Business
General Liability Insurance: What It Costs and What to Check
Published September 24, 2026 · Last updated October 1, 2026
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The short answer
General liability insurance cost for a small business is about $45 a month on average. It helps if a customer gets hurt at your business, you break something that isn't yours, or someone says your ad hurt their business.
It's the policy clients and landlords ask for most. A quote takes a few minutes.
Thimble is a participating provider that offers general liability coverageSponsored online for small businesses.
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General Liability snapshot
- Typical cost
- About $45 a month
- Yearly range
- About $250 to more than $3,000
- Biggest price movers
- Your type of work, sales, limits you pick
- Not covered
- Your own tools, employee injuries, professional mistakes
Source: Insureon, 2026, based on its small business customers.
Not a quote, offer or approval. Your price comes from the provider. Last updated October 2026.
What affects your general liability price
Price range
Small businesses pay about $45 a month on average, or about $538 a year. Yearly costs run from about $250 to more than $3,000.
Not a quote or an offer. Your price comes from the insurance company. Source: Insureon, 2026 (based on its small business customers).
What moves the number
- Your type of work. A roofer costs more to cover than a bookkeeper.
- How many people come in. More people walking in means more risk.
- Your size. More sales and more workers can mean more risk.
- Past claims.
- How much you buy. Many plans start at $1 million per claim.
What does general liability insurance cover?
A general liability policy usually has three parts:
Injuries and property damage. Pays if someone who doesn't work for you gets hurt because of your business, or if you damage someone else's property. Think of a customer who slips in your shop, or a client's window you crack on a job.
Personal and advertising injury. Pays if someone says your business hurt them with words or ads. That includes libel and slander, which mean saying or writing something false that hurts someone's name, and using someone's photo or copyrighted work in an ad.
Medical payments. Helps pay small medical bills for someone who gets hurt at your business, often without a lawsuit.
It also usually pays for your legal defense, plus any damages you owe, up to your limits.
What general liability doesn't cover
- Your own workers getting hurt. That's workers' comp.
- Mistakes in your work or advice. That's professional liability.
- Your work vehicles. That's commercial auto.
- Your own building, tools, or stock. That's commercial property.
- Hacks and data breaches. That's cyber insurance.
- Liquor and pollution claims. These usually need add-ons.
Certificates and additional insureds
Certificate of insurance (COI). A one-page proof of your coverage. Clients and landlords often want one before you start work or sign a lease. Most providers can send one fast.
Additional insured. Adding a client or landlord to your policy so they're covered too if they get pulled into a claim about your work. Many contracts require it.
General liability or a business owner's policy?
If you also need to cover your own stuff, look at a business owner's policy. A BOP bundles general liability with property coverage, often for less than buying both separately. Read general liability vs. a business owner's policy.
What to ask before you choose
- "Can I add a client as an additional insured?"
- "How fast can I get a certificate of insurance?"
- "Would a business owner's policy cost less?"
- "Is there a limit per claim and a total limit per year?" The yearly total is called the aggregate.
- "What's excluded for my kind of work?"
Keep reading
See what all your coverage adds up to with small business insurance cost. Just formed an LLC? See LLC insurance.
Core business insurance: Small business insurance cost · Workers' comp · Business owner's policy · Professional liability · Commercial auto · Commercial property · Cyber insurance · LLC insurance · General liability vs. a BOP · Home-based business insurance · All business services
Specialty business coverage: Errors and omissions · Commercial truck insurance · Inland marine (tools and equipment) · Builder's risk · Surety bonds · Event insurance · Employment practices liability (EPLI) · Commercial umbrella · All business services
Insurance by trade: Contractor insurance · Builder's risk · Lawn care and landscaping · Cleaning business insurance · Handyman insurance · Food truck insurance · All business services
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