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Updated: October 9, 2026

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Cheapest Michigan General Liability Insurance Companies

The Hartford has the lowest average general liability rate in Michigan at $96 a month, 17% below the $115 state average. ERGO NEXT is $5 behind at $101, followed by biBERK at $105, Thimble at $107 and Simply Business at $113. These averages are for a Michigan business with one to four employees and limits of $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate.

The Hartford also has the lowest rate for more business types than any other insurer, but that doesn’t make it the cheapest for most businesses. Of the 407 business types I analyzed, The Hartford is cheapest for 121, ERGO NEXT for 110, biBERK for 103, Simply Business for 23 and Thimble for 19. That leaves about 70% of business types where another insurer has the lowest rate. Here’s where each one tends to come in lowest:

  • The Hartford: Office-based, creative, healthcare and brick-and-mortar retail businesses, including accounting firms ($44 a month), photographers ($24), dental practices ($213) and clothing stores ($80)
  • ERGO NEXT: Mobile, hands-on and food-to-go businesses, including mobile beauty therapists ($6 a month), caterers ($87), food trucks ($89) and roofing contractors ($382)
  • biBERK: Cleaning, fitness, recreation and medical specialty businesses, including house cleaners ($87 a month), gyms ($100), youth sports leagues ($62) and chiropractic offices ($179)
  • Thimble: Construction and outdoor trades, including lawn care ($118 a month), painting ($129) and plumbing contractors ($225), each about a third below the average for their trade
  • Simply Business: Counter-service food shops, specialty stores and some tech businesses, including bakeries ($71 a month), gift shops ($62) and web designers ($16)

Your general liability premium also depends on your headcount, claims history and the limits you choose. Since the cheapest insurer changes from one business type to the next, get quotes from the insurers that are cheapest for your trade, using the same limits on each quote.

The Hartford$139$1,67217%
ERGO NEXT$145$1,74614%
Thimble$153$1,8389%
biBERK$156$1,8767%
Simply Business$168$2,0190%
Coverdash$174$2,094-3%
Progressive Commercial$180$2,164-7%
Hiscox$190$2,280-12%
Chubb$190$2,285-13%
Nationwide$191$2,294-13%

For Michigan, I compared estimated general liability rates from 10 insurers that sell to small businesses: biBERK, Chubb, Coverdash, ERGO NEXT, Hiscox, Nationwide, Progressive Commercial, Simply Business, The Hartford and Thimble. I used the same dataset to answer three cost questions:

  • Overall cheapest: Each insurer’s average rate across all business types, for businesses with one to four employees.
  • Cheapest by business type and industry: Each insurer’s rate for a specific business type or industry category, also for businesses with one to four employees, so company size stays consistent across comparisons.
  • Employee-size comparisons: Rates averaged across all industry categories at each size range, from no employees to 49 employees, to show how pricing changes as you hire.
  • Data scope: More than 4,000 estimates covering 407 business types across 25 industry categories. I left out notary services because it doesn’t have a complete average.
  • Coverage setup: $1 million per occurrence / $2 million aggregate limits, with modeled revenue and payroll included in the estimates.
  • Averages and savings: Each average is the simple mean of the 10 insurers’ rates for that group, so the $115 Michigan average is the mean of their statewide rates. Savings show how far an insurer’s rate falls below the average for the same group. Statewide rates are measured against the state average, industry rates against the industry average, business-type rates against the business-type average and employee-size rates against the average for that size. Dollar amounts and percentages are rounded to whole numbers, and where rounding makes two rates look identical, I note the gap in cents.
  • Customer experience: Service comparisons come from our national customer survey of business insurance policyholders, which rates 10 insurers on buying, policy management and claims. Coverdash and Simply Business only have buying scores, so I don’t compare them on claims or policy management.

These Michigan figures are estimates, not personalized quotes. Your actual premium can vary with your business classification, claims history, revenue or payroll, limits, deductibles and endorsements. To compare insurers fairly, get quotes with the same coverage terms.

Read our full methodology.

The Hartford

The Hartford: Cheapest for Healthcare, Retail and Office-Based Businesses

On The Hartford's site
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

The Hartford averages $96 a month in Michigan, 17% below the $115 state average, and it’s the cheapest insurer for 121 of the 407 business types I analyzed. Most of those wins are in healthcare (27 business types), retail (21) and arts and media (20). It’s also cheapest for nine construction trades, including snow removal services at $119 a month, 37% below average. Its deepest discount goes to nutritionists, who pay $18 a month, 48% below the $35 average for that business type. The Hartford has the lowest average at every company size I analyzed, and its savings grow from 15% with no employees to 21% at 20 to 49 employees. For owners with no employees, though, biBERK is only 92 cents a month behind.

