Key Takeaways
blueCheck icon

Home-based business insurance costs range from $105 to $492 annually on average, depending on coverage type, state and sub-industry.

blueCheck icon

Your home-based insurance premiums depend on location, claims history, services you provide and your employee count.

blueCheck icon

Shop multiple business insurers, bundle policies, increase deductibles and pay annually to find affordable home-based business insurance costs.

How Much Is Insurance for a Home-Based Business?

We found average business insurance costs for home-based companies for commonly needed coverage are as follows:

  • Recommended Home-Based Business Insurance Bundle: $82 per month or $985 yearly for combined BOP, workers' comp and professional liability bundle.
  • General Liability Price: $24 monthly or $287 annually
  • Workers' Comp Price: $10 per month or $121 per year
  • Professional Liability Price: $37 per month or $445 annually
  • Business Owner's Policy (BOP) Price: $35 monthly or $420 annually
BOP$35$420
General Liability$24$287
Professional Liability (E&O)$37$445
Workers' Comp$10$121

Note: We based these rates on small businesses with two employees across 79 major industries, focusing on four coverage types: general liability, professional liability/errors and omissions (E&O), workers' comp and business owner's policy. Your actual rates will vary based on your specific business factors and location.

Get Matched to Cheap Home-Based Business Insurers

Select your industry and state to get a customized quote.

Industry
State

Home-Based Business Insurance Cost of General Liability Coverage by State

Your home-based business insurance cost for general liability insurance varies dramatically by location. Maine residents pay just $21 monthly compared to the $24 national average, while New Yorkers have $28 monthly premiums for the same coverage.

Alabama$23$281
Alaska$23$272
Arizona$23$275
Arkansas$23$275
California$27$319
Colorado$24$284
Connecticut$26$311
Delaware$26$308
Florida$26$310
Georgia$24$291
Hawaii$26$307
Idaho$23$272
Illinois$26$315
Indiana$23$279
Iowa$23$273
Kansas$23$278
Kentucky$22$270
Louisiana$27$320
Maine$21$248
Maryland$23$273
Massachusetts$25$301
Michigan$23$272
Minnesota$22$269
Mississippi$24$288
Missouri$24$283
Montana$24$285
Nebraska$23$271
Nevada$27$329
New Hampshire$24$285
New Jersey$27$325
New Mexico$24$288
New York$28$333
North Carolina$21$248
North Dakota$21$249
Ohio$22$266
Oklahoma$22$268
Oregon$22$266
Pennsylvania$28$331
Rhode Island$26$315
South Carolina$25$295
South Dakota$22$268
Tennessee$23$279
Texas$24$289
Utah$23$276
Vermont$23$275
Virginia$22$261
Washington$27$326
West Virginia$25$301
Wisconsin$23$281
Wyoming$22$265

Note: We based these general liability rates on home-based businesses with two employees across different states. Your rates will vary based on your location, claims history and the services you provide.

Home-Based Business Insurance Cost of Workers’ Compensation Coverage by State

Your home-based business will have different workers' compensation insurance rates depending on your state. You'll pay as little as $9 monthly in Maine or as much as $12 in New York. State regulations and claim histories drive these pricing differences across the country.

Alabama$10
Alaska$9
Arizona$10
Arkansas$10
California$11
Colorado$10
Connecticut$11
Delaware$11
Florida$11
Georgia$10
Hawaii$11
Idaho$9
Illinois$11
Indiana$10
Iowa$10
Kansas$10
Kentucky$9
Louisiana$11
Maine$9
Maryland$10
Massachusetts$11
Michigan$9
Minnesota$9
Mississippi$10
Missouri$10
Montana$10
Nebraska$9
Nevada$11
New Hampshire$10
New Jersey$11
New Mexico$10
New York$12
North Carolina$9
Oklahoma$9
Oregon$9
Pennsylvania$12
Rhode Island$11
South Carolina$10
South Dakota$9
Tennessee$10
Texas$10
Utah$10
Vermont$10
Virginia$9
West Virginia$11
Wisconsin$10

Note: We based these workers' comp rates on home-based businesses with two employees across different states. Your workers' comp requirements and costs will vary by state since each has different regulations.

