Insureon publishes cost data based on policies purchased by roughly 100,000 small-business customers. Its 2026 data reports the following median monthly costs for several common commercial insurance policies.

Business insurance is a category of coverage, not one standardized policy. A solo consultant working from a home office may need general liability and professional liability coverage. A contractor with employees, trucks, expensive tools, and job-site exposures may need general liability, workers’ compensation, commercial auto, inland marine, umbrella insurance, and other protection.

Those two businesses can have dramatically different insurance budgets even when their annual revenue is similar.

The most useful way to estimate cost is therefore to identify the policies your company actually needs and price each coverage based on your specific risk profile.

Current Insureon purchasing data reports a median general liability premium of about $45 per month among its small-business customers.

General liability premiums are strongly influenced by the type of work a business performs. The NAIC notes that liability premiums can be tied to sales and payroll estimates and that businesses presenting greater liability risk generally pay more.

Factors can include:

• Industry and operations.
• Annual sales.
• Payroll.
• Number of customers or visitors.
• Products sold.
• Claims history.
• Coverage limits and endorsements.

Insureon’s 2026 data reports a median Business Owners Policy cost of approximately $83 per month.

A BOP typically combines several important protections into one package. The NAIC describes a BOP as generally including commercial property, business interruption or continuation, and general liability coverage.

For eligible small businesses, a BOP can be less expensive than buying comparable component policies separately. However, the BOP premium varies with property values, business operations, location, revenue, limits, deductibles, and optional endorsements.

Insureon reports a median workers’ compensation cost of about $54 per month among its small-business customers, but workers’ compensation pricing can vary dramatically by occupation and payroll.

The NAIC notes that a newer business may be priced using factors such as total payroll, number of employees, earnings per employee, and type of work performed. For an established company, workplace safety and loss history can also influence cost.

A clerical employee and a roofer do not present the same workplace injury exposure. That is why comparing workers’ compensation premiums without considering employee classifications can be misleading.

Commercial auto is often one of the more expensive common small-business policies. Current Insureon data reports a median cost of approximately $245 per month.

Premiums can depend on:

• Number and type of vehicles.
• Vehicle value.
• How vehicles are used.
• Annual mileage.
• Who drives them.
• Drivers’ motor vehicle records.
• Where vehicles are stored and operated.
• Cargo or equipment carried.
• Liability and physical damage limits.
• Claims history.

The NAIC notes that vehicle type, region, theft exposure, driving history, claims history, and deductible choices can influence commercial auto premiums.

Professional liability insurance, also called errors and omissions insurance in many industries, has a reported median cost of approximately $88 per month in Insureon’s 2026 small-business data.

Pricing depends on the likelihood and potential severity of claims alleging professional mistakes, negligence, inadequate services, or failure to meet professional obligations.

Important pricing factors can include:

• Profession or service offered.
• Annual revenue.
• Size and value of client contracts.
• Coverage limits.
• Deductible.
• Claims history.
• Retroactive date and other claims-made provisions.

Insureon reports a median cyber insurance cost of approximately $129 per month among its small-business customers.

Cyber pricing can vary substantially because one business may store very little sensitive information while another handles thousands of customer records, payment details, medical information, or other valuable data.

Insurers may consider:

• Industry.
• Revenue.
• Number and type of records stored.
• Security controls.
• Authentication and backup practices.
• Previous cyber incidents.
• Coverage limits and deductibles.
• Business interruption and social engineering coverage.

One of the clearest reasons business insurance costs vary is that different industries create different probabilities and severities of loss.

For example, current Insureon data for professional-services businesses reports a median general liability cost of about $29 per month and a BOP cost of about $47 per month. Its current contractor data reports approximately $83 per month for general liability and $115 per month for a BOP.

These figures are not universal industry rates, but they illustrate why an overall small-business average should not be treated as a personalized estimate. Physical work, job-site hazards, expensive tools, vehicles, and employee injury exposure can materially change premiums.

Higher liability and property limits generally cost more because they increase the insurer’s potential claim payment.

That does not mean choosing the lowest available limit is the most economical decision. A policy that saves a few hundred dollars per year but leaves the company responsible for a six-figure uninsured loss may provide poor financial protection.

Limits may also be dictated by customer agreements, leases, lenders, or other contracts. Always check those requirements before comparing quotes.

A deductible is the amount your business is responsible for when a deductible applies to a covered claim. Choosing a larger deductible commonly reduces the premium because the company is retaining more financial risk.

