Our analysis of the best general liability insurance companies in Washington takes into account cost, customer satisfaction and online quote processing times. We ranked Nationwide as the best in this category. Its average cost for limited liability companies (LLCs) with 20 employees is $58 per month, and sole proprietors with no employees need to pay an average of $38 per month.

Overall, the cheapest general liability insurance in Washington comes from Next. While LLCs with 20 employees may pay an average of $41 per month, the average cost for sole proprietors with no employees stands at $25 per month.

MoneyGeek Logo IconBest General LiabilityWashington
2024

Best General Liability Insurance in Washington

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 Washington.

recency icon

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

1,229Quotes Analyzed
 
6 Companies Compared
 
50 Zip Codes

Best Overall General Liability Insurance in Washington

Our experts selected Nationwide as the best general liability insurance provider in Washington, receiving a score of 90 out of 100. The following table includes all the insurers in Washington that provide general liability insurance, and our analysis of these companies helps shed light on their rankings and costs.

How was this MoneyGeek score calculated?

NationwideMoneyGeek Score90Monthly Cost Without Employees$38Monthly Cost With 20 Employees$58
The HartfordMoneyGeek Score90Monthly Cost Without Employees$34Monthly Cost With 20 Employees$72
NextMoneyGeek Score89Monthly Cost Without Employees$25Monthly Cost With 20 Employees$41
biBERKMoneyGeek Score89Monthly Cost Without Employees$23Monthly Cost With 20 EmployeesNo Data
HiscoxMoneyGeek Score88Monthly Cost Without Employees$29Monthly Cost With 20 Employees$90
ThimbleMoneyGeek Score87Monthly Cost Without Employees$22Monthly Cost With 20 Employees$143
Best OverallScore: 90
Nationwide
4/5LLC Affordability
1/5Sole Proprietor Affordability
5/5Customer Satisfaction
4/5Financial Stability
3/5Online Quote Process
PROS

Affordable rates for LLCs

Takes the top spot for customer satisfaction

Financially stable

CONS

Most expensive insurer for sole proprietors

Slowest to process online quotes

Company Highlights

Nationwide is the top general liability insurer in Washington because of its costs, customer satisfaction and financial stability. This company provides the most affordable general liability insurance for LLCs with 20 employees, charging an average of $58 per month. However, its average cost of $38 per month for sole proprietors with no employees is the most expensive of the lot.

According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), this insurer has the lowest average rate of customer complaints, which means it provides high levels of customer satisfaction.

Cheapest General Liability Insurance in Washington

Next provides the cheapest overall general liability insurance in Washington. Its average cost for LLCs with 20 employees is $41 per month. For sole proprietors with no employees, the average cost is $25 per month.

We ranked insurers based on affordability scores that use a combination of monthly costs for LLCs and sole proprietors, giving both parameters equal weightage (50% each). The cheapest overall company may not provide the most affordable insurance for 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

Most affordable option for LLCs

Third cheapest insurer for sole proprietors

CONS

Least financially stable company

Doesn’t provide the fastest quotes

Company Highlights

Next provides the cheapest general liability insurance for LLCs with 20 employees in Washington, with an average cost of $41 per month. Sole proprietors with no employees could pay an average of $25 per month, which is the third cheapest in this segment. It takes just over one minute to get a quote with Next.

Possible drawbacks include the company’s financial stability rating. Its AM Best rating of A- indicates that it might face problems when dealing with its existing financial obligations. It is the lowest rating of the companies we evaluated.

Best General Liability Insurance for Employers in Washington

Nationwide provides the best general liability insurance for employers in Washington, earning a MoneyGeek score of 96 out of 100. We based our rankings on average monthly costs for LLCs with 20 employees. The average cost of getting general liability insurance for an LLC from Nationwide is $58 per month.

How much you pay for general liability insurance depends on the number of employees you have. Companies with more employees will have higher rates, while those with fewer will pay less.

How was this MoneyGeek score calculated?

Best for EmployersScore: 96
Nationwide
4/5LLC Affordability
5/5Customer Satisfaction
4/5Financial Stability
3/5Online Quote Process
PROS

Is the second most affordable insurer for LLCs

Excellent customer satisfaction

Is a financially sound

CONS

Takes the longest to provide online quotes

Company Highlights

Nationwide is the best general liability insurance provider for employers in Washington because of its pricing, customer satisfaction levels and financial stability. As an LLC with 20 employees, you could pay an average of $58 per month, which is the second cheapest for this business type.