The Hartford’s edge shows up after you buy. It ranks first of 10 insurers in our national customer survey for managing a policy and second for claims, which suggests policy changes, billing questions and injury claims are less likely to stall. Getting covered takes longer, since it ranks eighth for quote speed. An owner who needs a certificate of insurance before a job starts this week may get one faster from ERGO NEXT. The Hartford also generally sells commercial auto only alongside a Spectrum policy or workers’ comp, so a solo business that wants just general liability and auto may need a third policy.

Most often cheapest for these business profiles:

  • General industries: Arts, Media and Entertainment ($28 a month, 22% below average), Education ($33, 28% below), Financial Services ($30, 22% below), Healthcare and Medical ($147, 26% below) and Retail and Product Rental ($85, 21% below)
  • Employee count: No employees to 49 employees

Not a fit? If you need proof of coverage quickly or send certificates often, jump to ERGO NEXT. If you run a cleaning, fitness or recreation business, jump to biBERK. If you work in home service or outdoor trades like lawn care, painting or plumbing, jump to Thimble.

ERGO NEXT

ERGO NEXT: Cheapest for Mobile, Hands-On and Food-to-Go Businesses

On ERGO NEXT's site
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

ERGO NEXT averages $101 a month, 12% below the state average, and it’s cheapest for 110 business types. That includes 14 of 45 construction trades, among them general contractors ($241 a month) and roofers ($382), both 36% below the average for their trade. It’s also cheapest for 13 food and beverage types, 13 manufacturing types and most mobile beauty work. Mobile beauty therapists pay $6 a month, the lowest rate in Michigan. Hospitality businesses get its deepest discounts, with resorts and tour guides each paying 41% below average. Its edge fades as you add staff. ERGO NEXT trails The Hartford by $5 a month at one to four employees and by $94 at 10 to 19.

Buying is ERGO NEXT’s strength. It ranks first of 10 in our survey for buying, quote speed and certificates of insurance, so a caterer or roofer can likely get proof of coverage the same day a client asks for it. It ranks sixth for claims, which means a disputed injury or property damage claim may take more follow-up than with The Hartford. Its general liability tops out at $2 million per occurrence and is only for businesses with up to $5 million in revenue. A caterer or mobile bartender that pours drinks should also confirm ERGO NEXT will add liquor liability before buying on price.

Most often cheapest for these business profiles:

  • General industries: Beauty, Body and Wellness Services ($28 a month, 23% below average), Childcare Services ($96, 16% below), Consulting Services ($31, 3% below), Food and Beverage ($93, 20% below), Hospitality, Travel and Tourism ($64, 35% below), Manufacturing ($46, 28% below), Marketing and Communications ($25, 20% below, tied with The Hartford), Pet Care Services ($58, 19% below) and Repair and Maintenance ($50, 27% below)

Not a fit? If you’re hiring past a few employees or your contracts require more than $2 million per occurrence, jump to The Hartford. If you run a cleaning, fitness or recreation business, jump to biBERK. If you run a bakery, deli or other counter-service food shop, jump to Simply Business.

biBerk

biBERK: Cheapest for Cleaning, Fitness, Recreation and Medical Specialists

COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

biBERK averages $105 a month, 9% below the state average, and it’s cheapest for 103 business types. That includes all 15 cleaning and all 11 fitness business types, 31 of 34 recreation types and 22 of 49 healthcare types, mostly physician specialties, therapists and home care agencies. Its biggest discounts go to security guard services ($122 a month, 35% below average), pharmacy technicians (33% below) and chiropractic offices (31% below). Costs climb faster than The Hartford’s as you hire. biBERK costs 92 cents a month more for owners with no employees, $9 more at one to four employees and $36 more at five to nine.

biBERK ranks third for buying in our survey and second for both sales support and underwriting transparency, which suggests clearer answers for owners buying their first policy. It also sells commercial auto and professional liability in Michigan, so a carpet cleaner with a work van or a personal trainer who gives fitness advice can keep those policies with one insurer. Its weaker spot is policy management, where it ranks fifth of 10, so adding a client to your policy can take longer. That matters most in recreation. biBERK beats ERGO NEXT by 17 cents a month or less for 13 recreation business types, including youth sports leagues and bowling alleys. At that gap, a venue that regularly sends proof of coverage to schools and leagues may get more value from ERGO NEXT, which ranks first for certificates of insurance.

