MoneyGeek found the best general liability insurance companies in Maryland by considering key factors like affordability, customer satisfaction, financial stability and the online quote process. Thimble earned the highest score for the best company overall. An average policy from this insurer costs $53 per month for limited liability companies (LLCs) with 20 employees and $22 per month for sole proprietors with no employees.

MoneyGeek also ranked companies on affordability, finding that Next offers the cheapest general liability insurance in Maryland for small business owners on a budget. General liability coverage from Next costs $25 per month for LLCs with 20 employees and sole proprietors with no employees.

MoneyGeek Logo IconBest General LiabilityMaryland
2024

Best General Liability Insurance in Maryland

Why Trust MoneyGeek? We collected 1,229 general liability insurance quotes and analyzed cost information alongside customer satisfaction and financial stability reports to determine the best general liability insurance companies for small businesses in Maryland.

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Coverage costs and company information for general liability insurance providers in Maryland were last updated in 2023.

1,229Quotes Analyzed
 
6 Companies Compared
 
50 Zip Codes

Best Overall General Liability Insurance in Maryland

Based on MoneyGeek’s findings, Thimble is the best general liability insurance company in Maryland, receiving a score of 90 out of 100. The rankings and average costs of the analyzed companies in Maryland, along with their MoneyGeek scores, are listed in the table below.

How was this MoneyGeek score calculated?

Thimble90$22$53
Nationwide90$32$34
Next88$25$25
biBERK88$23No Data
The Hartford87$31$51
Hiscox83$29$78
Best OverallScore: 90
Thimble
2/5LLC Affordability
5/5Sole Proprietor Affordability
2/5Customer Satisfaction
3/5Financial Stability
5/5Online Quote Process
PROS

Cheapest rate in Maryland for sole proprietors

High financial stability ratings

Fast online quotes

CONS

Expensive than most competitors for LLCs

Ranked lower for customer satisfaction

Company Highlights

Thimble scored the highest in our analysis of Maryland insurance providers that offer general liability insurance. It has the cheapest rate for sole proprietors in Maryland, costing around $22 monthly, but its rate for LLCs is a bit pricier than other insurers at roughly $53 per month.

Thimble provides fast quotes in approximately 22 seconds and offers excellent financial stability. It does score lower in terms of customer service as it has more complaints than other insurers we analyzed.

Cheapest General Liability Insurance in Maryland

Next is the cheapest general liability insurance in Maryland, with an average monthly rate of $25 for both LLCs and sole proprietors.

Our evaluation of companies in this category involved an affordability score that accounts for the monthly costs for both entity types. The top-ranking company may not have the lowest cost for each entity type individually.

How was this MoneyGeek score calculated?

CheapestScore: 96
Next
5/5LLC Affordability
4/5Sole Proprietor Affordability
0/5Customer Satisfaction
2/5Financial Stability
4/5Online Quote Process
PROS

Affordable option for LLCs

Reasonably fast online quotes

CONS

Low financial stability score

Not the cheapest for sole proprietors

Company Highlights

Next earned the top spot for affordability, offering the cheapest rates for LLCs but coming in third for sole proprietors. The company also has a lower financial stability rating compared to the other insurers we reviewed.

With Next, you can get a quote in just over one minute. While this isn’t particularly fast, it’s the second quickest quote provider of the companies we evaluated.

Best General Liability Insurance for Employers in Maryland

With the highest MoneyGeek score of 95 out of 100, Nationwide might be the optimal choice for employers in Maryland seeking general liability insurance. The average monthly cost from this insurer is $34.

Our rankings in this category were determined by the average monthly cost for LLCs with 20 employees since the staff count is a key factor in the overall cost. If you own a business with less than 20 employees, expect rates to be lower than the indicated average cost. Alternatively, larger businesses with more than 20 employees can anticipate paying more.

How was this MoneyGeek score calculated?

Best for EmployersScore: 95
Nationwide
4/5LLC Affordability
5/5Customer Satisfaction
4/5Financial Stability
3/5Online Quote Process
PROS

Affordable rates for LLCs

Financially stable

Offers good customer support

CONS

Slower quote estimates

Company Highlights

Costing an average of $34 per month for LLCs with 20 employees, Nationwide emerged as the best insurer for employers in Maryland. The company is known for its financial stability and offers superior customer service.

The downside of this insurer is that its online quote system is slow. Potential customers may spend over two minutes to get a quote from this insurer, which is longer than the other companies we researched.

Best General Liability Insurance for Sole Proprietors in Maryland

According to our research, biBERK is the best general liability insurance provider for sole proprietors in Maryland, earning a MoneyGeek score of 96 out of 100. The average monthly cost for biBERK's policy is around $23.

