Using data on affordability, customer satisfaction, financial stability and online quote processing, MoneyGeek picked Montana’s best general liability insurance providers. Thimble was chosen as the best option. Its typical monthly premium for limited liability companies (LLCs) with 20 employees is $65, while it is $22 for sole proprietors with no employees.
Next provides Montana business owners on a budget with the cheapest general liability insurance. LLCs with 20 employees generally pay $27 per month for coverage and sole proprietors with no employees pay around $25 monthly.
Best Overall General Liability Insurance in Montana
Thimble is the best-rated general liability insurance company in Montana, earning a MoneyGeek score of 92 out of 100. The table below lists our assessments of each Montana-based company, along with the average premiums and MoneyGeek ratings for each.
Fast quote processing time
Cheapest for sole proprietors
Strong financial stability
Lower customer satisfaction
Not the most affordable for LLCs
In Montana, Thimble offers the best general liability insurance. It offers the cheapest quotes for sole proprietors and the third cheapest premiums for LLCs.
Despite its rating of A+ from AM Best, Thimble received higher complaints from customers, indicating its customer satisfaction is subpar. However, with the strong financial stability it offers, you can expect the company to protect your business financially.
Cheapest General Liability Insurance in Montana
With monthly premiums as low as $27 for LLCs and $25 for sole proprietors, Next's general liability insurance in Montana is overall the most affordable option in the state.
When assessing companies in this field, we devised an affordability score that integrates the monthly fees for LLCs and sole proprietors, each of which carries a 50% weight. However, the company with the overall cheapest rating does not always mean the cheapest for both LLCs and sole proprietors.
The cheapest option for LLCs
Second cheapest insurer for LLCs
More time to process quotes online
Low financial strength
Next is the cheapest insurer for general liability insurance in Montana. If you choose Next, you can expect to pay about $27 for LLCs and $25 for sole proprietors. The company is the cheapest insurer for limited liability corporations.
If you are trying to get quotes online, you can do so without having to spend much time with this insurer. However, in terms of financial stability, Next was rated low by AM Best and scored the worst in our research.
Best General Liability Insurance for Employers in Montana
Nationwide is the best option for general liability insurance in Montana, earning a MoneyGeek score of 97 out of 100. The typical premium for this provider is $40 per month.
MoneyGeek ranked the average monthly cost of LLCs with 20 employees. The premiums for general liability insurance vary based on the number of employees. Having fewer than 20 employees will be less expensive than our average, whereas having more than 20 employees might cost you more.
The second-cheapest for LLCs
High financial stability
Strong customer satisfaction
Slow online quote processing times
If Montana LLCs evaluate their general liability insurance options, they may find that Nationwide is the best option due to the company's outstanding ratings from MoneyGeek in terms of affordability, customer satisfaction and financial stability. Its insurance average cost is $40 per month for LLCs with 20 employees, the state's second-lowest average premium.
Businesses may feel secure knowing that their claims will be properly processed and that they are financially well-protected thanks to AM Best's rating, which positions it as a financially strong insurer. The insurer's performance in meeting policyholder expectations is also indicated by its good complaint score.
Best General Liability Insurance for Sole Proprietors in Montana
With a MoneyGeek score of 95 out of 100, Thimble is the best option for sole proprietors in Montana seeking general liability insurance. The monthly average cost of insurance from this provider is $22.
MoneyGeek assessed this category's rankings using the average costs for sole proprietors. The premiums for general liability insurance might be higher for those who work in riskier industries, such as construction.
Cheapest option for sole proprietors
Faster quote processing
High financial strength
Poor customer satisfaction
Thimble is the best for sole proprietors and has the most affordable general liability insurance in Montana, with policies costing an average of $22 per month. You also get quotes faster, so you don't spend longer getting customized rates online from the insurance company.
Due to Thimble's good financial standing, which is demonstrated by its AM Best rating, you can be confident that you will be well-protected by this insurer. However, the firm got more policyholder complaints than other companies we evaluated, indicating that it has poor customer satisfaction.
Do You Need General Liability Insurance in Montana?
General liability insurance is not mandatory at the state level like workers' compensation and commercial auto insurance are. However, it might make sense in some fields, especially if you are trying to get a company license or secure contracts. It provides financial protection against the following:
- Third-party bodily injuries: If a customer is injured on your business's premises, general liability insurance can be used to help pay for their medical bills.
- Third-party property damage: If your company or its employees cause property damage, general liability insurance will cover the costs of maintenance or replacement.
- Personal and advertising injury: The general liability insurance will pay the associated legal costs and damages if the business or its employees are sued for libel, copyright infringement or slander.
When doing business in some fields, acquiring general liability insurance might be a prerequisite to being awarded a contract or receiving a company license.
Businesses in Montana with even one employee are required by law to have workers' compensation insurance, among other business insurance policies. In addition, they need to have the following minimum limits on their commercial car insurance for driving company-owned vehicles:
- $25,000 per person
- $50,000 per accident for bodily injury
- $20,000 for property damage
How Much Is General Liability Insurance in Montana?
In Montana, the average monthly premium for general liability insurance for an LLC with 20 employees is $83, whereas the premium for a sole proprietor with no employees is only $29.
These prices apply to a policy with a deductible of $0, an occurrence limit of $1 million and an aggregate limit of $2 million. The aggregate limit of a policy is the maximum amount that the insurer will pay out in claims for the term of the policy, whereas the occurrence limit is the maximum amount that the insurer will pay out for a single claim. The deductible is the out-of-pocket expense that company owners must shoulder before their insurance coverage takes effect.
Factors That Impact General Liability Insurance Costs in Montana
The cost of general liability insurance will change based on the following factors:
Frequently Asked Questions About General Liability Insurance in Montana
The best general liability insurance policy for your business depends on your specific needs and other factors. For additional information, we answered some questions about general liability insurance in Montana.
About Melissa Wylie
Melissa Wylie is a Content and SEO Manager at MoneyGeek. Melissa has worked in the financial content space since 2018 and has spent much of that time focused on all things small business.
Prior to joining MoneyGeek, Melissa held SEO positions at Bankrate and LendingTree. Melissa’s work has also appeared on LendingTree-owned websites ValuePenguin and MagnifyMoney.
Melissa began her career at American City Business Journals in 2015 as a reporter for the company’s women-focused publication Bizwomen. Melissa has a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of North Texas. Melissa relies on her foundation in journalism to craft content that simplifies complex financial topics to help everyone feel confident when making decisions with their money.
Melissa's other work can be read on LendingTree and Bizwomen.
sources
- Montana Department of Commerce. "Small Business Development Center Network." Accessed May 12, 2023.
- Nationwide. "Company Ratings." Accessed May 12, 2023.
- Thimble. "Insurance Ratings." Accessed May 10, 2023.