Most often cheapest for these business profiles:

  • General industries: Cleaning Services ($73 a month, 20% below average), Fitness Services ($79, 21% below), Other Professional Services ($56, 21% below), Real Estate and Property Services ($37, 20% below) and Recreation and Sports ($76, 17% below)

Not a fit? If you’re adding employees, jump to The Hartford. If you send certificates of insurance often, jump to ERGO NEXT. If you’re a contractor, jump to Thimble.

Thimble

Thimble: Cheapest for Outdoor and Home Service Trades

COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

Thimble averages $107 a month statewide, 7% below the state average, but all 19 business types where it’s cheapest are construction trades. It has the lowest average for Michigan contractors at $240 a month, 22% below the $307 construction average. The margin is thin, though. ERGO NEXT averages $243 and The Hartford $247, and across 45 construction business types, Thimble is cheapest for 19, ERGO NEXT for 14 and The Hartford for nine. Thimble leads for outdoor and exterior work like lawn care, tree service, paving and siding, plus interior trades like plumbing, painting and flooring, with savings of 28% to 37% against the average for each trade.

Thimble sells general liability by the job, month or year, so a painter between contracts or a crew that only takes occasional jobs can pay for coverage only while working. Monthly policyholders can pause once for up to 30 days, but work done during a pause isn’t covered, and the monthly option isn’t available for every business type. Thimble ranks second of 10 for buying in our survey but seventh for claims. For a plumber, that gap is worth weighing. Thimble is $225 a month for plumbing contractors, while The Hartford costs $60 more and ranks second for claims, which can matter if a homeowner disputes how much you owe after a leak.

Most often cheapest for these business profiles:

  • General industries: Construction and Contracting ($240 a month, 22% below average)
  • Business types: Lawn Care ($118 a month, 34% below average), Painting ($129, 31% below), Plumbing ($225, 32% below), Paving ($211, 37% below), Siding ($174, 36% below) and Tree Service ($144, 33% below)

Not a fit? If general contractors or commercial clients set insurance terms in your contracts, jump to The Hartford, whose Contractor’s Broad Form Endorsement comes standard. If you’re a general contractor, roofer or HVAC contractor, or you need certificates of insurance quickly for each job, jump to ERGO NEXT.

Simply Business

Simply Business: Cheapest for Counter-Service Food, Specialty Retail and Tech

On Simply Business site
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

Simply Business averages $113 a month, 2% below the state average, which works out to about $25 a year in savings. Its statewide average is the highest of these five insurers, but it’s cheapest for 23 business types, mostly specialty stores, counter-service food shops and small tech firms. Delis pay $68 a month with Simply Business, 35% below average, and fast food restaurants ($79), web designers ($16) and bakeries ($71) all save 33% to 34%. Several of its wins are near-ties, though. It beats ERGO NEXT by 11 cents a month for daycare centers, Nationwide by 21 cents for software developers and The Hartford by 31 cents for financial advisors.

Simply Business is a digital broker and online marketplace, not an insurance company. One application returns quotes from several insurers, which helps a shop owner compare prices side by side without filling out separate forms. Its buying process ranks fourth of 10 overall in our survey and third for how closely quotes match the final premium. The trade-off is that the insurer issuing your policy handles your claims and sets your coverage terms. A bakery owner could end up filing a customer injury claim with a company they never researched. Check which insurer is behind the quote before you buy.

Most often cheapest for these business profiles:

  • General industries: Tech/IT ($20 a month, 23% below average)
  • Business types: Bakery ($71 a month, 33% below average), Deli/Sandwich Shop ($68, 35% below), Fast Food Restaurant ($79, 34% below), Book Store ($75, 25% below), Gift Shop ($62, 23% below) and Web Design ($16, 34% below)

Not a fit? If you want one insurer that handles your quote, policy changes and claims, jump to The Hartford. If you run a coffee shop, food truck or catering business, jump to ERGO NEXT.

Is the Cheapest General Liability Insurance Right for Your Michigan Business?

The cheapest policy is usually the right buy when your main risk is a customer getting hurt or their property getting damaged, since every general liability policy covers that. The price stops being the deciding factor once a Michigan law, a contract or the way you operate calls for coverage or service the cheapest insurer may not offer. Here’s how that plays out for four kinds of Michigan businesses.

