Best General Liability Insurance for Cleaning Business in 2026

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Cleaning businesses operate in an unusual risk environment. You are inside client homes and offices with direct access to personal property. You use chemicals near surfaces, furniture, and equipment. A single incident (spilled cleaning solution on a hardwood floor, a broken antique, a client's elderly parent who slips on a freshly mopped surface) can generate a claim that exceeds your monthly revenue many times over.

GL is not optional for a cleaning business. It is the difference between a manageable insurance claim and a personal financial crisis.

Quick Summary

Provider	Best For	Monthly Cost
Next Insurance	Solo cleaners and small cleaning crews	$27/mo
Hiscox	Established cleaning businesses needing higher limits	$38/mo
biBerk	Budget-conscious cleaning businesses with good track records	$24/mo
Simply Business	Comparing multiple quotes at once	Varies
Thimble	Part-time or project-based cleaning work	$20/mo

Cost estimates for a self-employed residential cleaner in Texas with $80,000 annual revenue and $1M/$2M limits. Actual quotes will vary.

Why We Picked These Providers

Cleaning business GL is a competitive market: most of these carriers actively want cleaning business accounts because the risk profile is relatively predictable. We chose these five because they write cleaning businesses across most states, price competitively for the industry, and offer fast COI issuance (essential when client homes or commercial property managers require proof of insurance before entering).

Provider Reviews

Next Insurance

Next Insurance has a specific cleaning business product that covers residential and commercial cleaning, maid services, janitorial services, and carpet cleaning. The application is fast, quotes are instant, and certificates of insurance can be pulled from the mobile app while you are standing in a client's driveway.

Best for: Solo cleaners, small cleaning crews (1-5 people), and house cleaning businesses in the early stages. The digital experience is better suited to owner-operators than to larger franchise operations.

What it costs: $27 to $60 per month for most residential cleaning operations. Commercial cleaning (office buildings, commercial accounts) prices slightly higher due to elevated foot traffic and larger property exposure.

One thing to watch: Next Insurance covers cleaning services but may not include certain specialty cleaning categories (hazmat, crime scene, biohazard). Confirm your specific work type is covered before purchasing.

Affiliate link: Get a quote from Next Insurance

Hiscox

Hiscox writes cleaning businesses at all scales. For established cleaning operations with significant commercial accounts, Hiscox provides higher limits (up to $5M per occurrence) and a policy form that handles the specific exposures of large commercial cleaning contracts.

Best for: Cleaning businesses with annual revenue above $300,000. Operations serving commercial accounts (office buildings, medical facilities, schools) where client contracts require higher liability limits.

What it costs: $38 to $100 per month for most small to mid-sized cleaning businesses. Hiscox is not the cheapest option for simple residential cleaning, but becomes more competitive as revenue and required limits increase.

One thing to watch: Hiscox may decline cleaning businesses with prior claims or those specializing in higher-risk cleaning categories (construction cleanup, industrial). Standard residential and commercial cleaning is within their appetite.

biBerk (Berkshire Hathaway)

biBerk writes cleaning businesses at competitive rates and is often 15 to 20 percent below Hiscox for equivalent limits on standard residential and commercial cleaning. Their backing from Berkshire Hathaway gives strong financial security.

Best for: Established cleaning businesses with clean loss histories who want competitive pricing backed by the strongest balance sheet in the insurance industry.

What it costs: $24 to $55 per month for most cleaning businesses in their appetite. Budget-conscious solo cleaners may find biBerk is their cheapest reliable option.

One thing to watch: biBerk's digital application is less polished than Next Insurance. The application process may take a few more minutes and involve more questions. Worth it for the potential savings.

Simply Business

Simply Business aggregates cleaning business quotes from multiple carriers (Hiscox, Markel, Employers Holdings) in one application. For a cleaning business just starting out, this is useful for comparing options rather than going to each carrier individually.

Best for: New cleaning businesses that want to see several options side-by-side before committing. Operators who are unsure whether their specific cleaning services are covered by any single carrier.

What it costs: No additional charge. You pay the carrier rate you select. The quotes come from their carrier network, which may not include Next Insurance or biBerk.

