest | Full-service agencies, PR firms, media planning firms | Use signed contracts and detailed scopes, review campaigns for compliance, maintain client approval logs, secure digital systems, run conflict checks for media/PR work |
Moderately High | Digital marketing firms, creative studios | Use QA protocols for deliverables, document change requests, store backups of all creative assets, maintain release forms, train staff on IP use |
Moderate | Freelance consultants, niche marketing agencies | Use project management tools for accountability, enforce contract deadlines, keep client feedback logs, maintain secure client portals |
Moderately Low | Solo designers, remote marketers, web content editors | Use NDAs, secure cloud tools, track revisions, separate client files, confirm deliverables in writing |
Lowest | Hobby consultants, part-time freelancers | Use free contract templates, carry basic general liability, communicate clearly via email, invoice through secure platforms |
Best Insurance for Ad Agency Business: Bottom Line
The Hartford is the best insurer for ad agency business insurance, offering both top-rated coverage and the most affordable rates. We also recommend getting quotes from NEXT Insurance and Simply Business. For the best deal, talk to agents, research providers and pricing and compare multiple quotes side by side.
Ad Agency Business Insurance: FAQ
This section addresses common questions about business insurance for ad agencies.
Who offers the best ad agency business insurance overall?
The Hartford provides the best business insurance for ad agencies, boasting superior customer service and a MoneyGeek score of 96 out of 100. NEXT follows closely.
Who has the cheapest business insurance for ad agency companies?
Here are the cheapest business insurance companies for ad agency companies by coverage type:
- Cheapest general liability insurance: Nationwide and Simply Business at $20 per month
- Cheapest workers' comp insurance: Progressive Commercial and Thimble at $7 per month
- Cheapest professional liability insurance: The Hartford at $125 per month
- Cheapest BOP insurance: Nationwide at $30 per month
What business insurance is required for ad agency organizations?
Workers' compensation insurance (if you have employees) and commercial auto insurance (if you own business vehicles) are legally required for ad agency businesses, with requirements varying by state. While not legally mandated, general liability insurance and surety bonds are effectively required by most commercial clients and property leases.
How much does ad agency business insurance cost?
Business insurance costs for ad agencies vary based on team size, client risk, and coverage types. Below are the average monthly costs for common policy types:
- General liability: $28 per month
- Workers comp: $8 per month
- Professional liability: $140 per month
- BOP insurance: $41 per month
How We Chose the Best Ad Agency Business Insurance
We selected the best business insurer for ad-agency companies based on the following criteria:
- Affordability (50% of score): The lower a company's costs compared to the competition based on our base profile for four core coverage types, the better it performs.
- Customer service (30% of score): We scored providers on overall customer satisfaction using industry studies, customer review forum ratings and public forum sentiment analysis from sites like Reddit.
- Coverage (15% of score): We scored business insurance for this category based on the flexibility, payment and actual coverage options.
- Financial stability (5% of score): Using financial stability industry ratings from companies like AM Best and Moody's, we created an overall rating to judge how likely a company is to pay out claims compared to the competition.
All pricing in this article is based on the following base profile to represent the vast majority of small businesses in all states:
- Ad agency business with two employees
- Coverage: $1 million per occurrence and $2 million total per year for all but BOP, which includes the same coverage plus $5,000 of business property coverage
- $150,000 in payroll
- $300,000 annual revenue
About Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer, is MoneyGeek's resident Personal Finance Expert. With over five years of experience analyzing the insurance market, he conducts original research and creates tailored content for all types of buyers. His insights have been featured in publications like CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.
Fitzpatrick holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!
Passionate about economics and insurance, he aims to promote transparency in financial topics and empower others to make confident money decisions.
sources
- AM Best. "Hartford Fire Insurance Company." Accessed June 16, 2025.