To come up with the rankings, we considered the average costs of insurance policies for sole proprietors without employees. Businesses operating in high-risk industries, like construction, may face higher insurance costs.

How was this MoneyGeek score calculated?

Best for Sole ProprietorsScore: 96
biBERK
5/5Sole Proprietor Affordability
4/5Customer Satisfaction
5/5Financial Stability
3/5Online Quote Process
PROS

Affordable rates

Financially stable

Low complaint ratio

CONS

Slow quote speeds

Company Highlights

biBERK earned the top spot for general liability insurance for sole proprietors. It has excellent financial stability, according to AM Best, and costs around $23 per month.

This insurer scored well in terms of customer satisfaction, but it does have a slower online quote system than some of the other companies we evaluated, taking over two minutes to generate an estimate.

Do You Need General Liability Insurance in Maryland?

While Maryland state law does not require general liability insurance, acquiring a policy is smart to safeguard your business from financial loss caused by liability claims from third parties. This type of insurance offers coverage for:

  • Third-party bodily injuries: Getting general liability insurance means you don’t have to pay all the medical costs if a customer sustains an injury at your business.
  • Third-party property damage: General liability insurance will cover the cost of damages to someone else’s property caused by your business or employees.
  • Personal and advertising injury: General liability insurance will cover your legal fees and damages if your business or employees face a lawsuit for defamation, slander or copyright infringement.

Although not required in the state, you may still need to get general liability insurance when obtaining business licenses or winning contracts in certain industries.

Other types of business insurance might be required in Maryland. For example, the state requires businesses with one or more employees to obtain workers’ compensation insurance. Maryland state law also requires all companies with cars to purchase commercial auto policies with at least the following liability limits:

  • $30,000 per person for bodily injury liability
  • $60,000 per accident for bodily injury liability
  • $15,000 per accident for property damage liability
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SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCES IN MARYLAND

The Maryland Business Express website offers resources and guidance for businesses to grow and expand in Maryland. These resources include information on financing and incentives, workforce development, permits and regulations and other relevant topics for businesses. The website also provides access to various business services and programs offered by the state of Maryland.

How Much Is General Liability Insurance in Maryland?

In Maryland, the typical cost of general liability insurance is $48 per month for LLCs with 20 employees and $27 per month for sole proprietors without employees. These averages are based on a policy with a $2 million aggregate limit, a $1 million occurrence limit and no deductible.

The aggregate limit is the highest amount an insurer can pay out for claims during the policy period, while the occurrence limit is the maximum amount the insurance company can cover per claim. The deductible is the amount that the business owner needs to pay upfront before their insurer starts paying out claims.

Factors That Impact General Liability Insurance Costs in Maryland

Since businesses have their own unique risks, the cost of general liability insurance will likely vary based on the following factors:

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    Policy limits

    When purchasing general liability insurance, you need to take note of your aggregate limit and occurrence limit. The higher your limits, the more your premiums will be. The lower your limits, the less you’ll pay each month.

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    Number of employees and payroll costs

    The more employees a business has, the higher the risk of a liability claim occurring and the more expensive the policy becomes to cover that risk. This can be seen in the $21 monthly price difference between sole proprietors and LLCs in Maryland.

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    Business location

    Your location will impact the likelihood of liability claims being filed. Businesses in a more populated area run a higher risk of filing claims than those in less populated areas, so they will pay more expensive rates. The statewide averages we found will likely change on a city level.

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    Claims history

    Businesses who have not filed claims in the past are perceived as lower risk and pay lower premiums when they purchase general liability insurance.

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    Industry

    Industries with higher levels of risk, such as construction or manufacturing, are typically associated with a higher risk of accidents that can result in liability claims. The table below shows the difference in monthly premiums for general liability insurance between different industries.

General Contractor$94$1,755
Cleaning$65$1,148
Software Development$27$48

Frequently Asked Questions About General Liability Insurance in Maryland

General liability insurance varies by industry, number of employees and various other factors. We answered some commonly asked questions about general liability insurance for Maryland business owners.

Which company has the best general liability insurance in Maryland?
Which company has the cheapest general liability insurance in Maryland?
What does general liability insurance cover in Maryland?
Does Maryland require businesses to have general liability insurance?

About Melissa Wylie


Melissa Wylie headshot

Melissa Wylie is the Content and SEO Manager at MoneyGeek, with nearly a decade of editorial experience and six years of work in financial content focused on small businesses. She previously held SEO positions at Bankrate and LendingTree, with bylines on ValuePenguin and MagnifyMoney.

Wylie has a journalism degree from the University of North Texas. Her strong foundation in journalism helps her craft content that simplifies complex financial topics to help everyone feel confident when making decisions with their money.


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