The Hartford earned our top spot for the best small business insurer for drone companies due to its affordability and coverage. However, we recommend comparing quotes from our other top picks, including NEXT, biBerk and Simply Business.
Best Drone Business Insurance
Updated: July 8, 2025
Advertising & Editorial Disclosure
Key Takeaways
The Hartford is the best business insurance company for drone firms, earning the highest overall rating for its combination of affordability, coverage options and customer service.
The cheapest overall commercial insurance varies by coverage type for drone businesses, with biBERK offering the lowest rates for general liability and BOP insurance.
To shop for business insurance for your drone business, assess the risks in your industry, consult agents and other similar organizations and compare multiple options.
Best Business Insurance for Drone Companies
| The Hartford | 96 | 98 | 91 |
| NEXT Insurance | 94 | 92 | 94 |
| biBERK | 91 | 92 | 91 |
| Simply Business | 89 | 89 | 83 |
| Coverdash | 89 | 90 | 83 |
| Progressive Commercial | 88 | 92 | 81 |
| Nationwide | 88 | 83 | 91 |
| Hiscox | 87 | 88 | 87 |
| Thimble | 87 | 89 | 81 |
| Chubb | 85 | 80 | 87 |
*All scores were based on a drone business with two employees across professional liability, general liability, workers' comp and BOP policies.
1. The Hartford
pros
Cheapest professional liability rates
High financial strength (A+ AM Best)
Broad coverage for drone operators
cons
Fewer digital tools than others
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
The Hartford leads for drone business insurance, offering the lowest-priced professional liability policy in our analysis. It also ranks highly for affordability across general liability and BOP coverage. Backed by an A+ from AM Best, The Hartford is a strong pick for drone operators needing long-term reliability and responsive claims support. It’s especially well-suited for firms offering photography, surveying, or inspection services.
2. NEXT
pros
Fast digital experience
Strong customer review rating
Competitive across all policy types
cons
Not the cheapest for any one policy
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
NEXT is a solid all-around option for drone businesses that value convenience and flexibility. While not the lowest for any one policy type, its pricing is competitive across general liability, workers’ comp, and BOP. NEXT’s online platform makes it easy to quote, manage, and file claims, and it boasts a 4.7‑out‑of‑5 rating from thousands of small business customers. It’s ideal for startups and solo operators flying in diverse environments.
3. biBerk
pros
Cheapest general liability and BOP
Berkshire Hathaway-backed stability
Simple, low-cost policies
cons
Limited policy customization
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
biBerk offers the lowest rates for both general liability and BOP insurance for drone businesses. It’s backed by Berkshire Hathaway, giving customers peace of mind despite its low prices. biBerk is best for small teams or solo drone operators looking for straightforward protection with no frills. While customization is limited, the price-to-coverage ratio is hard to beat for core operational needs.
Cheapest Business Insurance for Drone Firms
Based on our study of business insurance pricing, the cheapest drone business insurance varies by coverage type, with biBerk leading in general liability and BOP insurance, while The Hartford offers the lowest professional liability rates.
However, this applies only to drone companies with two employees, and you may find lower rates elsewhere. Below are the most affordable providers by major coverage types.
Cheapest General Liability Insurance for Drone Companies
With an average monthly rate of $13, biBerk offers the lowest-cost general liability insurance for drone companies. Even so, consider getting quotes from the next-most-affordable insurers: The Hartford and Coverdash.
| biBERK | $13 | $162 |
| The Hartford | $14 | $166 |
| Coverdash | $16 | $193 |
| NEXT Insurance | $17 | $200 |
| Progressive Commercial | $17 | $200 |
| Hiscox | $18 | $219 |
| Simply Business | $18 | $211 |
| Thimble | $18 | $214 |
| Nationwide | $19 | $223 |
| Chubb | $21 | $246 |
Cheapest Workers' Comp Insurance for Drone Companies
For drone businesses shopping for workers' comp insurance, Thimble tops our list as the most affordable insurer, with average rates of $11 per month or $137 yearly.
