With a score of 4.13 out of 5, The Hartford earns our second-place spot among the best small business insurers in the United States.
Discover if The Hartford is a match for your business with the tool below.
Updated: August 28, 2026
Advertising & Editorial Disclosure
*MoneyGeek featured partner. Editorial rankings below are independent of this placement. Rates, rankings and savings comparisons are based on MoneyGeek's independent research and Hartford-reported data as of 2026. Figures are estimates and averages, not a guarantee of any individual quote, premium or discount.
The Hartford ranks second in the nation for small-business insurance coverage, particularly excelling in claims service and breadth of coverage. They are not the most affordable option for small businesses with fewer than 5 employees, but their value is greatest for larger organizations that need more service support and policy options than a less established insurer can provide.
Here is how they performed overall across the three main metrics we studied:
The Hartford ranks 3rd in our study for affordability and offers the lowest prices for white collar industries such as tech, finance and consulting, with savings of up to 32% possible depending on your profession. If you're in more blue-collar and hands-on work areas like contracting/construction, food service, and cleaning, you'll find a better deal elsewhere if you're a smaller organization under 5 employees. Larger companies that are scaling at 5 employees and beyond have the cheapest pricing with the company, regardless of industry.
Customer service with The Hartford is top-notch compared to the competition, with over 200 years of insurance experience, dedicated industry-specific support departments, and a dedicated agent assigned to your business once you buy a policy. For those needing help managing claim risks, their risk engineering and loss prevention services help reduce the likelihood of financial losses during normal operations or large-scale projects. Their main strength is their claims service, but their digital tools for buying and managing a policy are lackluster compared with those of online-focused insurers.
Of all the providers we studied, The Hartford is the clear winner for coverage options, with broad-form coverage available for general liability policies, industry-specific professional liability policies that cover gaps most don't, and extensive specialty coverages and add-ons available directly and through their partners. As a larger insurer, the availability of larger, more customizable limits is available by speaking with an agent, making it especially attractive to larger companies and those needing more control over their policy's terms.
The cost of business insurance from The Hartford averages $109 monthly ($1,024 annually) for small businesses, which sits at about $2 below the national average. This estimate is not a premium of an actual policy, however, and it is a composite price across of the six most common coverage types that most companies need. Your pricing primarily depends on the business insurance products you need, your industry, and your location.
Most Affordable For: Businesses of all sizes based in the northeast within white-collar industries, specifically tech, finance and consulting
Affordable For: Select industries, including fitness, education and beauty professionals based in the southeast or central United States.
Least Affordable For: Companies located in the Deep South or the Western United States that employ blue-collar professionals.
The Hartford has the second-best customer experience overall for most small businesses, not because its traditional approach is not excellent, but because it lacks easy online buying and policy management tools. If you prefer a more hands-on, human-to-human approach to managing your insurance, with solid experience that guides you through claims seamlessly, they are the company for you. However, if you're looking for a more DIY experience online, other companies will suit you better.
Buying | Buying a policy is well supported with their dedicated and industry specialized agents and some common policies with more standard limits can be purchased completely online and you can get a COI relatively quickly. | Their quote process is slower than most, does not allow you to buy all of their policy options completely online and doesn't recommend coverage you need based on business details well. Clarity surrounding coverage terms and underwriting is not as clear during online the buying process. |
Policy Management | Their dedicated team for loss and claim prevention is industry leading and handling of policy changes is seamless through their expert team. | Digital tool functionality is much more limited than competition, with most changes to any policy requiring your dedicated agent to support you. |
Claims | Once you claim is filed, process of being financially reimbursed and making appeals when necessary is near seamless when compared to other insurers with customers often reporting amazing personal support and better speed than expected. | Filing claims often requires the assistance of an agent, even though online filing systems are available. |
The Hartford's overall business insurance portfolio leaves very little to be desired, with many support systems in place for claim prevention, cybersecurity and workers' comp health resources that make managing your financial risk easier. While it isn't immediately clear during online quoting, limits, terms, and add-ons are extremely flexible when you work with an agent to get coverage in place. Even though they don't offer features like event-by-event coverage, which is often unnecessary for most small business owners,you'll find what you need at any size with the company.
I've highlighted our review of the main products we reviewed that they either directly offer or provide through partnerships.
General Liability | Broad protection and strong bundling options make The Hartford a good fit for established businesses, but its lack of direct short-term coverage makes it less flexible for temporary, project-based or event-driven needs. |
Workers’ Compensation | Few areas stand out for The Hartford as much as workers’ compensation, where its claims support, medical network and payroll options add meaningful value for employers managing a growing workforce. |
Commercial Auto (Through partners) | Businesses that want to keep their vehicle coverage alongside other core policies should find The Hartford competitive with their partners, although operations with heavy or specialized auto exposure may get more tailored options from an auto-focused insurer like Progressive. |
Professional Liability | For companies already buying other coverage from The Hartford, professional liability fits well into a broader insurance program; solo professionals and highly specialized service firms may find more targeted options elsewhere. |
Cyber Insurance (Through Coalition) | The Hartford goes beyond basic data breach protection with standalone cyber coverage and incident-response resources, while cyber-focused insurers can have an edge in proactive monitoring and technology-driven risk management. |
Commercial Property | Where The Hartford’s property coverage shines is in its ability to sit within a broader BOP or multi-policy program, rather than through uniquely differentiated standalone property features. |
Note: The Hartford business insurance isn't available in Alaska, Hawaii or Michigan (business owner's policies only). Coverage details vary by business type and location, so contact The Hartford for specifics. Employment practices liability availability depends on your business class, state and risk factors.
The Hartford delivers superior value compared to competitors for larger companies with over 5 employees and white-collar professionals. Even when pricing is not ideal, their broad coverage depth in their policy terms and the large portfolio of options for both add-ons and core coverage types can be worth the premium. Their agent service is unmatched, with plentiful resources, and you can build a relationship with a dedicated agent and industry expert department over time as your business grows.
If you want the highest level of human customer support and coverage without all of the online bells and whistles, The Hartford is likely the best option for you. However, if you prefer a DIY experience with extremely flexible and capable online tools, another insurer is a better fit.
We looked at how The Hartford compares to what matters most for your company's protection and budget:
Read our full methodology.
Connor Bolton is Senior SEO and Content Manager at MoneyGeek, where he leads the business and pet insurance editorial teams. He sets the research framework, data standards and content structure for his team. All content goes through his accuracy review before publication. Connor also writes in-depth guides and has spent more than four years covering insurance products across personal, commercial and specialty lines.
The research infrastructure Connor built covers auto, home, renters, life, health, business and pet insurance across pricing analysis, carrier research, customer experience and coverage evaluation. It includes over 6 million data points for business insurance across 408 industry areas, all 50 states and 16 vehicle types. The pet insurance side covers over 5 million profiles across 18 major providers, 100+ breeds and ages up to 20 years. Connor’s insurance research and his team's work have been cited by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Allstate, Liberty Mutual, CBS News, Forbes and LegalZoom.
Connor also talks with underwriters and carrier liaisons at Ethos, The Hartford, ERGO NEXT, Nationwide and State Farm, and monitors business and pet owner communities on Reddit. Those sources shape how his team evaluates carriers, structures rate analysis and writes content for real pet owners.
Questions about MoneyGeek's business or pet insurance content? Reach him at connor@moneygeek.com or on LinkedIn.