  • Bars and restaurants that serve alcohol: Michigan’s dram shop law lets an injured person sue a liquor licensee that sold alcohol to a minor or a visibly intoxicated person, and general liability doesn’t cover those claims. Retail licensees must also file at least $50,000 in proof of financial responsibility with the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC), most often as a liquor liability policy. The Hartford has the lowest rate in our data for bars ($115 a month) and full-service restaurants ($101), but its own site says it doesn’t offer bar insurance online. biBERK costs about $9 more a month for bars and $5 more for restaurants and can add liquor liability for both, which makes it the lowest price a bar can likely act on. A restaurant should ask The Hartford whether it will add liquor coverage before choosing on price. If you’re applying for a new on-premises license, Michigan also requires a server-trained supervisor on every shift that serves alcohol.
  • General and remodeling contractors: Michigan lets owners sue contractors over a defective improvement for up to six years after it’s occupied, used or accepted, or up to 10 years in cases of gross negligence. That makes completed operations coverage, which pays when finished work causes damage later, and strong claims handling worth more than a small price gap. ERGO NEXT is cheapest for general contractors at $241 a month, while The Hartford costs $76 more but ranks second of 10 for claims in our survey, compared with ERGO NEXT’s sixth. Remodelers don’t face that trade-off, since The Hartford is already cheapest for them at $204 a month, 32% below average. Whichever insurer you choose, keep a record of when each client took over the finished job, since that date starts the six-year clock.
  • Stores, landlords and snow removal companies: In 2023, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled in Kandil-Elsayed v F & E Oil that a hazard being “open and obvious,” like a visibly icy parking lot, no longer automatically defeats a slip-and-fall claim. Instead, a jury weighs how much each side was at fault, so a winter fall that might once have been dismissed early can now go to trial. Every general liability policy covers these claims, so the cheapest policy still works, but your limits and your insurer’s claims handling matter more. The Hartford is cheapest for snow removal services at $119 a month, 37% below average, so plowing companies get both the lowest rate and the second-ranked claims handling. Property managers pay the least with biBERK at $38 a month. If you hire a plowing company, get a certificate of insurance from it before the season starts.
  • Amusement ride operators: Michigan won’t let you operate a carnival or amusement ride unless the owner carries at least $300,000 in insurance or a bond covering injuries to riders, or $50,000 for an owner with a single ride built mainly for children. Every rate on this page uses a $1 million limit, so the cheapest policy clears that bar. biBERK is cheapest for small amusement parks at $81 a month, 15% below average, with The Hartford $5 behind. Before buying either, ask the insurer to confirm in writing that the policy covers injuries to people on the rides, since that’s the coverage the state requires.

If your business fits one of these profiles, compare the best general liability providers in Michigan on coverage and claims handling, not just price.

How to Get Cheaper General Liability Insurance in Michigan

Cutting your limits to lower your premium can leave you short when a contract or a claim tests your policy. In Michigan, the bigger savings come from which insurer you buy from, how your business is classified and when you re-shop.

  • swipe icon

    Compare general liability quotes using the same limits

    The same Michigan business can pay very different prices depending on the insurer. An electrical contractor pays $240 a month with The Hartford but $440 with Progressive Commercial, about $2,400 more a year for the same limits. A food truck pays $89 a month with ERGO NEXT and $173 with Nationwide. Get at least three quotes, and compare business insurance quotes with the same per-occurrence and aggregate limits on each one. Otherwise you’re comparing different products.

  • loanReview icon

    Ensure your business classification (class code) is correct

    Your insurer prices your policy based on the type of work you report, and it reviews that classification again at your end-of-term audit. In Michigan, handyman services average $199 a month while remodeling contractors average $299. A handyman who mostly does small repairs but gets classified as a remodeler could pay about $100 more a month. Reporting lighter work than you actually do doesn’t save money either, since the audit can catch it and bill you the difference.

  • signupBonus icon

    Only pay for general liability coverage limits you actually need

    State minimums are floors, not targets. Michigan requires liquor licensees to file at least $50,000 in proof of financial responsibility for dram shop claims, and amusement ride owners need at least $300,000 in coverage for rider injuries. Your lease or client contracts will often set a higher bar than either. Every rate on this page uses $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate. Check what your general liability requirements and contracts actually call for, and raise your limits when a specific contract or lease requires it, not because more coverage sounds safer.
    Read More: How Much General Liability Insurance Do I Need?

  • money2 icon

    Re-shop when your business changes

    The insurer that was cheapest when you started may not be cheapest after your business changes. Get new quotes when any of these happen instead of renewing by default.

