Minnesota Business Insurance

Small companies account for almost all businesses in Minnesota and employ nearly half of the state’s labor force.¹

Business insurance in Minnesota offers essential protection for both your company’s bottom line and your employees by helping you handle unexpected events.

Business insurance packages in Minnesota help cover damages if:

• Someone accuses your company of injury of property damage
• Someone says you were professionally negligent
• You or an employee has an accident in a company car
• A worker suffers an on-the-job injury

Next Insurance helps more than 1,000 types of small businesses and self-employed workers quickly get the coverage they need online at the best price. We specialize in small business insurance, so we can easily help you find a custom insurance package that is right for you.

Continue reading to find out about the most important types of business insurance in Minnesota or start a free instant quote to review options for your business.

We offer a quick and simple way for you to get business insurance quotes online, purchase coverage and share your certificate of insurance. The entire process typically takes just a few minutes.

Our team of licensed, U.S.-based advisors can help you if you have any questions. 

Start an instant quote today.

The types and amount of business insurance you might need are based on factors that include:

• The industry you’re in
• Risks you often encounter
• How many people you employee

Small business insurance bundles in Minnesota frequently include the following policies:

• General liability insurance, a type of coverage that helps pay for damages if someone says that your business’s actions caused injury or property damage
• Professional liability insurance, a form of coverage that helps pay for damages if your company is accused of professional negligence, including inadequate work, missed deadlines and incomplete jobs
• Workers’ compensation insurance, which helps employees who get injured on the job pay for medical care and lost wages
• Commercial auto insurance, which helps pay for accident damages that occur when driving for work

Continue reading to find out about the most important types of business insurance in Minnesota or start a free instant quote to review options for your business.

General Liability insurance 

Expenses from accusations of injury or property damage can quickly add up. 

This is why general liability insurance is one of the most important forms of coverage, and we recommend it for most small businesses. 

General liability insurance helps pay for costs associated with injuries and property damage and will cover a portion of attorney fees, court costs and settlements in the event of a lawsuit. Commercial landlords often require that small business owners carry general liability insurance before they’ll offer a lease.

A small business owner might need to file a general liability claim in the following scenario:

Someone accuses a self-employed dog walker in Minneapolis of negligence after being bitten by an off-leash dog. General liability insurance would assist the injured person with medical expenses and would help the dog walker if she were sued.

Tools and equipment insurance is a general liability add-on for construction and cleaning companies. This coverage helps replace or repair business items that are lost, damaged or stolen.

Professional Liability (E&O) insurance 

If someone says that your company made a mistake, failed to deliver on a contract or missed an important deadline that caused financial loss, you could be named in an expensive lawsuit.

This is why many small business insurance packages in Minnesota include professional liability insurance, which is also called errors and omissions (E&O) insurance. Professional liability insurance helps your company pay to cover the costs of the mistake, including attorney fees, court costs and settlements if you are sued.

For example, a client says that an event planning company in Rochester failed to book the right conference room for an important meeting, which ruins a business pitch. Professional liability coverage would help the event planners settle with the client for the mistake so that they don’t have to pay for all expenses out of pocket.

Commercial Auto insurance

According to Minnesota state law, all drivers must have auto insurance that covers up to $60,000 in damages for injuries to two or more people.² 

Businesses insurance in Minnesota frequently includes commercial auto coverage to help protect against damages from accidents that happen while driving for work. Companies that own vehicles need this form of coverage, since personal auto insurance usually won’t provide protection if you or an employee has a business-related accident.

For example, a shuttle driver at a locally-owned hotel in St. Paul gets into an accident while driving to the airport, injuring several passengers. Commercial auto insurance helps the hotel cover the guests’ medical bills and would pay for some costs if they filed a lawsuit for additional damages.

Your business might sometimes ask employees to rent vehicles for work or drive their own automobiles. If so, adding hired and non-owned auto insurance to your business insurance package will help pay for damages from accidents that occur in these vehicles.

Workers’ Compensation insurance

State law requires businesses with employees in Minnesota to carry workers’ comp insurance.³

Employees who get hurt on the job might need medical care and time to recover. Workers’ compensation insurance helps pay for part of these expenses.

For instance, an employee of a Duluth-based excavation company is injured while working with a bulldozer and needs medical attention and a month out of work to get better. Workers’ comp coverage helps the business owner pay for the employee’s hospital bills and covers a portion of lost wages.

How much does business insurance in Minnesota cost?

Business insurance in Minnesota costs a median of $43 per month across all industries that Next serves. Your company’s actual bill will depend on variables such as: 

Risks you routinely encounter. Small businesses with more exposure to risk of injury or property damage can expect to pay more for insurance per month. 

For example, construction businesses in Minnesota pay a median of $53 per month for coverage each month for insurance, while retailers in the state spend less than half of that.

Your coverage types and policy limits. Choosing the minimum business insurance in Minnesota or a higher deductible means that your business will spend a little less each month for coverage. But the cost of an accident might offset any savings if you need to file a claim.

The number of people you employ. Workers’ comp insurance costs are partially based on how many people are on your payroll. Providing your insurance professional with a full employee count will help you get the most accurate quote.

Start a quote with Next Insurance today to explore coverage options for your business in just a few minutes.

More resources for Minnesota small businesses and self-employed workers

• Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
• Greater MSP’s Small Business Assistance webpage
• Minnesota Department of Commerce’s insurance webpage

Sources: 

1. U.S. Small Business Administration
2. Minnesota Department of Public Safety
3. Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry