Best Business Owners Policy (BOP) for Small Business in 2026

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A Business Owners Policy bundles general liability and commercial property insurance into a single policy at a price below what you would pay buying both separately. Most small businesses with a physical location, inventory, or equipment benefit from a BOP over buying standalone GL.

The catch: not every business qualifies. BOPs are designed for businesses below a certain revenue threshold, typically $5 million in annual revenue, operating in industries the carrier considers eligible. Contractors, auto dealers, and some professional service businesses are often ineligible and must buy GL and property separately.

Quick Summary

Provider	Best For	Monthly Cost
Next Insurance	Small service businesses and trades wanting digital BOP	$45/mo
The Hartford	Retail, food service, and office businesses with higher property values	$65/mo
Hiscox	Professional service businesses, consulting firms, agencies	$50/mo
biBerk	Budget-conscious small businesses in low-hazard industries	$40/mo
Simply Business	Comparing BOP quotes from multiple carriers	Varies

Cost estimates for a 3-employee service business with $150,000 in business personal property and $1M/$2M GL limits. Rates vary by industry, location, and property value.

Why We Picked These Providers

These five cover the main BOP buyer profiles: tradespeople and service businesses, retailers and food businesses, professional service firms, and budget-focused buyers in lower-hazard industries. We excluded carriers that do not offer small business BOPs digitally or require a commercial broker for all BOP applications.

Provider Reviews

Next Insurance

Next Insurance offers BOP coverage for a wide range of small businesses, combining GL with business personal property coverage. The digital application handles most service businesses, trades, and retail operations and produces a quote in under five minutes.

Best for: Small service businesses, retail operations, and trades with modest property values (under $500,000 in business personal property). Businesses that want one carrier for both liability and property.

What it costs: $45 to $90 per month for most small businesses. Premium is driven primarily by GL risk class and property value. Businesses with high property values relative to their revenue may find standalone property coverage more cost-effective.

One thing to watch: Next Insurance's BOP property limits may not be sufficient for businesses with significant equipment, inventory, or leasehold improvements. Confirm that the property sublimits match your actual exposure before purchasing.

Affiliate link: Get a BOP quote from Next Insurance

The Hartford

The Hartford has one of the deepest BOP programs in the small business market. They write retail, food service, office businesses, and professional services with strong property coverage including equipment breakdown, business interruption, and spoilage for food businesses.

Best for: Retail stores, restaurants, cafes, and office-based businesses with meaningful property exposure. Businesses that need business interruption coverage (lost income when the business cannot operate) built into their BOP.

What it costs: $65 to $150 per month depending on industry, location, and property values. The Hartford prices higher than digital-first carriers but includes broader property coverage that may eliminate the need for separate riders.

One thing to watch: The Hartford's BOP requires more information at application than digital carriers. For complex retail or food service operations, expect additional underwriting questions and potential referral to an agent.

Hiscox

Hiscox offers BOP for professional service businesses including consultants, marketing agencies, IT firms, accountants, and similar knowledge-work operations. Their BOP bundles GL with professional liability in some configurations, which is useful for businesses that need both.

Best for: Professional service firms (consulting, marketing, design, IT) that operate from an office, need both GL and professional liability, and want a single policy package. Businesses with modest physical property but significant liability exposure from their services.

What it costs: $50 to $100 per month for most professional service BOPs. The GL and professional liability combination typically costs less than buying each separately.

One thing to watch: Hiscox BOP is well-suited for office-based professional services but not for businesses with significant physical inventory or equipment beyond standard office contents.

biBerk (Berkshire Hathaway)

biBerk offers BOP for small businesses in low-to-moderate hazard industries at competitive rates. Backed by Berkshire Hathaway's A++ AM Best rating, they write restaurants, retail, offices, and professional services with straightforward digital applications.

Best for: Budget-conscious small businesses in restaurant, retail, and office industries that want strong financial backing without paying premium brand rates.

