The Hartford earned our top spot for the best small business insurer for welding companies due to its affordability and coverage. However, we recommend comparing quotes from our other top picks, including NEXT, biBerk and Coverdash.
Best Welding Business Insurance
Updated: July 17, 2025
Advertising & Editorial Disclosure
Key Takeaways
The Hartford is the best business insurance company for welding firms because it offers the greatest balance of customer service and coverage.
The cheapest overall commercial insurance provider for welding businesses is The Hartford, with low monthly rates for various coverage types.
To shop for business insurance for your welding business, assess the risks in your industry, consult agents and other welding businesses, and compare multiple options.
Best Business Insurance for Welding Companies
| The Hartford | 96 | 98 | 91 |
| NEXT Insurance | 95 | 94 | 94 |
| biBERK | 93 | 97 | 91 |
| Coverdash | 88 | 87 | 83 |
| Nationwide | 88 | 83 | 91 |
| Simply Business | 87 | 84 | 83 |
| Hiscox | 86 | 86 | 87 |
| Chubb | 85 | 80 | 87 |
| Progressive Commercial | 85 | 85 | 81 |
| Thimble | 83 | 81 | 81 |
*All scores were based on a welding business with two employees across professional liability, general liability, workers' comp and BOP policies.
1. The Hartford
pros
Cheapest professional liability insurance
High financial strength (A+ AM Best)
Competitive BOP and workers' comp rates
cons
Not the cheapest for general liability
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
The Hartford earns the top spot for welders needing well-rounded, high-quality protection. It offers the lowest average pricing on professional liability insurance, making it ideal for shops that provide design, inspection, or specialty welding services. Its rates for BOP and workers' comp are also highly competitive. With an A+ AM Best rating, The Hartford gives welding businesses strong financial backing and claims support. While general liability rates aren’t the lowest, the value across all other policies makes it a top-tier pick.
2. NEXT
pros
Competitive across all policy types
Fast online quoting and instant COIs
High customer ratings
cons
No bundled coverage discounts
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
NEXT is an excellent option for welding businesses that want speed, simplicity and flexible monthly payments. It offers solid pricing across general liability, professional liability and BOP, making it a versatile choice for welders doing both shop and mobile work. NEXT’s 100% online model includes real-time certificate generation and policy updates. With an average rating of 4.7 out of 5, it's popular with self-managed tradespeople. Just be aware it doesn't offer multi-policy discounts like traditional carriers.
3. biBerk
pros
Cheapest general liability and BOP coverage
Strong digital quoting platform
Backed by Berkshire Hathaway
cons
No agent support for claims or service
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
biBerk stands out for offering the lowest average rates on general liability and BOP coverage for welding companies. Backed by Berkshire Hathaway, it combines trustworthy underwriting with a fully digital experience for fast quotes and simple policy management. Welders running lean operations or working as contractors can benefit from its affordability. Service is primarily online, so those who prefer phone support or local agents may want to compare options.
Cheapest Business Insurance for Welding Firms
Based on our study of business insurance pricing, biBerk offers competitive commercial insurance rates for welding companies, winning two of the four major coverage types we analyzed. But this applies only to welding 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 Welding Companies
With an average monthly rate of $142, biBerk offers the lowest-cost general liability insurance for welding companies. Even so, consider getting quotes from the next-most-affordable insurers: NEXT and The Hartford.
| biBERK | $142 | $1,699 |
| NEXT Insurance | $146 | $1,755 |
| The Hartford | $146 | $1,746 |
| Coverdash | $169 | $2,024 |
| Hiscox | $170 | $2,043 |
| Nationwide | $174 | $2,082 |
| Progressive Commercial | $175 | $2,100 |
| Simply Business | $178 | $2,134 |
| Thimble | $187 | $2,242 |
| Chubb | $192 | $2,299 |
Cheapest Workers' Comp Insurance for Welding Companies
For welding businesses shopping for workers' comp insurance, Thimble tops our list as the most affordable insurer, with average rates of $50 per month or $602 yearly.
Still, it’s worth checking quotes from other low-cost insurers like Progressive Commercial, Hiscox and Simply Business.
| Thimble | $50 | $602 |
| Progressive Commercial | $54 | $649 |
| Hiscox | $56 | $672 |
| Simply Business | $56 | $670 |
| Coverdash | $57 | $688 |
| The Hartford | $57 | $682 |
| NEXT Insurance | $58 | $701 |
| biBERK | $59 | $708 |
| Nationwide | $63 | $755 |
| Chubb | $67 | $810 |
Cheapest Professional Liability Insurance for Welding Companies
The Hartford offers the most affordable professional liability insurance options for welding companies, with low average monthly rates of $68. You may also want to compare prices from other low-cost providers like NEXT, Progressive Commercial and Thimble.
| The Hartford | $68 | $821 |
| NEXT Insurance | $71 | $856 |
| Progressive Commercial | $73 | $879 |
| Thimble | $75 | $903 |
| Simply Business | $76 | $915 |
| Hiscox | $77 | $918 |
| Coverdash | $78 | $930 |
| biBERK | $80 | $956 |
| Nationwide | $83 | $994 |
| Chubb | $90 | $1,075 |
Cheapest BOP Insurance for Welding Companies
For those seeking combined general liability and property insurance in a business owner’s policy (BOP), biBerk offers the lowest average annual rate at $2,217. This is around $15 cheaper yearly than the next cheapest provider, The Hartford.
| biBERK | $185 | $2,217 |
| The Hartford | $186 | $2,232 |
| NEXT Insurance | $211 | $2,532 |
| Coverdash | $245 | $2,943 |
| Hiscox | $254 | $3,048 |
| Progressive Commercial | $261 | $3,130 |
| Nationwide | $262 | $3,138 |
| Simply Business | $267 | $3,202 |
| Chubb | $284 | $3,411 |
| Thimble | $289 | $3,470 |
What Type of Coverage Do You Need for a Welding Business?
Most companies with employees are legally required to carry workers' comp insurance, and businesses that use vehicles must have commercial auto coverage. Many clients or contracts also require businesses to carry general liability insurance before starting work. Some industries also require surety bonds, particularly when contracts need service guarantees or compliance assurance.
RECOMMENDED WELDING BUSINESS COVERAGE
General liability insurance is strongly recommended for welding 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 welding businesses with commercial contracts or high-risk jobs, like technical, legal, or customized services.
How to Get the Best Cheap Business Insurance for Your Welding Company
Here's a step-by-step method for finding the best and cheapest business insurance for your welding 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
Research average costs for your business profile and find which providers offer the cheapest rates overall. This will give you a benchmark for how much you're saving when comparing quotes and which companies to start with.
- 3
Look into company reputations and coverage options
Narrow your list by researching what customers say on rating sites and forums to get a better look at company services. Research coverage options to match your current and future needs so you're covered for the right situations.
- 4
Compare multiple quotes through different means
Compare multiple quotes for identical coverage to find the best deal. 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 keep getting the best deal.
How to Decrease Your Welding Business's Liability Risk
To manage insurance costs and reduce liability risk, welding businesses must adopt tailored risk mitigation strategies. Below, you'll find strategies organized by your business's specific risk level or service type.
Welding Business Risk Type | Included Types of Welding Businesses | Risk Mitigation Tactics |
|---|---|---|
Highest | Structural steel welding, pipeline welding, oil & gas field welding, pressure vessel fabrication | Certified welders (AWS, API), hot work permits, strict PPE standards (auto-darkening helmets, fire-resistant gear), ventilation and fume extraction, fire watch protocols |
Moderate | Mobile welding services, auto body welding, light fabrication shops | Job hazard analysis per site, mobile equipment safety inspections, welding blanket/fire-resistant barriers, eye and hearing protection, equipment lockout/tagout |
Lower | Artistic welding, metal furniture and decor fabrication, small repair-only shops | Adequate shop ventilation, stable welding tables, dry storage for gas cylinders, first aid readiness, safe gas shutoff procedures |
Best Insurance for Welding Business: Bottom Line
The Hartford is the best insurer for welding business insurance, offering both top-rated service and the most affordable coverage. We also recommend getting quotes from NEXT and biBerk. For the best deal, talk to agents, research providers and pricing and compare multiple quotes side by side.
Welding Business Insurance: FAQ
Below, we answer common questions about welding business insurance.
Who offers the best welding business insurance overall?
The Hartford offers the best business insurance for welding companies, earning high marks for customer service and a MoneyGeek score of 96 out of 100. NEXT follows closely with a strong score of 95.
Who has the cheapest business insurance for welding companies?
Here are the cheapest business insurance companies for welding businesses by coverage type:
- Cheapest general liability insurance: biBERK at $142 per month
- Cheapest workers' comp insurance: Thimble at $50 per month
- Cheapest professional liability insurance: The Hartford at $68 per month
- Cheapest BOP insurance: biBERK at $185 per month
What business insurance is required for welding organizations?
Workers' compensation insurance (if you have employees) and commercial auto insurance (if you own business vehicles) are legally required for welding 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 welding business insurance cost?
Business insurance costs for welding companies depend on shop size, employee count and exposure risk. Below is a breakdown of average monthly costs across common policy types:
- General liability: $168 per month
- Workers comp: $58 per month
- Professional liability: $77 per month
- BOP insurance: $244 per month
How We Chose the Best Welding Business Insurance
We selected the best business insurer for welding 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
- NEXT. "Customer Reviews." Accessed June 16, 2025.