Still, it’s worth checking quotes from other low-cost insurers like Progressive Commercial, Hiscox, biBerk and NEXT.
| Thimble | $11 | $137 |
| Progressive Commercial | $12 | $148 |
| biBERK | $13 | $162 |
| Coverdash | $13 | $157 |
| Hiscox | $13 | $154 |
| NEXT Insurance | $13 | $160 |
| Simply Business | $13 | $153 |
| The Hartford | $13 | $156 |
| Nationwide | $14 | $173 |
| Chubb | $15 | $185 |
Cheapest Professional Liability Insurance for Drone Companies
The Hartford offers the most affordable professional liability insurance options for drone companies, with low average monthly rates of $95. You may also want to compare prices from other low-cost providers like NEXT, Progressive Commercial and Thimble.
| The Hartford | $95 | $1,136 |
| NEXT Insurance | $99 | $1,185 |
| Progressive Commercial | $101 | $1,211 |
| Hiscox | $105 | $1,259 |
| Simply Business | $105 | $1,261 |
| Thimble | $105 | $1,258 |
| Coverdash | $107 | $1,279 |
| biBERK | $110 | $1,314 |
| Nationwide | $114 | $1,367 |
| Chubb | $123 | $1,478 |
Cheapest BOP Insurance for Drone Companies
biBerk provides the most affordable BOP coverage for drone companies, with an average yearly cost of $210 for bundled general liability and property protection. That's a savings of roughly $3 annually compared to The Hartford, the second most affordable option.
| biBERK | $17 | $210 |
| The Hartford | $18 | $213 |
| Coverdash | $23 | $279 |
| NEXT Insurance | $24 | $289 |
| Progressive Commercial | $25 | $300 |
| Hiscox | $27 | $328 |
| Simply Business | $27 | $319 |
| Thimble | $27 | $329 |
| Nationwide | $28 | $336 |
| Chubb | $31 | $372 |
What Type of Coverage Do You Need for a Drone Business?
By law, most businesses need workers' comp insurance if they have employees and commercial auto insurance for any business vehicles. Many clients or contracts also require businesses to carry general liability insurance before starting work. A surety bond may also be necessary in certain industries, especially when contracts require guarantees of service or compliance.
RECOMMENDED DRONE BUSINESS COVERAGE
General liability insurance is strongly recommended for drone companies because it covers common risks like bodily injury, property damage and legal defense costs. Professional liability insurance is also a smart option for businesses that work under client contracts or provide specialized services. It’s particularly helpful for drone businesses with commercial contracts or high-risk jobs, like technical, legal, or customized services.
Coverage Recommendations by Drone Company Type
We've compiled a list that ranks drone services by their risk exposure and insurance needs, from highest to lowest. Businesses offering higher-risk services should consider more comprehensive coverage to protect against potential claims.
Drone Business Type | Coverage Types Recommendation | Most Common Insurance Claims | Most Common Reasons For Litigation |
|---|---|---|---|
Aerial Photography & Videography | General Liability, Professional Liability, Inland Marine, BOP, Cyber Liability | Drone crashes, data loss, gear damage, third-party injury | Property damage claims, failure to deliver footage, privacy violations |
Industrial/Infrastructure Inspections | General Liability (high limits), Professional Liability, Workers' Comp, Commercial Auto, Umbrella Policy | Equipment collisions, operator injuries, asset damage | Contract disputes, liability for inspection failures, bodily injury claims |
Agricultural Drone Services | General Liability, Commercial Auto, Inland Marine, Environmental Liability | Drone malfunctions, pesticide/fertilizer exposure, property damage | Crop damage lawsuits, environmental exposure claims, regulatory violations |
Drone Mapping & Surveying | Professional Liability, General Liability, Workers' Comp, Cyber Liability, BOP | Data inaccuracies, hardware/software errors, flight area accidents | Client loss due to inaccurate mapping, IP disputes, bodily injury |
Drone Delivery or Logistic Ops | General Liability, Commercial Auto, Workers' Comp, Inland Marine, Umbrella Policy | Package loss/damage, drone collisions, vehicle accidents | Lost delivery claims, customer injury or property damage, breach of service agreement |
How to Get the Best Cheap Business Insurance for Your Drone Company
Here's a step-by-step method for finding the best and cheapest business insurance for your drone company.
- 1
Decide on coverage needs before buying
Consider risks specific to your business for claims, get advice from similar businesses, talk to agents and research the types of business insurance. This will give you a balanced perspective on your coverage needs and prevent you from being convinced to get excessive coverage.
- 2
Research costs
To ensure you get the best deal, research average costs for your business profile and determine which providers offer the cheapest rates overall. This will give you a measuring stick for how much you're saving when comparing quotes and which companies to start with.
- 3
Look into company reputations and coverage options
To further narrow your list, research what customers say on online rating sites and forums to get a more comprehensive look at company services. Also, to align with your coverage needs and future ones, research coverage options to ensure you're covered for the right items.