Home-Based Business Insurance Cost of Professional Liability Coverage by State

Your professional liability cost will vary by state. This coverage, also called errors and omissions insurance (E&O), averages $37 monthly nationwide. You'll find the lowest E&O insurance cost in North Carolina at $32 monthly, while New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania tie for the highest at $43 monthly.

Note: We based these professional liability rates on home-based businesses with two employees across different states. Your actual rates will depend on your services offered and location.

Home-Based Business Insurance Cost of BOP Coverage by State

Home-based business insurance costs depend heavily on your state, with BOP insurance cost differences spanning from $30 monthly in North Carolina to $41 in New York for the same coverage. This $11 monthly gap translates to $132 more annually for New York entrepreneurs compared to North Carolina business owners.

Alabama$35
Alaska$33
Arizona$34
Arkansas$34
California$39
Colorado$34
Connecticut$38
Delaware$38
Florida$38
Georgia$35
Hawaii$36
Idaho$33
Illinois$39
Indiana$35
Iowa$34
Kansas$33
Kentucky$33
Louisiana$39
Maine$31
Maryland$34
Massachusetts$38
Michigan$33
Minnesota$33
Mississippi$36
Missouri$35
Montana$35
Nebraska$34
Nevada$40
New Hampshire$35
New Jersey$39
New Mexico$35
New York$41
North Carolina$30
North Dakota$30
Ohio$31
Oklahoma$32
Oregon$32
Pennsylvania$40
Rhode Island$38
South Carolina$35
South Dakota$33
Tennessee$34
Texas$35
Utah$34
Vermont$33
Virginia$31
Washington$40
West Virginia$38
Wisconsin$35
Wyoming$32

Note: We based these BOP rates on home-based businesses with two employees across different states. Your actual rates will vary based on your business size, location, and coverage needs.

Home-Based Business Insurance Cost by Provider

Home-based business insurance costs vary widely by provider, ranging from $22 monthly with The Hartford to $33 with Coverdash. These price differences reflect each insurer's specific market focus and risk assessment strategies, which shift over time based on profitability and coverage expansion opportunities.

Chubb$32$379
Coverdash$33$396
Hiscox$25$298
NEXT Insurance$22$270
Nationwide$29$348
Progressive Commercial$26$309
Simply Business$23$273
The Hartford$22$259
Thimble$28$330
biBERK$27$320

Home-Based Business Insurance Cost Factors

Home-based business insurance costs depend on multiple factors that insurers review when setting your premium rates:

    pin icon
    Geographic location

    Your home's address sets baseline rates through neighborhood risk factors and state insurance regulations. Areas with higher property crime or stricter zoning enforcement around home businesses can push your premiums upward.

    giveMoney icon
    Safety record and claims history

    Claims from business activities at your residence affect future pricing. Something as simple as a client tripping on your front steps or a product liability issue can raise what you pay down the line.

    workplace icon
    Types of business

    What you do from home matters more than you'd think. Consulting from a home office carries minimal risk, while running a bakery with commercial ovens or storing inventory for an e-commerce shop creates different exposures.

    wage icon
    Employee count and payroll

    Hiring anyone to work from your home triggers workers' compensation requirements in most states. Even part-time virtual assistants or contractors may need coverage, depending on how your state classifies them and your working relationship.

    smallBusiness icon
    Business size and revenue

    How much you earn influences coverage needs and premiums. A side hustle generating $20,000 annually requires less protection than someone running their primary income source from home and clearing six figures.

    smallCalculator icon
    Coverage limits

    Choosing between minimum and robust coverage affects your monthly spend. Basic policies might cap business property at $10,000, while comprehensive plans can protect $50,000 or more in equipment and inventory at proportionally higher prices.

    goodCredit icon
    Credit score and financial stability

    Personal credit affects business insurance pricing in most markets. Insurers use credit-based insurance scores to gauge reliability, rewarding strong credit with lower rates and penalizing poor credit with markups.

