NEXT is now ERGO NEXT Insurance, uniting digital-first innovation with Munich Re's global financial strength. Protection for the accidents, injuries, damages and disasters that can threaten a small business Choose your primary coverage to get started: General Liability Workers’ Compensation Commercial Property Professional Liability Other Coverages What is business insurance? What can small business insurance cover? The costs of injuries to customers or employees The cost of damaged property, products and inventory Lost income due to an injury or a covered event Some legal expenses, lawsuits and court fees How much does business insurance cost? Starts at $19/month † Buy online in about 10 minutes, and cancel anytime. Who needs business insurance most? Small business owners Self-employed workers Sole proprietors Limited liability companies (LLCs) Business insurance could help protect a small business from Licensing issues and legal compliance Business insurance can be a requirement for licensing, hiring employees, renting a commercial space, driving for work and satisfying client mandates. You may not be able to work without it. The costs of injuries to customers or employees If someone suffers an injury at your shop or worksite, or if an employee strains their back and needs weeks of rehabilitation, business insurance could help with the medical bills.** Damaged property, product and inventory costs If a disaster like a fire, theft, vandalism, storm damage, power outage or a burst water pipe damages your store, home office, warehouse, workshop — and its contents — business insurance could help. Lost income after an injury or covered event If someone gets hurt on the job, business insurance could help cover lost wages during recovery. And if a damaged workspace closes temporarily for repairs, a business could recover some lost income. Legal expenses, lawsuits and court fees Someone could take legal action against your business for professional mistakes or oversights, copyright infringement in your ads, employee practices and more. Business insurance could help with your defense. The expense of accidents driving for work Business insurance is often a requirement to protect drivers of cars, trucks, vans, trailers or other business vehicles. It could help cover some of the costs of accidents or damages. How much does business insurance cost? Business insurance online can cost as little as $19/month † for some low-risk businesses. Several factors can influence your business insurance quote, including: The risks of your type of business and industry Your business structure Your business location Your business size, operations and payroll Your history of claims The coverage limits, policy limits and deductible you choose How to get small business insurance online Start a free online quote In about 10 minutes you’ll see the exact price you’ll pay for business insurance online. Customize your coverage Adjust your policy limits and deductibles to pick the right coverage at the right price. Buy 100% online Your coverage is effective immediately or next day. And your certificate of insurance can be shared at no extra cost. Who needs commercial business insurance the most? Restaurants and food service Restaurants could get help with financial losses after a fire, vandalism, HVAC breakdown, weather damage or a customer slip-and-fall. Liquor liability and workers’ comp may be required by state law. Retail and e-commerce Stores, shops and online retailers could benefit from business insurance protection over their inventory, products, building damage and customer injuries. ERGO NEXT also offers protection for product liability if the products you make or sell cause harm for your customer. Offices and professionals Whether you’re a home office worker or you lead a team downtown, if you sell your skills, advice or knowledge, such as an insurance agent , consultant , tech worker , accountant or engineer , small business insurance for professional mistakes could help protect you from errors and omissions in your work.

Construction trades and contractors Contractors and other construction professionals are often required to share proof of their business insurance policy before they can earn their professional license in most states. Even if it’s not required by law, many clients want to see a certificate of insurance before they’ll let you bid, sign a contract or start work. Cleaning and janitorial services Commercial cleaners and house cleaners have risks working on other people’s property and dealing with slippery surfaces, chemicals, physical injury and business driving. Small business insurance could offer financial protection if they get hurt on the job or accidentally damage someone’s property while working. Business insurance FAQ (frequently asked questions) Find fast answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about business insurance. Why do businesses need insurance? A business insurance policy can be required to start or grow a business. State licensing organizations, landlords, financial institutions, clients, customers or prospects may ask to see proof of your business insurance coverage (also called a COI, or certificate of insurance) before they’ll do business with you. Even if business insurance isn’t a requirement, it could help protect your business finances and assets. Businesses of every size — including small business owners, sole proprietors, freelancers and independent contractors — take on a lot of risk. Injuries, fire, theft, bad weather and accidents, workmanship errors and professional mistakes are just a few scenarios that can wreak havoc on cash flow. Business owners can find themselves liable for property damage, work-related injury and illness costs, tool replacement, ruined inventory and products, and legal liability. For situations like these, business insurance could help keep your business operational while you repair and recover from a covered event. Is business insurance required by law? Yes, business insurance can be a legal requirement depending on your profession, the state where you work or your business goals. And if you don’t have the right coverage in place, it could result in fines, stop work orders and legal action. Commercial business insurance is almost always a good idea for protection, but there are many scenarios in