One thing to watch: Simply Business does not cover every carrier. Use it as a comparison starting point, then verify directly with Next Insurance and biBerk to see if either has better pricing for your situation.

Thimble

Thimble offers hourly, daily, and monthly cleaning business GL. For someone who cleans houses part-time or is just starting out, Thimble lets you get covered for specific cleaning days without paying for a full annual policy.

Best for: Part-time cleaners, those in the early stages of building a client base, and seasonal cleaning workers.

What it costs: Day-based coverage starts at $20 for a single day. Monthly policies for part-time cleaners run $30 to $55. For a full-time cleaner with regular clients, an annual policy from Next Insurance or biBerk will typically be cheaper.

One thing to watch: Some clients and property managers require a 12-month certificate of insurance rather than project-specific coverage. Thimble's short-term certificates may not satisfy all client requirements. Confirm before purchasing.

How We Evaluated These Providers

Cleaning-specific coverage terms. We reviewed each carrier's cleaning business policy for specific coverage relevant to the industry: damage to client property, key and safe coverage (if you lose a client's key and they need a locksmith), and coverage for the cleaning chemicals and equipment you bring into client spaces.

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

COI speed. Property managers, commercial clients, and apartment buildings frequently require certificates before allowing access. We verified COI issuance speed: Next Insurance (instant), biBerk (instant), Thimble (instant), Hiscox (same day), Simply Business (same day).

Coverage scope. Some carriers offer add-ons specific to cleaning businesses: bonding (theft coverage), inland marine for cleaning equipment, and employer liability for cleaning businesses with employees. We noted which carriers offer these extensions.

Additional Coverage to Consider

Janitorial services bond. A fidelity bond (also called a janitorial bond or cleaning bond) is a separate coverage that protects your clients from theft by your employees or yourself. It is not part of a GL policy. Many commercial clients require both GL and a bond as a condition of contract. Bonds are typically inexpensive ($100 to $300 per year) and can be purchased from most of these carriers.

Inland marine / tools and equipment. Your cleaning supplies, vacuums, and steam equipment are business assets not covered by GL. An inland marine or tools and equipment policy covers theft or damage to your equipment. Often available as an add-on to a GL or BOP.

Workers comp. If you have employees (including part-time help), most states require workers comp. Next Insurance, The Hartford, and Simply Business all sell workers comp alongside GL for cleaning businesses.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does GL cover damage I accidentally cause to a client's property?

Yes, this is the core coverage. If you break a client's vase, damage their flooring with a cleaning chemical, or accidentally knock over a piece of furniture, GL covers the repair or replacement cost. The standard limit is $1M per occurrence. Most cleaning business claims are under $10,000, well within a basic policy.

What if a client claims something is missing and accuses my employees of theft?

GL does not cover theft claims: that is what a fidelity bond covers. GL covers accidental damage, not intentional theft. If client theft claims are a concern for your business model, purchase both GL and a janitorial bond.

How much GL insurance does a cleaning business need?

Residential cleaning clients typically require $300,000 to $1 million. Commercial clients (office buildings, medical facilities, property management companies) typically require $1M to $2M per occurrence. Purchase at least $1M/$2M to remain eligible for most commercial accounts as your business grows.

Do I need different insurance for commercial vs residential cleaning?

Usually the same policy covers both, but confirm with your carrier. Commercial cleaning exposes you to larger premises and more foot traffic, which can affect underwriting. Some carriers charge slightly more for commercial accounts.

Is cleaning business GL required by law?

Not by law in most states. But it is required in practice: property managers, office building owners, and many residential clients will not allow you in their space without a certificate of insurance. Operating without GL is also financially risky: a single major claim can exceed your annual revenue.

Sources

• Next Insurance cleaning business coverage: next.insurance/business-insurance/cleaning-business-insurance
• Hiscox cleaning business: hiscox.com/small-business-insurance
• biBerk: biberk.com
• Simply Business US: simplybusiness.com
• Thimble: thimble.com
• AM Best ratings: ambest.com
• ARCSI (Association of Residential Cleaning Services International): arcsi.org