- 4
Compare multiple quotes through different means
The tried-and-true method for finding the best deal is to compare multiple quotes for apples-to-apples coverage. Pricing differs by your comparison method, whether with captive agents, comparison sites, company websites or independent agents.
- 5
Reassess annually
Your business situation will change, influencing your rates and coverage needs. Repeat these steps annually to ensure you still have the best deal.
How to Decrease Your Drone Business's Liability Risk
Reducing liability risk is crucial for drone businesses looking to manage insurance costs effectively. We've organized risk mitigation strategies based on your business's specific risk level or service type to help you navigate this process.
Risk Level | Included Types | Risk Mitigation Tactics |
|---|---|---|
Highest | Drone delivery services, infrastructure inspection firms | Maintain pilot certifications and flight logs. Use pre-flight checklists. Purchase high-limit liability and umbrella policies. Log all flight data and package deliveries. |
Moderately High | Mapping, surveying, and agricultural drone operations | Double-check flight zones and permissions. Back up all data and media. Carry inland marine coverage for expensive payloads. Use clear contracts and service disclaimers. |
Moderate | Aerial photography/videography businesses with multiple clients | Use model release and location agreements. Store footage securely. Maintain professional liability insurance to cover missed shots or client disputes. |
Moderately Low | Solo drone videographers or hobbyists doing paid gigs | Operate under waivers and clear expectations. Avoid high-traffic zones. Use GPS return-to-home failsafes. Maintain a basic liability policy with drone-specific endorsements. |
Lowest | Recreational pilots monetizing content (e.g., YouTube, stock footage) | Disclose non-commercial status where applicable. Avoid restricted airspace. Use disclaimers on published content. Carry personal liability coverage for property damage claims. |
Best Insurance for Drone Business: Bottom Line
The Hartford is the best insurer for drone business insurance, offering top overall ratings and competitive rates across multiple coverage types. We also recommend getting quotes from NEXT, biBerk and Coverdash. For the best deal, talk to agents, research providers and pricing and compare multiple quotes side by side.
Drone Business Insurance: FAQ
Discover answers to frequently asked questions about drone business insurance in the upcoming section.
Who offers the best drone business insurance overall?
The Hartford is the top choice for drone business insurance, with a MoneyGeek score of 96 out of 100, excelling in affordability and coverage. NEXT Insurance, with a close score of 94, is also a strong contender.
Who has the cheapest business insurance for drone companies?
Here are the cheapest business insurance companies for drone operators by coverage type:
- Cheapest general liability insurance: biBERK at $13 per month
- Cheapest workers' comp insurance: Thimble at $11 per month
- Cheapest professional liability insurance: The Hartford at $95 per month
- Cheapest BOP insurance: biBERK at $17 per month
What business insurance is required for drone organizations?
Workers' compensation insurance (if you have employees) and commercial auto insurance (if you own business vehicles) are legally required for drone businesses, with requirements varying by state.
While not legally mandated, general liability insurance and surety bonds are effectively required by most commercial clients and property leases.
How much does drone business insurance cost?
Business insurance costs for drone companies vary based on your flight activity, client base, and equipment value. Below are the average monthly costs for common policies:
- General liability: $17 per month
- Workers comp: $13 per month
- Professional liability: $106 per month
- BOP insurance: $25 per month
How We Chose the Best Drone Business Insurance
We selected the best business insurer for drone companies based on the following criteria:
- Affordability (50% of score): The lower a company's costs compared to the competition based on our base profile for four core coverage types, the better it performs.
- Customer service (30% of score): We scored providers on overall customer satisfaction using industry studies, customer review forum ratings and public forum sentiment analysis from sites like Reddit.
- Coverage (15% of score): We scored business insurance for this category based on the flexibility, payment and actual coverage options.
- Financial stability (5% of score): Using financial stability industry ratings from companies like AM Best and Moody's, we created an overall rating to judge how likely a company is to pay out claims compared to the competition.
All pricing in this article is based on the following base profile to represent the vast majority of small businesses in all states:
- Three-person business with two employees
- Coverage: $1 million per occurrence and $2 million total per year for all but BOP, which includes the same coverage plus $5,000 of business property coverage
- $150,000 in payroll
- $300,000 annual revenue
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.
sources
- AM Best. "Hartford Fire Insurance Company." Accessed June 16, 2025.
- NEXT. "Customer Reviews." Accessed June 16, 2025.