which coverage is required, including: To get a professional license. General contractors , insurance agents and brokers , financial services , and real estate agents and brokers are just a few of the professions that can be required by the state to carry commercial insurance coverage. To hire employees. Full-time, part-time, seasonal or contract, workers’ compensation insurance, a type of business insurance paid for by the business owner, is a requirement in almost every state to add to your workforce. To get business financing. Many banks and financial institutions require proof of business insurance for a loan to start or grow your business. To rent a commercial space. Lessors (commercial landlords) carry their own business insurance on the property they own. But they often require their commercial business tenants to also carry their own coverage as a condition of the lease. To work an event. If you sell at temporary events like craft fairs, holiday markets or pop-ups, the event planner and/or event venue may insist that you carry insurance to participate. Same goes for conferences, weddings, corporate events or other similar one-day happenings that bring together multiple vendors in a single location. In cases like these, business insurance can be a requirement. How much business insurance coverage do I need? The amount of business insurance best for your business depends on many variables, such as: Your level of risk. The state where you work. The type of work that you do. How many employees, subcontractors and customers you have. The value of your business property. Your building structure and stability. The best way to know for sure exactly how much you’ll need and how much you’ll pay for it is to get a business insurance quote with ERGO NEXT . Answer a few questions 100% online in about 10 minutes to see your exact quote for business insurance specific to your business. Do home-based businesses need insurance? If you run a home business, chances are your homeowners insurance probably won’t protect your business. Home business insurance could help protect your business equipment, product inventory, furniture and fixtures. Unlike your homeowners insurance, it could also help protect your business income if you have to close your business temporarily for repairs after a covered event. And your business insurance could help you with liability costs if your business faces a legal claim. Home based business insurance coverage is several types of business insurance coverage that work together to help protect you if there’s a fire, theft, power outage, equipment breakdown or something else that goes wrong. Could business insurance cover lawsuits? Yes, commercial insurance could help protect your business from many types of legal actions. And lawsuits can be expensive — especially for a small business owner — even if your business did nothing wrong. To help offset costs, commercial liability insurance coverage could help your business with some legal defense costs, settlements and judgements, cases around bodily injury to others, lawsuits for damages you or your employees cause to someone else’s property, and personal and advertising injury. A business insurance policy could also help protect business owners from the costs of lawsuits around professional errors and workmanship mistakes if, say, you miss a deadline for a client, make a miscalculation or use incorrect materials with costly results. And if you’re a business owner with employees, your workers’ comp coverage can help protect your business from legal action around employers liability. That means that your business insurance could help you if an employee files a lawsuit against your business because of a work-related injury or illness. What are some examples of common business insurance claims? ERGO NEXT has taken care of our customers and settled thousands of claims nationwide since our start in 2016. We’ve seen a lot, but these are some of the most common examples of customer claims on their business insurance: Burglary, theft and vandalism. Business theft could look like forced entry that results in stolen merchandise, cash or inventory; robbery or vandalism that causes property damage like broken doors, glass or windows; laptops lifted from traveling staff; products shoplifted from store shelves; employee theft or fraud; and cybercrimes like payroll scams, computer fraud and phony wire transfers. Fire damage. Fires can cause substantial property damage quickly, potentially devastating a small business and forcing its closure for weeks or months. Extreme weather damage. Snow, hail, ice, windstorms and heat can take a toll on a branch falling on your building, a broken water pipe, a busted fence or a power outage that devastates your inventory — just to name a few. Storm damage can strike suddenly and block your access to clean and assess damages until it clears. Customer injuries. You’re mopping the floor. A customer slips and hurts their back. Your business could be on the hook for both medical bills and legal liability.** The right business insurance coverage for your business risks could help shield your business from the costs of claims like these. How quickly can I get my business insurance policy and proof of insurance? It takes about 10 minutes to get a quote, buy coverage and get access to policy documents and your certificate of insurance (COI) . You can access your documents and COI 24/7 online or in the ERGO NEXT app for iPhone or Android . How do I make a business insurance claim with ERGO NEXT? You can file a claim anytime online or in the ERGO NEXT app. You’ll be asked to share the details of what happened and to provide relevant photos and documentation. We strive to make claims decisions as quickly as possible so that you can get back to work. Learn how to file a claim. Buy business insurance online for the state where you work Learn more about business insurance policies in the state where you work. ERGO NEXT Insurance reviews There’s a lot to love about ERGO NEXT Get insurance in less than 10 minutes and you can save up to 25% in discounts * Unique, flexible coverage with easy monthly payments Do it all 100% online or talk to a licensed U.S.-based advisor Coverage on-the-go for policyholders Manage your policies, send and create certificates of insurance, or file a claim with our app.