Updated: October 15, 2025

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Key Takeaways
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Security business insurance costs $540 to $2,887 annually on average, varying by coverage type, state and sub-industry.

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Your security insurance premiums vary based on your location, claims history, the services you provide and your employee count.

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Shop multiple business insurers, bundle coverage, raise deductibles and pay annually to reduce your Security business insurance costs.

How Much Is Insurance for a Security Business?

We found average business insurance costs for security companies for commonly needed coverage are as follows:

  • Recommended Security Insurance Bundle: $358 per month or $4,299 yearly for a combined BOP, workers' comp and professional liability bundle.
  • General Liability Price: $140 monthly or $1,675 annually
  • Workers' Comp Price: $52 per month or $627 per year
  • Professional Liability Price: $100 per month or $1,197 annually
  • Business Owner's Policy (BOP) Price: $206 monthly or $2,475 annually
BOP$206$2,475
General Liability$140$1,675
Professional Liability (E&O)$100$1,197
Workers' Comp$52$627

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 Security Business Insurers

Select your industry and state to get a customized quote.

Industry
State

Security Business Insurance Cost of General Liability Coverage by State

Your security business cost for general liability insurance through NEXT varies by location. Maine delivers the best value at $121 monthly compared to the $140 national average, while New York costs $163 monthly for comparable coverage.

Alabama$135$1,625
Alaska$141$1,691
Arizona$133$1,590
Arkansas$134$1,609
California$156$1,869
Colorado$139$1,663
Connecticut$152$1,823
Delaware$148$1,781
Florida$151$1,816
Georgia$142$1,704
Hawaii$142$1,703
Idaho$133$1,590
Illinois$153$1,842
Indiana$136$1,636
Iowa$133$1,597
Kansas$136$1,629
Kentucky$130$1,558
Louisiana$154$1,844
Maine$121$1,453
Maryland$133$1,600
Massachusetts$147$1,760
Michigan$132$1,588
Minnesota$131$1,573
Mississippi$140$1,685
Missouri$136$1,638
Montana$139$1,670
Nebraska$132$1,587
Nevada$159$1,903
New Hampshire$139$1,668
New Jersey$158$1,901
New Mexico$141$1,687
New York$163$1,955
North Carolina$121$1,453
North Dakota$122$1,458
Ohio$130$1,556
Oklahoma$128$1,535
Oregon$130$1,558
Pennsylvania$162$1,938
Rhode Island$154$1,843
South Carolina$144$1,728
South Dakota$131$1,568
Tennessee$136$1,636
Texas$141$1,692
Utah$133$1,597
Vermont$134$1,611
Virginia$127$1,527
Washington$159$1,908
West Virginia$147$1,760
Wisconsin$137$1,646
Wyoming$129$1,551

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

Security Business Insurance Cost of Workers’ Compensation Coverage by State

The cost of workers' compensation insurance for security businesses differs across states. Maine provides the most affordable coverage at $45 monthly, while New York reaches $61 monthly. Our analysis shows that state regulations and historical claim patterns affect these pricing differences.

Alabama$51
Alaska$47
Arizona$50
Arkansas$50
California$58
Colorado$51
Connecticut$57
Delaware$56
Florida$57
Georgia$53
Hawaii$55
Idaho$49
Illinois$57
Indiana$50
Iowa$50
Kansas$50
Kentucky$49
Louisiana$60
Maine$45
Maryland$50
Massachusetts$55
Michigan$49
Minnesota$49
Mississippi$53
Missouri$52
Montana$52
Nebraska$50
Nevada$60
New Hampshire$52
New Jersey$59
New Mexico$53
New York$61
North Carolina$45
Oklahoma$49
Oregon$48
Pennsylvania$60
Rhode Island$57
South Carolina$53
South Dakota$49
Tennessee$51
Texas$52
Utah$50
Vermont$50
Virginia$47
West Virginia$55
Wisconsin$51

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

Security Business Insurance Cost of Professional Liability Coverage by State

Your professional liability cost varies by state. Nationwide, this coverage averages $100 monthly. North Carolina offers the most affordable rates at $85 monthly, while New York has the highest costs at $115 monthly.

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

Security Business Insurance Cost of BOP Coverage by State

Your security business insurance costs depend heavily on your state, with business owner's policy coverage showing the biggest price differences. BOP insurance cost varies dramatically across the country, from $178 monthly in North Dakota to $241 in New York for the same coverage.

Alabama$201
Alaska$209
Arizona$197
Arkansas$203
California$227
Colorado$204
Connecticut$223
Delaware$220
Florida$223
Georgia$210
Hawaii$209
Idaho$197
Illinois$233
Indiana$201
Iowa$194
Kansas$204
Kentucky$191
Louisiana$230
Maine$181
Maryland$192
Massachusetts$216
Michigan$191
Minnesota$194
Mississippi$204
Missouri$203
Montana$207
Nebraska$194
Nevada$237
New Hampshire$205
New Jersey$233
New Mexico$207
New York$241
North Carolina$179
North Dakota$178
Ohio$193
Oklahoma$190
Oregon$190
Pennsylvania$239
Rhode Island$235
South Carolina$213
South Dakota$190
Tennessee$201
Texas$209
Utah$196
Vermont$198
Virginia$189
Washington$231
West Virginia$214
Wisconsin$199
Wyoming$192

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

Security Business Insurance Cost by Provider

Security business insurance costs vary widely by provider, ranging from $56 to $199 per month. These differences reflect each insurer's market focus and strategic priorities, which shift based on profitability and coverage expansion opportunities.