    • Hiring: Michigan businesses with no employees average $62 a month, with The Hartford lowest at $53 and biBERK less than $1 behind. At one to four employees, the average rises to $115, and The Hartford has the lowest average at every size from one to 49 employees.
    • Adding snow removal: Thimble is cheapest for lawn care at $118 a month, but The Hartford is cheapest for snow removal at $119, about $34 less than Thimble. A lawn crew that starts plowing in winter should get new quotes for the added work rather than assume its current insurer is still the cheapest.
    • Opening a restaurant: ERGO NEXT is cheapest for food trucks at $89 a month, but a food truck owner who opens a sit-down restaurant will likely switch insurers. The Hartford is cheapest for full-service restaurants at $101, while ERGO NEXT charges $119.
    • Adding a bar: A full-service restaurant averages $130 a month, while a bar or tavern averages $150. Since bars need liquor liability and The Hartford doesn’t offer bar insurance online, a restaurant that becomes more of a bar should compare biBERK, which is $124 a month for bars and can add liquor liability.
    • Outgrowing your insurer: If your revenue passes ERGO NEXT’s $5 million limit, you’ll need a different insurer for general liability.
  • bag icon

    Bundle general liability insurance when it lowers your total cost

    If you also need to insure equipment, inventory or a workspace, a business owner’s policy (BOP) combines general liability and property coverage, which can cost less than buying them separately. The Hartford’s Spectrum policy and ERGO NEXT’s business owner’s policy both work this way. A clothing store carrying seasonal inventory gets more out of a bundle than a consultant who works from client offices and has little property to insure. Compare the cost of a BOP against standalone general liability pricing before assuming a bundle saves money.

  • takingNotes icon

    Get certificates of insurance from your subcontractors

    At your end-of-term audit, your insurer reviews who you paid outside of payroll and can add those workers to your premium. Subcontractors who carry their own general liability are charged at a much lower rate than those who don’t. Before any subcontractor starts work, get a certificate of insurance with coverage dates that line up with your own policy.

Affordable General Liability Insurance in Michigan: Bottom Line

The Hartford has the lowest statewide average in Michigan at $96 a month and is cheapest for more business types than any other insurer, but that’s still only 121 of the 407 I analyzed. ERGO NEXT and biBERK each lead for more than 100 business types, Thimble leads for outdoor and home service trades, and Simply Business leads for counter-service food shops and specialty stores. That means your industry and headcount decide which insurer is cheapest for you more than the statewide ranking does. Start with the insurer that’s cheapest for your business type, then confirm it covers what your license, contracts and operations require. That could be liquor liability for a bar, completed operations coverage for a general contractor or rider injury coverage for an amusement ride.

If the cheapest insurer falls short on any of those, or won’t sell to your business type at all, compare its price against the next-cheapest insurer that does offer the coverage. Then weigh that gap against the risk you’d be leaving uncovered. Whichever insurers you consider, get quotes with the same limits so you’re comparing the same coverage.

Cheapest General Liability Insurance in Michigan Chart
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LOOKING FOR CHEAP COVERAGE FOR OTHER POLICY TYPES?

Most Michigan businesses need more than general liability once they hire staff or put vehicles on the road, and each added policy raises your total insurance bill. These guides compare Michigan insurers on price for two of the most common add-ons.

About Angelique Palenzuela-Cruz

Angelique Palenzuela-Cruz, Business Insurance Writer, MoneyGeek

Angelique Palenzuela-Cruz is a Business Insurance Content Writer at MoneyGeek, where she specializes in general liability, workers’ compensation and professional liability insurance. Her work helps small business owners understand how these policies apply to coverage, including risks like customer injuries, employee injuries, professional mistakes, client contract terms and industry-specific coverage requirements.
She primarily covers service-based businesses where liability and employee coverage decisions are especially important, including cleaning, consulting, beauty and wellness, childcare, education, fitness, food service, pet care, repair and maintenance, and other professional services.
Before joining MoneyGeek, Angelique spent nearly 12 years at Guthrie-Jensen Consultants, one of Southeast Asia’s largest management training firms, where she advanced from Training Consultant to Managing Consultant. In that role, she worked with business clients to assess operational needs, develop training programs and present performance analyses to executive decision-makers. She also helped establish Gladwin Training Consultancy, where she served in learning solutions and client service roles.
Her background gives her practical context for writing about how businesses operate, manage client expectations, structure teams and make risk decisions. At MoneyGeek, she applies that experience to business insurance content, connecting coverage to actual business needs.

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ma-angela-cruz

Email Contact: angelique.palenzuela@moneygeek.com

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