Location can influence several types of commercial insurance at the same time.

The NAIC notes that businesses located in areas prone to hurricanes, wildfires, hail, theft, heavy traffic, or other hazards can face higher premiums. State laws and local claim costs can also influence liability pricing.

Two otherwise similar businesses operating in different states or cities should therefore not assume they will receive comparable insurance prices.

Past losses can affect future insurance costs. A business with repeated liability, property, vehicle, or employee injury claims can appear more likely to generate future claims.

Risk-control measures can also matter. The NAIC recommends steps such as maintaining safe premises, installing fire and security equipment, keeping business vehicles and equipment in good condition, training employees, and maintaining good driving records.

Not every safety improvement produces an automatic discount, but preventing claims can have substantial long-term value even when the immediate premium reduction is modest.

Compare Multiple Insurers

The SBA recommends shopping around because commercial insurance prices and benefits can vary significantly. Different insurers may be more competitive for different industries and risk profiles.

Bundle Coverage When It Makes Sense

Eligible small businesses may reduce complexity and potentially cost by purchasing a BOP that combines liability, property, and business interruption protection.

Choose Deductibles Carefully

A higher deductible can reduce premiums, but select an amount your business could realistically pay after a sudden loss.

Reduce Preventable Risks

Workplace safety programs, driver screening, security systems, fire protection, employee training, and cybersecurity controls can reduce the likelihood of losses and may improve underwriting results.

Review Payroll, Revenue, and Property Values

Some commercial policies are initially priced using estimated payroll or sales and later audited. Accurate figures help reduce unexpected premium adjustments while still keeping coverage aligned with the actual business.

Reducing insurance cost is useful only when the business remains adequately protected against losses it cannot afford.

A dramatically cheaper quote may have a higher deductible, lower liability limit, actual cash value instead of replacement cost, missing business income protection, narrower covered operations, or exclusions that are important to your company.

The SBA advises businesses to compare rates, terms, and benefits rather than simply choosing the lowest advertised price.

Instead of starting with a generic monthly average, build the insurance budget policy by policy.

Your insurance budget should change when your business changes. The SBA recommends reassessing insurance regularly, and the NAIC notes that employees, clients, products, inventory, property changes, and other business developments can affect premiums.

Review coverage after changes such as:

• Hiring or reducing staff.
• Large payroll changes.
• Buying vehicles.
• Adding locations.
• Buying expensive equipment.
• Increasing inventory.
• Launching new products or services.
• Signing major contracts.
• Entering new states or markets.
• Changing cybersecurity or data exposures.

Treating an Online Average as a Guaranteed Quote

Published averages and medians provide useful context, but your premium is based on your own industry, location, limits, payroll, property, vehicles, and loss history.

Comparing Quotes With Different Limits

A policy with half the liability limit should not automatically be considered a better deal because its premium is lower.

Ignoring the Deductible

A cheaper policy may simply transfer considerably more of each covered loss back to your business.

Budgeting for Only One Policy

A $45 general liability policy does not mean your total insurance cost is $45 per month if the company also needs workers’ compensation, commercial auto, cyber, or professional liability coverage.

Failing to Update the Insurer as the Business Grows

Outdated payroll, revenue, property, vehicle, or operational information can create inaccurate premiums and potentially inadequate coverage.

Business insurance costs vary too widely for one monthly average to describe every company. Current small-business purchasing data suggests that individual policies such as general liability and workers’ compensation can cost tens of dollars per month for many small companies, while commercial auto, cyber, specialized liability, and multiple-policy insurance programs can push the total much higher.

Industry, location, payroll, revenue, employees, property, vehicles, claims history, limits, deductibles, and the policies you select all influence the final price. A roofing contractor and a home-based consultant should not expect comparable insurance costs simply because both are small businesses.

Identify the losses your company cannot comfortably absorb, request equivalent quotes from multiple insurers, and compare coverage as carefully as price. The goal is not the cheapest premium—it is an insurance program that transfers serious financial risks at a cost the business can sustainably afford.

• National Association of Insurance Commissioners, Small Business Insurance, accessed August 2026.
• U.S. Small Business Administration, Get Business Insurance, updated April 8, 2024.
• National Association of Insurance Commissioners, Business Interruption and Business Owner Policy, updated June 25, 2026.
• Insureon, Small Business Insurance Costs, updated February 6, 2026.
• Insureon, Small Business Insurance, accessed August 2026.