Best Small Business Insurance Companies

Use the table below to compare my top insurers at a glance.

Our business insurance team puts in the work others don’t, building guides around specialized research, transparent methods and independent editorial review. We focus on the factors that affect real small businesses, including industry, location, size, coverage needs and insurer differences.

• Research is grounded in authoritative sources: We use insurer documentation, regulatory resources, government data, established industry organizations, actual quotes and reviews on trusted forums to assess pricing, service, and coverage from business insurance providers as accurately as possible.
• Our team is specialized and reviewed by U.S. insurance experts: Writers focus on specific insurance products and industries to support true expertise. In addition, all content is reviewed for coverage accuracy, pricing assumptions, methodological consistency and practical usefulness by in-house and independent experts with 20+ years of combined industry experience.
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• Small crews under 10 employees: ERGO NEXT's pricing advantage is widest at this size, and their self-service platform is ideal for small teams.
• Those who need fast COI turnaround: Quotes, certificates, and policy updates handled online without an agent, no waiting on a callback
• Owners who prefer self-service over agent involvement: Everything from quote to renewal is manageable in the app without picking up the phone
• Lower risk blue-collar contractors and tradespeople: Lower risk trades like, tree services, handymen, painters and cleaners find the best value with the company, and policy length at the per job level is available (at request).

• Companies involved with high-risk physical work: Higher risk professions like roofing, welding, and electrical work since pricing will likely be higher than other options for coverage you need. Thimble provides better pricing for these business areas and more flexibility in coverage term length, down to as low as an hour.
• Need specialty endorsements: Higher limits and less common endorsements are where ERGO NEXT's coverage options start to thin out. The Hartford is a better option here, and provides the most comprehensive coverage selection.
• Want an agent who knows your trade: Digital-first model means coverage questions go to general support, not an assigned specialist familiar with your industry. A better alternative for this is The Hartford who assigns you an agent specialized in your industry's risks.

• Growing operations with 10 or more employees: Coverage depth and claims support scale better at this size than any other provider and The Hartford is built for businesses that are outgrowing the digital-first options
• Business owners who prioritize claims support over price: You have a dedicated agent that is assigned and responsible for your business and risk management services, included with coverage, making it the best for those that want long-term relationships, and someone who understands their needs.
• White-collar businesses needing tailored coverage: Accountants, tech professionals and consultants can all get broad form coverage and specific included endorsements applying to what your business does for professional liabilities policies (what these industries need most).

• Early-stage businesses watching every dollar: The Hartford is not the absolute cheapest provider in our analysis, and if you are most concerned about cost, ERGO NEXT is a better alternative.
• Owners who want a fully digital experience: Some policy types push you toward agent involvement rather than letting you finish the process online. ERGO NEXT handles this better for those who prefer self-service.
• Those who need commercial auto included: Hartford doesn't write commercial auto directly for most small businesses, you'll need a separate carrier for that. Progressive Commercial is the stronger option there.

• Solo operators and micro businesses running standard work: Simple, small operations are what biBERK structures its pricing around, and its value drops heavily as work complexity and headcount increase.
• Those who value financial backing above all else: Stability and credibility that most fully digital insurers can't match come from biBERK's Berkshire Hathaway ownership, relevant if you're signing contracts that require high financial strength ratings for your carriers.
• Owners who want broker-free buying: The entire process from quote to binding happens online, with no intermediary adding time, friction or cost.
• Those who need a COI quickly: Certificates are available on demand, without calling anyone or waiting on an agent to process the request.

• Specialty or high-risk operations: A narrower underwriting appetite means some trades and higher-risk operations like roofers or electricians may not qualify for coverage with biBERK. Thimble or The Hartford are better options for more complex risk profiles.
• Those who expect to file a dispute: Claims handling ranks below both ERGO NEXT and The Hartford, so you're better covered elsewhere if a contested claim is a realistic scenario for your work. The Hartford ranks first here and has the best service in this area.
• Owners who need flexible mid-term policy management: Policy changes after binding require a phone call, and there's no online update option once the policy is in place.

• Seasonal or project-based operators: On-demand coverage by the job, month, or hour means you're not paying for coverage during periods you don't need it
• Contractors and tradespeople who work in client spaces: Removing the care, custody and control exclusion covers damage to client property during the job, whereas most other GL policies on the market leave you exposed
• Solo operators and small crews prioritizing cost: Near the top of my affordability rankings for mobile and outdoor operations, with the performance for lower-headcount operations under 5 employees
• Those who need proof of insurance fast for a new client: COIs are available immediately without committing to a full annual policy which is useful for one-off jobs or new client relationships

• Growing teams of 5 or more: Thimble's overall performance drops significantly at this headcount and other carriers serve larger operations better. ERGO NEXT is a better option between 5-9 employees and The Hartford is the stronger option once your team reaches larger than this size.
• Those who own or lease business vehicles: Commercial auto is not available through Thimble and you'll need a separate carrier for that coverage. Progressive Commercial is the better fit there.
• Those who want direct support on a disputed claim: Claims go through third-party administrators with no phone support which offers very limited recourse if the outcome is contested. The Hartford provides the strongest claims backing of any provider I studied.

• Consultants, agencies, and advice-based businesses: E&O and professional liability terms are deeper here than any other provider in my analysis, built for businesses where the primary risk is what you said, recommended, or designed rather than what you physically did
• Those who want to speak with someone before buying: 7 day a week licensed agent access lets you get real coverage questions answered before committing and so you're not blindsided when a claim comes up.
• Specialty trade operations: Air duct, chimney, and hood cleaning operations in particular find Hiscox prices below their subindustry averages, a notable exception to the general affordability ranking

• You value pricing above all: Hiscox will almost never be the absolute cheapest option for your company, and if you're particularly focused on cost, you'll be disappointed. ERGO NEXT is a better fit for under 10 employee operations, while The Hartford is ideal for teams larger than this.
• High-volume residential service operations: House cleaning and maid services pay above benchmark with Hiscox, while other carriers price this type of work more competitively. ERGO NEXT is a better fit for residential service volume.
• Those who need to manage coverage without calling: COI generation is available online, but policy changes require agent contact which adds unnecessary friction for businesses needing fully self-service management. ERGO NEXT or biBERK handle this more cleanly.

We pulled quotes isolating pricing factors for industry (400+), all 50 states plus Washington, D.C., employee count (5 ranges from 0 to 49), 16 vehicle types (for auto) and six of the most common coverage types, extrapolating more than 6 million estimates to get a full picture.

300,000+ reviews, forum conversations and industry research were aggregated and manually parsed to see the trends that made customers enjoy and dislike service from insurers. We also went through what an actual small business owner would go through for all providers analyzed for their quotes experiences and policy management tools available (excluding claims due to limitations).

We read the fine print of policy terms, isolated the invisible exclusions or extra costs, and documented all options available for all providers to determine which has the best coverage for you now and as you grow your company.