This company has the lowest rate of complaints filed at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), which indicates high levels of customer satisfaction. Its AM Best rating of A+ indicates strong financial stability, which means it should be able to meet its ongoing financial obligations easily.

Best General Liability Insurance for Sole Proprietors in Washington

biBERK provides the best general liability insurance for sole proprietors in Washington. It received a MoneyGeek score of 97 out of 100. Our rankings take into account costs for sole proprietors with no employees. If you select biBERK, expect to pay an average of $23 per month. Costs tend to be higher for those to work in risky industries such as construction, manufacturing and transportation.

How was this MoneyGeek score calculated?

Best for Sole ProprietorsScore: 97
biBERK
5/5Sole Proprietor Affordability
4/5Customer Satisfaction
5/5Financial Stability
4/5Online Quote Process
PROS

Provides the second cheapest general liability insurance for sole proprietors

Ranks well in customer satisfaction

High financial stability

CONS

Takes longer than most other insurers to provide online quotes

Company Highlights

We selected biBERK as the best general liability insurance company for sole proprietors in Washington because of its pricing, customer satisfaction levels and financial stability. It offers the second cheapest general liability insurance for sole proprietors with no employees, charging an average of $23 per month.

Data from the NAIC shows that biBERK has a low rate of complaints, which means it provides good customer service. This company even has the best possible rating from AM Best, which goes to show it can meet its ongoing financial obligations with ease.

Do You Need General Liability Insurance in Washington?

There is no legal requirement to get general liability insurance as a business owner in Washington. However, you may consider purchasing it because it offers protection from financial losses you might face due to claims or lawsuits surrounding third-party bodily injury, third-party property damage and other scenarios. You may need to get this type of business insurance to sign a lease, obtain a specific license or win a particular contract.

The state of Washington requires most businesses to have workers’ compensation insurance no matter how many employees they have. If your business has company-owned vehicles, getting commercial auto insurance is necessary, and you need to account for these minimum limits:

  • $25,000 per person
  • $50,000 per accident for bodily injury
  • $10,000 for property damage
smallBusiness icon
SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCES IN WASHINGTON

The state of Washington provides various resources for small businesses. The Small Business Guide offers advice surrounding planning and starting your business, handling payroll, optimizing business growth as well as getting business loans.

How Much Is General Liability Insurance in Washington?

The average cost of getting general liability insurance in Washington for an LLC with 20 employees is $81 per month. For sole proprietors with no employees, the average cost stands at $28 per month.

These averages are for policies that have a $2 million aggregate limit, a $1 million occurrence limit and a $0 deductible.

The aggregate limit denotes the maximum amount an insurance company might pay toward claims through the entire course of a policy’s term. The occurrence limit is the maximum an insurer might pay toward each claim. The deductible highlights the amount you need to pay on your own before your insurer starts contributing.

Factors That Impact General Liability Insurance Costs in Washington

The cost of getting general liability insurance for an LLC or for a sole proprietorship depends on different factors.

    insurance2 icon

    Policy limits

    These come in the form of aggregate and occurrence limits. The aggregate limit is the maximum your insurer might pay out during the policy’s tenure, and the occurrence limit is the maximum it may pay out per claim. If you increase these limits, there’s a good chance you’ll need to pay a higher premium.

    wage icon

    Number of employees and payroll costs

    How much you pay for general liability insurance depends on your employee count. The fewer the employees, the lower the cost. For example, the average LLC with 20 employees in Washington pays $81 per month, whereas sole proprietors with no employees pay an average of $28 per month.

    business icon

    Business location

    Our experts found that state-wide averages tend to vary at the city level. The exact location of your business might also have an effect on costs. For example, you may expect to pay more if your business is located in an area with a high crime rate or even high traffic.

    uninsured icon

    Claims history

    Businesses that have filed claims previously may expect to pay higher premiums than ones that haven’t since insurers view them as riskier to insure.

    hammer icon

    Industry

    Businesses that fall in the high-risk category usually have to pay more than others to get general liability insurance. Check the corresponding table to compare the average cost of general liability insurance in Washington for general contractors, cleaning businesses and software development companies.

General ContractorMonthly Cost Without Employees$150Monthly Cost With 20 Employees$3,827
Software DevelopmentMonthly Cost Without Employees$28Monthly Cost With 20 Employees$81
CleaningMonthly Cost Without Employees$56Monthly Cost With 20 Employees$1,813

Frequently Asked Questions About General Liability Insurance in Washington

Looking at answers to some commonly asked questions about general liability insurance in Washington might enable you to make an appropriate decision about your insurance needs for your business.

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


sources