How to Get Cheap Home-Based Business Insurance

Lowering the cost of your home-based business insurance starts with comparing providers and making smart coverage choices. Follow our step-by-step guide to find affordable business insurance that fit your needs and strengthen your business’s risk profile over time.

  1. 1
    Choose the right coverage types for your business

    Home-based businesses need separate business insurance since standard homeowners policies exclude commercial activities and provide little to no coverage for business equipment, liability, or income loss. 

    Essential coverage includes general liability for client injuries at your home office, business property insurance for computers and equipment, and professional liability if you provide services or advice.

  2. 2
    Shop multiple insurance companies

    Insurance costs for home-based operations vary dramatically based on whether clients visit your location, you store inventory, or you operate purely online without customer traffic. Request quotes from three or four providers, comparing both standalone policies and home business endorsements you can add to your existing homeowners insurance.

  3. 3
    Bundle your coverage types

    Adding a home business endorsement to your homeowners policy costs $200-400 annually for basic coverage, while standalone Business Owner's Policies offer more comprehensive protection at $500-1,500 depending on your business type. Bundling your business and homeowners insurance with the same carrier often provides multi-policy discounts of 10% to 15%. Some insurers offer in-home business policies that seamlessly blend personal and commercial coverage without requiring separate policies.

  4. 4
    Increase your deductibles

    Higher deductibles of $1,000 to $2,500 on business property coverage can reduce premiums by 20% to 30% if your equipment value is relatively low. Keep general liability deductibles minimal since client injuries or property damage claims can arise even in a home office environment.

  5. 5
    Pay annually instead of monthly

    Monthly payment plans add 4% to 8% in installment fees that compound quickly even on smaller home business premiums. Annual payment eliminates these charges and may qualify you for a 5% to 8% paid-in-full discount. For a home-based business with $1,200 in annual premiums, this combination could save $100 to $190 yearly that you can reinvest in business development or marketing initiatives.

  6. 6
    Review and adjust your coverage annually

    Review your policy whenever you start meeting clients at home, hire employees or contractors, or increase your equipment or inventory value beyond basic home office needs. Your coverage limits should grow with your revenue, especially if you've transitioned from a side hustle to full-time income.

Insurance for Home-Based Business Cost: Bottom Line

Home-based business insurance costs between $9 and $41 per month, though your exact rate depends on factors like location, business size and claims history. You can often lower your premium by comparing quotes from several providers, bundling policies, raising your deductible or paying your annual premium upfront.

Home-Based Insurance Cost: FAQ

Home-based business owners commonly ask about insurance costs. We answered the most frequent questions below:

What is the cheapest type of home-based business insurance?

How much does home-based business insurance cost in expensive states like California and New York?

How much can I save by bundling my home-based business insurance policies?

What factors make my home-based business insurance more expensive?

Should I choose a $500 or $2,500 deductible for my home-based business insurance?

How much does workers' compensation cost for home-based businesses by state?

Is business owner's policy (BOP) worth the extra cost for home-based companies?

How often should I shop around for home-based business insurance quotes?

How We Determined Home-Based Business Insurance Costs

We collected home-based business insurance quotes from companies across different states. For consistent comparisons, every quote used the same business setup:

  • Two employees (three people in total, including the owner)
  • $150,000 annual payroll
  • $300,000 annual revenue
  • Already insured status
  • $1 million per occurrence and $2 million total per year for all coverage except BOP, which includes the same limits plus $5,000 business property coverage

We used a typical small home-based business profile requiring comprehensive coverage. We chose companies offering broad national coverage and online quote capabilities, prioritizing insurers that serve the home-based industry.

About Mark Fitzpatrick


Mark Fitzpatrick headshot

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.


Copyright © 2025 MoneyGeek.com. All Rights Reserved