Chubb$156$1,875
Coverdash$125$1,495
Hiscox$56$671
NEXT Insurance$108$1,290
Nationwide$143$1,714
Progressive Commercial$128$1,538
Simply Business$199$2,391
The Hartford$103$1,233
Thimble$137$1,638
biBERK$107$1,284

Security Business Insurance Cost Factors

Several factors affect your security business insurance costs, including company size, location, services offered, claims history and coverage limits.

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    Geographic location

    Crime rates and client demand patterns vary between markets. Security firms operating in high-crime urban areas have different risk profiles and pricing than those serving quiet suburban or rural communities with lower incident rates.

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    Safety record and claims history

    Use-of-force incidents and wrongful detention allegations create liability exposure. Claims involving guard misconduct, failure to prevent crimes or civil rights violations will shadow your insurance file and substantially increase future premiums.

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    Types of properties guarded

    Providing guards for retail stores or office lobbies presents manageable exposure. Companies protecting high-risk venues like nightclubs, cash-handling businesses or controversial events have dramatically elevated liability that insurers account for when setting rates.

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    Employee count and payroll

    Security guards work varied shifts in potentially dangerous situations requiring constant alertness. Every officer you employ increases workers' comp obligations, with premiums scaling based on total payroll and the confrontational nature of security work.

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    Services offered

    Unarmed observation and patrol services form the baseline for this industry. Adding armed guards, executive protection or tactical response teams introduces weapons liability and higher-stakes scenarios that demand substantially more coverage.

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    Business size and revenue

    Contract volume and guard deployment numbers reflect your total exposure to incidents. Small operations billing $120,000 with a handful of part-time guards operate at vastly different scales than regional firms earning $750,000 across dozens of client sites.

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    Coverage limits

    Professional liability and general liability both matter for security operations. Most firms carry $1 million minimum, but companies with armed guards or high-profile clients frequently need $2 million to $5 million in coverage given potential claim severity.

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    Equipment and vehicle values

    Patrol vehicles, communication systems and surveillance equipment require proper property protection. Companies running marked patrol cars with advanced monitoring technology need more comprehensive coverage than firms providing basic foot patrol services.

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    Certification and licensing

    State licensing requirements and guard training standards demonstrate operational professionalism to insurers. Companies maintaining proper certifications, thorough background checks and solid financial records secure more favorable rates than those with compliance gaps.

How to Get Cheap Security Business Insurance

Lowering your security business insurance costs takes a combination of smart comparison shopping and consistent risk management. Follow our guide to find affordable coverage for your security business while strengthening your company’s risk profile over time.

  1. 1
    Choose the right coverage types for your business

    Security companies need general liability for injuries during patrols or detainments, professional liability for security failures allowing theft or harm and workers' compensation for assault injuries to guards. 

    Add commercial auto for patrol vehicles, cyber liability if you monitor alarm systems or surveillance, errors and omissions for response failures, commercial crime coverage for employee dishonesty and excess liability since lawsuits can easily exceed standard limits.

  2. 2
    Shop multiple insurance companies

    Security insurance costs vary dramatically based on whether you provide unarmed guards, armed protection, alarm monitoring, or executive protection services requiring higher liability limits. Security-focused insurers understand state licensing requirements, use-of-force liability, and false alarm response risks better than general carriers.

  3. 3
    Bundle your coverage types

    Combining general liability, professional liability, and commercial auto saves 17% to 25% compared to purchasing separately. Many insurers offer security company packages that include cyber liability and excess coverage at reduced bundle rates.

  4. 4
    Increase your deductibles

    Higher deductibles of $2,500 to $10,000 can reduce premiums by 20% to 30%, but consider that security industry claims involving assaults or wrongful detention can be severe. 

    Keep professional liability deductibles moderate since defense costs for security failure lawsuits can reach $100,000 to $200,000 even with proper protocols.

  5. 5
    Pay annually instead of monthly

    Monthly payment plans add 6% to 12% in processing fees, which, on a $16,000 security policy, costs $960 to $1,920 extra annually. Paying annually eliminates these charges and earns 5% to 9% discounts from security carriers.

  6. 6
    Review and adjust your coverage annually

    Review your policy whenever you hire additional guards, add armed security services requiring higher limits, or expand into cybersecurity monitoring or investigations. 

    These risk management improvements can qualify for premium discounts if you've implemented de-escalation training, background check procedures, body cameras or incident reporting systems.

Insurance for Security Business Cost: Bottom Line

Security business insurance costs range from $45 to $241 monthly, with your location, claims history and business size driving your actual premium. Getting quotes from multiple insurers, bundling your policies, choosing higher deductibles and paying annually instead of monthly helps you find more affordable rates.

Security Insurance Cost: FAQ

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

What is the cheapest type of security business insurance?

How much does security business insurance cost in expensive states like California and New York?

How much can I save by bundling my security business insurance policies?

What factors make my security business insurance more expensive?

Should I choose a $500 or $2,500 deductible for my security business insurance?

How much does workers' compensation cost for security businesses by state?

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

How often should I shop around for security business insurance quotes?

How We Determined Security Business Insurance Costs

We collected security 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 security business profile requiring comprehensive coverage. We chose companies offering broad national coverage and online quote capabilities, prioritizing insurers that serve the security 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!

He writes about economics and insurance, breaking down complex topics so people know what they're buying.


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