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.

MoneyGeek Logo IconBest General LiabilityMontana
2024

Best General Liability Insurance in Montana

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 Montana.

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

1,229Quotes Analyzed
 
6 Companies Compared
 
50 Zip Codes

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.

How was this MoneyGeek score calculated?

ThimbleMoneyGeek Score92Monthly Cost Without Employees$22Monthly Cost With 20 Employees$65
NationwideMoneyGeek Score90Monthly Cost Without Employees$39Monthly Cost With 20 Employees$40
NextMoneyGeek Score89Monthly Cost Without Employees$25Monthly Cost With 20 Employees$27
The HartfordMoneyGeek Score87Monthly Cost Without Employees$31Monthly Cost With 20 Employees$163
HiscoxMoneyGeek Score87Monthly Cost Without Employees$29Monthly Cost With 20 Employees$119
Best OverallScore: 92
Thimble
4/5LLC Affordability
5/5Sole Proprietor Affordability
2/5Customer Satisfaction
3/5Financial Stability
5/5Online Quote Process
PROS

Fast quote processing time

Cheapest for sole proprietors

Strong financial stability

CONS

Lower customer satisfaction

Not the most affordable for LLCs

Company Highlights

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.

How was this MoneyGeek score calculated?

CheapestScore: 97
Next
5/5LLC Affordability
4/5Sole Proprietor Affordability
0/5Customer Satisfaction
2/5Financial Stability
4/5Online Quote Process
PROS

The cheapest option for LLCs

Second cheapest insurer for LLCs

CONS

More time to process quotes online

Low financial strength

Company Highlights

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.

How was this MoneyGeek score calculated?

Best for EmployersScore: 97
Nationwide
4/5LLC Affordability
5/5Customer Satisfaction
4/5Financial Stability
3/5Online Quote Process
PROS

The second-cheapest for LLCs

High financial stability

Strong customer satisfaction

CONS

Slow online quote processing times

Company Highlights

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.

How was this MoneyGeek score calculated?

Best for Sole ProprietorsScore: 95
Thimble
5/5Sole Proprietor Affordability
2/5Customer Satisfaction
3/5Financial Stability
5/5Online Quote Process
PROS

Cheapest option for sole proprietors

Faster quote processing

High financial strength

CONS

Poor customer satisfaction

Company Highlights

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
smallBusiness icon
SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCES IN MONTANA

Montana’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) network provides a range of tools to help new and existing businesses. It helps small businesses in achieving their objectives of expansion, innovation and success by offering free one-on-one counseling and affordable training in subjects like financial analysis, business planning, strategic planning, financial projections and market research.

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:

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    Policy limits

    Policies with bigger limits will have a higher premium since the insurer will cover more in the event of a claim, while policies with lower limits will have lower premiums since the policyholder will pay more if they file a claim.

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    Number of employees and payroll costs

    The number of people in your workforce has a significant impact on your premiums. Your general liability insurance will be more expensive if your company has many employees. This can be seen in the price difference for LLCs vs. sole proprietors in Montana.

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    Business location

    Location is another factor that could impact the cost of insurance for your business. Due to the higher probability of filing a claim, businesses in highly populated locations must pay a higher premium. City average costs may differ from state averages.

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    Claims history

    Many business owners who have never filed an insurance claim employ risk management strategies to decrease their risk. As a result, their rates tend to be lower than those of those who have previously submitted claims since they are viewed as less risky to insure.

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    Industry

    The type of business being run also has an effect on the cost of general liability insurance. The price can fluctuate dramatically in high-risk industries like construction. The average cost of general liability insurance in Montana is broken down by industry in the table below.

CleaningMonthly Cost Without Employees$58Monthly Cost With 20 Employees$1,771
Software DevelopmentMonthly Cost Without Employees$29Monthly Cost With 20 Employees$83
General ContractorMonthly Cost Without Employees$152Monthly Cost With 20 Employees$2,799

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.

Which company has the best general liability insurance in Montana?
Which company has the cheapest general liability insurance in Montana?
What does general liability insurance cover in Montana?
Does Montana 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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