
Business insurance for the self employed can be confusing. There are different types of coverage that protect you from various risks and it’s not always clear which types you need.
To help make this process easier for you, we put together a helpful guide that breaks down the essential types of self-employed business insurance.
If you are self employed, being financially prepared for unexpected events is one of the best ways to be confident that your business will survive — no matter what happens.
Business insurance can protect you from unexpected financial losses after:
General liability insurance is the first type of insurance most self-employed business owners get.
Often called slip and fall insurance, general liability covers situations where your business may be responsible for an accident that injured someone or damaged property that doesn’t belong to you.
In many industries, you can’t get hired or start jobs without providing a certificate of insurance that shows active general liability coverage for your business.
Workers’ compensation insurance is almost always required if you have employees. But it can also cover your medical expenses and lost wages if you are self-employed with no employees.
Just make sure you have business owner’s coverage included in your policy.
If you’re doing anything other than making the occasional coffee run, you might not be covered by your personal auto policy if you drive for business reasons.
Commercial auto insurance can help cover expenses if you get into an accident while driving to meet clients, drop off equipment, make deliveries and a variety of other tasks you might be doing behind the wheel during your workday.
Commercial property insurance covers all of the physical items you need to do business — your equipment, furniture, inventory and even the building itself (if you own it).
When you have commercial property insurance, you’ll have help replacing your stuff or repairing your damaged building after a covered event, such as a burst water pipe, fire, tornado or vandalism.
You’ve probably heard tales of an angry customer who turns a minor disagreement into a full-blown legal battle. It happens in almost every line of work.
If you’re accused of making a mistake or being negligent, professional liability insurance (often called errors and omissions insurance) can help cover expenses if you have to go to court or pay to fix a problem.
So how can you find cheap self employed business insurance? The cost associated with this type of entrepreneurship varies, depending on the kinds of risks your business faces. Some of these risks can include:
The exact price you’ll pay depends on all these factors. Bear in mind that, in general, jobs that include working on other people’s property often have higher insurance costs.
NEXT calculates your premium (that is, your insurance costs) by taking into consideration all of the factors listed above, such as the likelihood that you’ll make a claim and how many vehicles you have.
Note: It’s important to provide the most accurate information about your business when you get a quote for insurance to make sure you get the coverage that is right for you and any claims are processed without delays.
Here are a few tips to help find insurance coverage for self-employed business owners:
Comparison shopping for business insurance is similar to how you shop for your personal insurance. Get self-employed business insurance quotes on a regular basis and be sure you are comparing apples to apples when it comes to premiums and deductibles.
Your friends, family and other business owners are great resources for recommendations about specific insurers. If you belong to an industry group or even the local Chamber of Commerce it can be helpful to check with them about which insurers offer local businesses a discount.
While cheap insurance may seem like a good idea, a policy is no longer a bargain if you can’t get someone to answer your questions or get a claim paid. Research any insurers you are considering and make sure they are financially sound and have good reviews for customer service.
We get it. You’re busy juggling a hundred different tasks every day to keep your business going.
NEXT makes small business insurance simple, affordable and easy so you can understand your options and get the coverage you need online in less than 10 minutes.
Since we only help small business owners like you, we can create a customized insurance package tailored to your exact needs.
Everything is online, so you can get an instant quote, review options and buy coverage in less than 10 minutes. You’ll have immediate 24/7 access to your certificate of insurance (COI) as soon as you buy your insurance.
Get an instant quote today to get started.