There was no single cheapest business-insurance company in 2025. The lowest adequate price depended on the business’s industry, state, employees, payroll, vehicles, property, claims history, required limits, and the types of work it performed.
For useful 2025 reference points, Progressive Commercial reported a median of $80 per month for a business owner’s policy (BOP) among its new customers and $50 per month for professional liability. Thimble advertised general-liability coverage starting at $17 per month, but that was an entry price—not a typical cost for a full BOP or for every business. The practical answer is to compare matched quotes and choose the cheapest adequate policy, not simply the cheapest advertised premium.
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What was the cheapest business insurance in 2025?
It depends on what you need to insure.
Thimble had the lowest advertised entry point in the research for general liability, starting at $17 per month. That may appeal to a freelancer, occasional contractor, event vendor, or other very small operation that qualifies for a narrow policy or short-term coverage. It should not be compared directly with a BOP that also covers business property and business income.
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Later comparison research can help identify companies worth quoting, but it does not change that conclusion. MoneyGeek’s 2026 modeled national comparison ranked ERGO NEXT lowest overall among the providers it studied, followed by Thimble, The Hartford, biBerk, and Nationwide. The analysis covered six common coverage types, more than 400 industries, all states plus Washington, D.C., businesses with zero to 49 employees, and several vehicle types. It also warned that its ranking might not apply to an individual business.
In other words, the best starting strategy is to quote several insurers—including Progressive, ERGO NEXT, The Hartford, Thimble, biBerk, and Nationwide—using exactly the same business details, coverage limits, deductibles, and endorsements.
2025 business-insurance price benchmarks
The figures below are useful for budgeting, but they are not interchangeable. They come from different sources and use different methods.
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| Source and date | Coverage | Reported price | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thimble, current advertised starting price | General liability | From $17 per month | A starting price for eligible businesses and selected coverage; not a typical all-business premium. |
| Progressive Commercial, 2025 | Business owner’s policy | $80 monthly median | Median paid by new Progressive Commercial customers buying a BOP; not a universal market rate. |
| Progressive Commercial, 2025 | Professional liability | $50 monthly median | Median among Progressive customers; the policy may not fit every professional service or contract requirement. |
| The Hartford, page updated in 2026 | BOP | $141 monthly average | A later comparison benchmark, not a 2025 figure. |
| The Hartford, page updated in 2026 | General liability | $68 monthly average | Current comparison information; actual pricing varies by business. |
| The Hartford, page updated in 2026 | Workers’ compensation | $86 monthly average | A later average influenced heavily by payroll, employee classification, location, and claims history. |
| The Hartford, page updated in 2026 | Professional liability | $62 monthly average | Not a 2025 price and not directly comparable with Progressive’s customer median. |
| MoneyGeek, 2026 modeled comparison | Composite of six coverage types | ERGO NEXT $99; Thimble $105; The Hartford $109; biBerk $110; Nationwide $112 per month | A modeled national comparison rather than quoted or guaranteed premiums. |
Why the numbers differ: a starting price is the lowest advertised qualifying price; a median is the midpoint of a group of customers; an average is the arithmetic mean; and a modeled comparison is an analyst’s estimate based on selected business profiles. A $17 general-liability starting price cannot be treated as evidence that a retailer, employer, or contractor should expect to pay $17 per month.
Business insurance is a group of coverages, not one product
“Business insurance” can refer to several separate policies. The Small Business Administration identifies general liability, product liability, professional liability, commercial property, home-based business coverage, and BOPs as common categories. Depending on the business, you may also need business income coverage, workers’ compensation, commercial auto, cyber liability, tools and equipment coverage, or umbrella liability.
General liability
General liability commonly addresses third-party bodily injury, property damage, and certain advertising or personal-injury allegations. It is often the coverage a landlord, customer, event organizer, or contracting client asks to see first. It does not generally replace professional liability, workers’ compensation, or commercial auto insurance.
Professional liability or errors and omissions
Professional liability is designed for claims that a professional service, recommendation, design, advice, or deliverable caused a financial loss because of an error, negligence, omission, or failure to perform. A consultant, accountant, designer, technology provider, or other advice-based business may need this even if it has no physical location or inventory.
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Commercial property covers eligible business property such as equipment, furniture, inventory, or improvements to a leased space. Business-income or business-interruption coverage may help replace lost income or cover certain continuing expenses after a covered event, subject to the policy’s terms and waiting periods.
Business owner’s policy
A BOP commonly packages general liability, commercial property, and business-income coverage. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners notes that bundling can cost less than buying several component policies separately when a business needs both liability and property protection.
A BOP is not automatically comprehensive. It generally does not include commercial auto, workers’ compensation, health or disability insurance, or liability for wrongful professional practices. A business may need separate professional liability, auto, workers’ compensation, cyber, product, or umbrella coverage.
Workers’ compensation
Workers’ compensation is generally required by state law once a business meets the applicable employee, payroll, industry, or other threshold. The rules and exemptions differ by state, so an owner should check the relevant state workers’ compensation authority or ask a licensed insurance professional before assuming an exemption applies.
Premiums commonly depend on payroll, number of employees, wages, job classifications, location, and claims history. A low monthly estimate can change after a payroll audit or when an employee’s duties are classified differently.
Commercial auto
Commercial auto is a separate exposure for vehicles used in business operations. A personal auto policy may exclude or restrict business use, and a BOP normally does not cover commercial vehicles. Businesses should also ask whether they need hired and non-owned auto coverage for rented vehicles or employees using personal vehicles for business errands.
Product liability and cyber liability
Online sellers, manufacturers, importers, wholesalers, and retailers should pay particular attention to product liability and completed-operations coverage. Platform agreements, retail leases, distributors, and commercial customers may impose their own insurance limits or additional-insured requirements.
Cyber liability may be relevant to businesses that process payments, store personally identifiable information, handle health information, depend on online systems, or face a significant interruption risk from a breach or security incident. Cyber insurance is separate from cybersecurity software: better security may reduce risk or help with underwriting, but it does not replace an insurance policy.
The cheapest policy by business profile
The right comparison set changes with the business. These are starting points—not promises that a particular insurer will be cheapest.
| Business profile | Coverage to price first | Most economical structure to investigate |
|---|---|---|
| Freelancer or consultant with no employees, inventory, or office | Professional liability and general liability | Compare standalone professional liability and general liability. A BOP may add unnecessary property coverage unless a contract requires it. |
| Home-based business | Business property, third-party liability, and professional liability if applicable | Ask whether a homeowners or renters policy excludes business activity. A home-business endorsement may cover limited equipment and third-party liability but may be inadequate for a larger operation. |
| Office, studio, retailer, or shop | General liability, commercial property, and business income | Compare a BOP against separate general-liability and property policies. A BOP is often economical when both liability and property protection are needed. |
| Contractor or hands-on service business | General liability, tools and equipment or inland marine, workers’ compensation if applicable, and commercial auto | Obtain contractor-specific quotes and verify completed operations, subcontractor, jobsite, and vehicle coverage. ERGO NEXT is a worthwhile comparison candidate based on MoneyGeek’s modeled results for hands-on businesses. |
| Employer with W-2 workers | Workers’ compensation plus general liability and any industry-specific coverage | Start with an accurate payroll and employee-classification submission. Ask how audits, estimated payroll, and subcontractors affect the final premium. |
| Business using cars, vans, or trucks | Commercial auto, plus liability and physical-damage options as appropriate | Quote commercial auto separately. Progressive Commercial ranked lowest for commercial auto in MoneyGeek’s 2026 modeled comparison, making it a logical candidate—not a guaranteed winner. |
| Online seller or product business | Product liability, general liability, inventory and property, business income, and possibly cyber | Compare a BOP or package policy with product-specific endorsements. Check marketplace, distributor, and customer-contract requirements before selecting limits. |
Which insurers are worth quoting?
Use rankings as a way to build a quote list, not as a substitute for underwriting.
- Progressive Commercial: the clearest 2025 benchmark in the research, with an $80 monthly BOP median and $50 professional-liability median among its customers. It is also worth including for commercial auto. A Progressive Commercial quote will reflect your business rather than the published median.
- Thimble: the lowest advertised general-liability entry point found, starting at $17 per month, and a potentially useful option for occasional, event-based, job-level, or short-term work. A Thimble business insurance quote should be compared against the same limits and policy duration offered elsewhere.
- ERGO NEXT: the lowest overall provider in MoneyGeek’s 2026 modeled composite and a strong candidate for contractors and other hands-on businesses. An ERGO NEXT business insurance quote is especially worth comparing when workers’ compensation, general liability, or trade-specific risks are important.
- The Hartford: ranked lowest for general liability and professional liability in MoneyGeek’s modeled coverage-level results. The insurer also publishes customer averages, but its page was updated in 2026, so those figures are not 2025 prices. Request a The Hartford small business quote for office-based businesses, professional services, retailers, and employers.
- biBerk and Nationwide: both appeared among MoneyGeek’s lowest modeled national composite providers and can be useful additional quote points.
- Hiscox, Chubb, and an independent broker: these may be relevant when professional liability, cyber coverage, specialty products, higher limits, unusual operations, or difficult-to-place risks matter more than a basic advertised price. An independent broker may also help compare insurers that do not provide a simple direct online quote.
Availability differs by state, business type, and coverage. The Hartford, for example, states that its estimates vary with industry, business size, employee count, location, coverage needs, limits, and deductibles, and that products are not available for every business or in every state.
Why the cheapest advertised price can be misleading
It may cover only one exposure
A general-liability starting price may not include professional liability, commercial property, business income, workers’ compensation, commercial auto, cyber coverage, or product liability. If the business needs several of those protections, comparing only the general-liability premium produces a false bargain.
Limits and deductibles may differ
Two policies are not comparable unless they use the same per-occurrence limit, aggregate limit, deductible, property limit, business-income limit, and important endorsements. A low premium may simply reflect lower limits or a higher deductible.
Short-term policies are not always cheaper annually
Job-level or event coverage can be economical when work is genuinely occasional. But purchasing multiple short-term policies throughout the year may cost more—or provide less continuity—than an annual policy. Ask about policy fees, cancellation rules, minimum earned premium, and gaps between jobs.
Classification drives the quote
Insurers price based partly on industry classification and the actual work performed. Describe operations accurately, including installation, design, consulting, sales, subcontracting, manufacturing, driving, work at customer premises, and use of employees. An artificially cheap quote based on an incomplete or inaccurate classification may not respond properly to a claim.
Audits can change the final price
Workers’ compensation and some liability policies may use estimated payroll or revenue and reconcile it later. Keep records of payroll, sales, subcontractor payments, vehicle use, and employee duties. Ask whether the policy is auditable and how an end-of-term adjustment is calculated.
How to compare business-insurance quotes correctly
- List the required coverage before requesting prices. Check state rules, professional licenses, leases, customer contracts, lender requirements, platform rules, and event or venue requirements. The SBA recommends consulting licensed agents and comparing several offers.
- Prepare one accurate application. Gather the legal business name, location, years in operation, annual revenue, payroll, employee count, job descriptions, subcontractor use, inventory value, equipment value, vehicles, driving records where relevant, prior claims, and the exact services or products sold.
- Request at least three matched quotes. Use the same limits, deductibles, policy term, property values, payroll, revenue, and endorsements. If one insurer quotes only general liability and another quotes a BOP, label the difference instead of calling the cheaper one the winner.
- Compare the declarations page and exclusions. Confirm coverage for products and completed operations, professional services, subcontractors, hired and non-owned auto, tools, inventory, employee theft where relevant, cyber incidents, business income, and additional-insured requests.
- Calculate the total cost. Add down payments, installment charges, policy fees, inspection fees, short-term charges, service fees, and possible audit adjustments. Ask whether a minimum earned premium applies if the policy is canceled early.
- Test the deductible against cash flow. A higher deductible can reduce premium, but only choose one the business could pay after a bad month or a major loss. A policy that cannot be used because the deductible is unaffordable is poor protection.
- Verify the insurer. Use the NAIC Consumer Insurance Search and contact the state insurance department for provider-specific licensing, complaint, and regulatory information. Confirm that the policy is issued by the legal insurer named in the documents, not merely marketed by an agency or online platform.
- Read the certificate requirements carefully. A certificate of insurance summarizes coverage but does not amend the policy. If a client requires an additional insured, waiver of subrogation, primary and noncontributory wording, or a specific limit, ask the insurer to issue the proper endorsement.
- Review the policy every year. Re-shop at renewal and whenever the business adds employees, changes locations, buys equipment, starts selling a new product, begins driving for work, signs a larger contract, or changes from occasional to regular operations.
Ways to reduce the premium without stripping out necessary protection
- Compare equivalent quotes: Obtain at least three proposals using the same limits and deductibles. This is usually more useful than choosing a carrier from a generic “cheapest” ranking.
- Ask about a package: If the business needs both liability and property coverage, ask whether a BOP costs less than separate policies while still meeting the contract requirements.
- Choose a sensible deductible: Increase it only after setting aside enough cash to cover it.
- Pay annually if the discount is meaningful: Avoid paying more in installment fees when cash flow allows an annual payment.
- Keep business information current: Accurate payroll, revenue, vehicle, employee, and operations data can prevent expensive audit surprises and help underwriting apply the correct classification.
- Ask about credits: Inquire about package discounts, claims-free history, safety programs, security systems, risk-management controls, and other credits the insurer actually offers for the business type.
- Separate price from protection: Removing product liability, completed operations, professional liability, business-income coverage, or adequate property limits can save premium while creating a much larger uninsured loss.
Legal and coverage cautions
Business insurance is state-regulated. Availability, required coverage, policy forms, minimum limits, workers’ compensation thresholds, and premiums can differ substantially between states and between industries. No national ranking can guarantee that a particular company will quote, accept, or beat another insurer for your business.
Do not assume that a personal homeowners, renters, auto, or umbrella policy covers business activity. Home-based businesses may need an endorsement or separate policy. A business using personal vehicles may need hired and non-owned auto coverage or a commercial auto policy. A professional service may need errors-and-omissions coverage even when general liability is already in place.
Likewise, a BOP does not automatically cover every risk. Read the exclusions, conditions, sublimits, waiting periods, and endorsements. For a significant purchase or a contract with unusual insurance language, have a licensed insurance professional explain what the policy does and does not cover.
A practical quote-shopping plan
For a solo professional with no employees and little property, start by comparing standalone professional liability and general liability. For a store, studio, office, or other operation with property, compare BOPs. For a contractor, add workers’ compensation if applicable, tools or inland-marine coverage, and commercial auto. For an online seller, focus on product liability, inventory, business income, and any platform or customer requirements.
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Then compare small-business insurance quotes from several sources using one consistent set of facts. Include the insurers identified in the relevant comparison group, and consider an independent licensed broker if your business has unusual operations, multiple states, specialty products, higher limits, or prior claims.
Use the 2025 figures as budget anchors: roughly $80 per month was Progressive’s new-customer BOP median, $50 was its professional-liability median, and $17 was Thimble’s advertised general-liability starting point. Your actual quote may be lower or higher, and a complete insurance program may contain several policies rather than one monthly premium.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Thimble’s $17-per-month business insurance price realistic?
It is a real advertised starting price for general-liability coverage, but it is not a typical price for every business. Eligibility, industry, limits, location, policy duration, and selected coverage affect the quote. It may be particularly relevant to qualifying occasional or job-based work, but it should not be compared directly with a BOP.
Is a BOP always the cheapest business-insurance option?
No. A BOP can be economical when a business needs general liability, commercial property, and business-income coverage together. A consultant with no inventory or physical business property may find standalone general liability and professional liability more appropriate. A BOP also generally excludes commercial auto, workers’ compensation, and professional-practice liability.
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Possibly. Workers’ compensation rules and exemptions vary by state, employee count, payroll, ownership status, and industry. Check your state’s requirements or ask a licensed insurance professional rather than relying on a nationwide rule.
Can my homeowners policy cover my home-based business?
It may exclude business activity or provide only limited protection. The SBA notes that a home-business endorsement may cover limited equipment and third-party liability, but it may not be sufficient for a larger operation. Ask the homeowners insurer about exclusions and consider separate business coverage.
How often should I re-shop business insurance?
Review it at least annually and whenever the business changes its services, location, employees, payroll, vehicles, inventory, equipment, revenue, or customer contracts. Those changes can affect both the required coverage and the premium.
The Bottom Line
The cheapest business insurance of 2025 was profile-dependent, not a universal carrier. Use Thimble’s $17 starting general-liability price as an advertised floor, Progressive’s $80 BOP median and $50 professional-liability median as 2025 reference points, and later modeled rankings only to build a quote list. The winning policy is the least expensive one that matches your required limits, exclusions, endorsements, and business risks.
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