What it costs: $40 to $85 per month for most small businesses in their appetite. biBerk often prices 15 to 20 percent below The Hartford for comparable coverage on lower-hazard business classes.

One thing to watch: biBerk does not write all industries. High-hazard trades and some specialty food service operations may be outside their appetite. Check eligibility before investing time in an application.

Simply Business

Simply Business is a comparison marketplace that generates BOP quotes from multiple carriers in a single application. For a small business owner shopping on price, it shows options from Hiscox, Markel, Employers Holdings, and others without separate applications.

Best for: Small businesses that want to compare several BOP options at once rather than applying to each carrier individually.

What it costs: No fee from Simply Business. You pay the carrier rate selected. Carrier network may not include Next Insurance or biBerk.

One thing to watch: Not all BOP products are comparable on an apples-to-apples basis. A lower-priced BOP from Simply Business may have narrower property coverage or lower business interruption limits than a higher-priced one. Review the coverage details, not just the premium.

How We Evaluated These Providers

BOP eligibility breadth. We evaluated which industries each carrier will write a BOP for and which are excluded. Contractors, auto businesses, and many manufacturing operations are generally ineligible for BOPs across all carriers.

Property coverage depth. Standard BOP property covers business personal property at replacement cost. We evaluated which carriers include equipment breakdown, business interruption, and spoilage as standard versus optional riders.

Financial strength. AM Best ratings: Next Insurance (A-), The Hartford (A+), Hiscox (A), biBerk/Berkshire Hathaway (A++), Simply Business varies.

Digital accessibility. For small businesses managing their own insurance without a broker, the quality of the online application and certificate issuance process matters significantly.

Price competitiveness. We benchmarked a 3-employee service business with $150,000 in business personal property across carriers.

What a BOP Covers (and What It Does Not)

A standard BOP includes: general liability (bodily injury and property damage to others), commercial property (your building if you own it, or business personal property if you lease), and business interruption (lost income when a covered loss prevents you from operating).

A standard BOP does not include: workers compensation (required separately), commercial auto (required separately), professional liability/E&O (often requires an endorsement or separate policy), cyber liability (usually a separate policy or endorsement), and employment practices liability.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a BOP and standalone GL?

A BOP includes GL plus commercial property coverage in one policy at a combined discount. Standalone GL only covers liability (injury and property damage to others). If you have business equipment, inventory, or a leased office space with improvements, a BOP typically offers better value than standalone GL.

Does my home-based business qualify for a BOP?

Possibly, but it depends on the carrier and business type. Home-based professional service businesses (consulting, design, writing) often qualify. Home-based businesses with inventory, client visits, or employees typically require a standalone commercial policy rather than a homeowner's endorsement.

How much business interruption coverage do I need?

Business interruption coverage should cover your fixed expenses (rent, payroll, utilities) plus lost profit for the duration it would take to restore operations after a covered loss. For most small businesses, 6 to 12 months of coverage is the standard recommendation. Review your lease obligations and payroll commitments when choosing the limit.

Can I add professional liability to a BOP?

With some carriers, yes. Hiscox offers combined BOP and professional liability packages. The Hartford offers professional liability endorsements on some BOPs. For businesses that need substantial professional liability limits (over $1 million), a standalone professional liability policy is usually required in addition to the BOP.

Is a BOP available for contractors?

Most standard BOP programs are not available to general contractors and trade contractors because the liability exposure is considered too high for the packaged product. Contractors typically need standalone GL and a separate commercial property policy. Some specialty insurers offer BOP-style packages for light contracting businesses. Confirm your trade classification with the carrier before applying.

Sources

• Next Insurance BOP: next.insurance/business-owners-policy
• The Hartford BOP: thehartford.com/business-owner-policy
• Hiscox BOP: hiscox.com/business-owners-policy
• biBerk: biberk.com/business-owners-policy
• ISO Business Owners Policy program: iso.com
• AM Best ratings: ambest.com
• Insurance Information Institute: iii.org/article/businessowners-policy