Nationwide emerged as the top contender for Minnesota’s best general liability insurance in MoneyGeek’s analysis with a score of 96 out of 100. However, The Hartford, NEXT, Thimble and Hiscox are also great options for best general liability insurance.
Best General Liability Insurance in Minnesota
Updated: June 20, 2025
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Key Takeaways
Overall, the best general liability insurance company in Minnesota is Nationwide, which has a great balance of affordable rates for LLCs and good customer service.
The cheapest general liability insurance for sole proprietors in Minnesota is offered by NEXT at $27 per month. For LLCs, NEXT is the most affordable option at $3 a month.
General liability insurance costs in Minnesota depend on your industry, and we found they can range from $29 to $2,349 per month on average.
Best Cheap General Liability Insurance in Minnesota
| Nationwide | 96 | $35 | $37 |
| The Hartford | 94 | $33 | $51 |
| NEXT | 90 | $27 | $3 |
| Thimble | 89 | $33 | $67 |
| Hiscox | 83 | $32 | $123 |
*Rates were based on a $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate limit for a software development company.
Nationwide: Best Overall
pros
Low rates for LLC businesses
Large coverage selection
Low customer claims frequency
cons
Higher rates for sole proprietors
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
Nationwide is the best overall provider for general liability insurance in Minnesota, offering the second most affordable rates for LLC businesses with a balance of customer service as well. The company also tied for first for the lowest claims ratio from the NAIC.
NEXT: Cheapest Overall
pros
Easy fast buying process
Very cheap rates overall, regardless of business size
Business-insurance-only focus
cons
Higher customer complaint frequency
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
Our Minnesota choice for value-driven general liability insurance is NEXT. Sole proprietorships enjoy $27 monthly premiums while limited liability companies secure coverage at $3 per month. Although the company's claims performance exceeds regional competitors in our review, NEXT offers a streamlined purchasing platform and instant proof of coverage availability.
How Much Is General Liability Insurance in Minnesota?
General liability insurance in Minnesota costs about $29 per month for sole proprietors and $59 per month for LLCs. This is specific to software development companies, and costs can vary widely by industry.
| Cleaning | $931 | $58 |
| General Contractor | $2,349 | $171 |
| Software Development | $59 | $29 |
*Rates are based on a $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate coverage policy for general liability.
Factors That Impact General Liability Insurance Costs in Minnesota
General liability insurance costs can fluctuate based on a number of different factors in Minnesota. In the list below, you can see these factors and their impacts on your coverage costs:
Policy limits
Coverage limits can greatly influence insurance premiums. Opting for higher limits will lead to increased costs, whereas lower limits generally result in more affordable premiums.
Number of employees and payroll costs
Businesses with a large workforce and high payroll expenses can expect an increase in general liability insurance costs. Our research on LLCs and sole proprietorships confirms this pattern.
Business location
Where your business is situated can significantly affect your insurance expenses. Keep in mind that state-level average rates may differ between cities, so consider these variations when assessing your coverage needs.
Claims history
A history of frequent claims can make a business seem riskier to insurers, leading to higher premiums.
Industry
Industries with elevated risks, like construction, typically incur higher general liability insurance costs. In Minnesota, specific programs might impact these rates.
Minnesota General Liability Insurance: Buyer's Guide
To simplify your understanding of general liability insurance, we've created a short guide detailing how to get the best coverage, defining what it covers, listing Minnesota requirements, and explaining how much coverage you should consider getting.
How to Find the Best General Liability Insurance Company
To help ensure that you get the best small business insurance regardless of your industry, we've created a step-by-step guide to simplify your coverage search.
- 1
Define your coverage needs
Find your liability risk by considering your industry, products or services, customer types, business size and market impact. To evaluate coverage options better, measure the frequency and costs of common claims in your industry.
- 2
Research average costs for your business
To understand how good of a deal you're getting from business insurance companies, you need to research average costs for your particular business. Knowing average expenses will let you determine if a company is saving you money.
- 3
Consult similar businesses
Your business community is your greatest resource, and personal experience is often more valuable than online resources. You'll likely get better recommendations for your specific needs and an understanding of what claims are common within your industry.
- 4
Compare multiple options through different means
Comparing multiple companies apples to apples ensures that you can judge which option is best for your business. Also, choosing multiple means of comparison, like online comparison sites and brokers, will give you a better view of pricing.
What Does General Liability Insurance Cover and How Does It Work?
General liability insurance coverage consists of two parts: per occurrence and aggregate limits. Per occurrence refers to the maximum a single claim can go up to, while the aggregate limit is the total coverage you can get per year. In terms of covered items, this type of policy includes the following:
Bodily injuries or property damage on business property
Legal fees for bodily injury or property damage that your company may be responsible for
Damages to leased or rented business property
Bodily injury or property damage caused by your product or service
Libel, slander, or reputational harm legal defense
Legal fees for copyright infringement accusations
Is General Liability Insurance Required in Minnesota?
Like in most states, general liability insurance isn't expressly required by state law and instead varies by your industry. However, if you are looking to apply for a professional license, sign a contract with a larger company, or sign an office lease, some form of general liability insurance may be required. While not an exhaustive list, the following industries tend to fall into these categories:
- Medical
- Accounting
- Real estate
- Insurance
- Contracting
- Engineering
- Marketing
- Law
- Consulting
- Media/Communications
How Much General Liability Insurance Do I Need?
Most small businesses will only need a standard policy with 1 million dollars of protection per occurrence and a 2 million limit per year. This will likely cover most or all damages caused over a year for most business types. Even so, your particular industry's risks and the size of your operation may require a larger coverage limit than standard.
WHO MAY NEED MORE COVERAGE
Protecting your business is important. Companies in fields like health services, building, selling goods, or serving food and drinks often see the biggest insurance claims. So, if your business is part of these groups, consider more coverage. This is also true for small businesses that have many workers or sell products far and wide.
Best General Liability Insurance in Minnesota: Bottom Line
The best general liability insurance companies in Minnesota are Nationwide, The Hartford, and NEXT. Nationwide and The Hartford have MoneyGeek scores of 96 and 94, respectively, and NEXT offers the most affordable rates for both sole proprietors and small businesses. However, we recommend comparing around yourself and getting plenty of quotes to ensure you get the best deal possible.
General Liability Insurance in Minnesota: FAQ
Below, we address frequently asked questions regarding general liability insurance in Minnesota: General liability insurance protects businesses from claims. It covers property damage and injuries. In Minnesota, it's crucial for financial security.
Which company has the best general liability insurance in Minnesota?
Minnesota's top choice for liability insurance is Nationwide, which earned an overall score of 96 out of 100. Nationwide offers competitive rates and excellent customer service, making it the best overall option. However, the ideal insurance for you depends on various details, including your business size, number of employees, and specific coverage requirements.
Which company has the cheapest general liability insurance in Minnesota?
NEXT Insurance offers the most affordable general liability coverage in Minnesota. For sole proprietors, NEXT provides coverage at $324 per year ($27 per month). For LLCs, NEXT is exceptionally affordable at just $36 per year ($3 per month). These rates make NEXT the clear winner for budget-conscious businesses seeking quality coverage.
Does Minnesota require businesses to have general liability insurance?
In Minnesota, it's a strategic move to secure general liability insurance to protect your business from substantial financial losses due to third-party liability claims.
How We Chose the Best General Liability Insurance Providers in Minnesota
We broke down our scores into these categories and weights:
- LLC cost (55% of score)
- Sole proprietor cost (5% of score)
- Customer satisfaction (25% of score)
- Financial strength (10% of score)
- Quote process time (5% of score)
For all business insurance companies, we assumed software development industry LLCs with 20 employees. We based customer satisfaction and financial strength scores on NAIC and AM Best ratings. Quote process scores came from our MoneyGeek experts' personal experiences.
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.