Next Insurance vs Simply Business 2026

Affiliate disclosure: Dareable earns a commission when you purchase coverage through links on this page. Both Next Insurance and Simply Business are affiliate partners. This does not affect our analysis.

Next Insurance and Simply Business solve different problems. Next Insurance is a carrier: they write and back the policy. Simply Business is a broker marketplace: they collect your information and present quotes from multiple carriers. Comparing them is less "which is better" and more "which is the right tool for your situation."

Quick Verdict

	Next Insurance	Simply Business
What it is	Insurance carrier	Broker marketplace
Best for	Businesses that want one policy, fast	Businesses comparing multiple quotes
Starting price	~$25/mo	Varies by carrier selected
Online quote	Yes, instant	Yes, same-day from multiple carriers
AM Best rating	A-	Varies (you pick the carrier)
Our pick	When you know what you need and want it now	When you want to benchmark prices across carriers

Next Insurance Overview

Next Insurance is a digital-first carrier writing commercial policies directly to small businesses. They quote, bind, and issue certificates without a broker in the middle. Coverage is available for over 1,300 business types through their web and mobile platform.

Coverage options: General liability, professional liability, workers comp, commercial auto, tools and equipment, BOP. Can bundle multiple lines from one carrier.

Pricing: GL starts around $25 per month for low-revenue sole proprietors in lower-hazard classifications. Contractors and tradespeople typically pay $55 to $120 per month.

Pros:

• Single carrier relationship. One policy, one certificate, one renewal.
• Fastest certificate issuance in the small business category. A certificate is in your email in under 5 minutes.
• No broker commission built into your premium. You buy direct from the carrier.
• Mobile app with instant COI sharing to GCs.

Cons:

• You only see one quote. No price comparison from competing carriers.
• Proprietary policy form, not ISO CGL. Some GC and client contracts require ISO.
• Coverage depth for professional liability and some specialty risks is narrower than established carriers.

Affiliate link: Get a Next Insurance quote

Simply Business Overview

Simply Business is an insurance broker marketplace owned by Travelers. You complete one application and receive quotes from multiple carriers in their network, which includes Hiscox, Markel, and others depending on your business type and state.

How it works: You enter your business details once. Simply Business matches your profile to carriers in their network and returns quotes. You select a policy and purchase it. The policy is issued by the carrier, not by Simply Business.

Pricing: No additional fee to use Simply Business. You pay the carrier rate. Quotes vary based on which carriers are in the network for your classification and location.

Pros:

• Compare multiple carrier quotes in one application. Useful for price-sensitive buyers.
• Access to carriers that may not be easy to find independently.
• No additional cost beyond what the carrier charges.

Cons:

• Coverage varies significantly across the quotes returned. A lower-priced quote may have narrower coverage than a more expensive one.
• Simply Business does not issue the policy. You are purchasing from whichever carrier they connect you with.
• Network depth varies by classification. For some business types, Simply Business may return only one or two options. For others, none.
• You need to understand policy differences to evaluate what you are comparing.

Head-to-Head Comparison

Carrier vs. broker model: This is the core difference. Next Insurance is the entity backing your policy. Simply Business is the entity helping you find a carrier to back your policy. If you buy through Simply Business, your insurer is Hiscox, Markel, or whoever their network returns. Simply Business is not on your policy.

Price transparency: Simply Business wins on price comparison. You see multiple quotes side by side. Next Insurance shows you one price. If your goal is finding the lowest available rate, Simply Business gives you more information.

Speed: Next Insurance wins. Quote, bind, and certificate in under 10 minutes. Simply Business requires reviewing multiple quotes from multiple carriers, which takes longer even if the initial quote generation is fast.

Coverage clarity: Next Insurance wins. You know exactly what you are buying and from whom. With Simply Business, you need to evaluate policy differences across carriers, which requires reading the policy forms or trusting that the quoting summaries are accurate.

For contractor businesses: Next Insurance is stronger. They actively write contractor GL with a wide classification library. Simply Business's network for some contractor types may be thin or return quotes from carriers less experienced with the classification.

For professional service businesses: Simply Business may return a Hiscox quote that is competitive with Next Insurance's professional liability. Run both. Hiscox through Simply Business versus Next Insurance directly is a reasonable comparison set.

Which Should You Choose?

Choose Next Insurance if:

• You know what coverage you need and want the fastest path to a certificate.
• You are a contractor, tradesperson, or physical service provider who needs GL quickly.
• Simplicity matters: one carrier, one app, one renewal, one certificate process.

Choose Simply Business if:

• You are price-sensitive and want to see multiple options before committing.
• You are not sure which carrier is the right fit and want to compare policy options.
• You have time to evaluate what you are comparing and read policy differences.
• Your business type is available in Simply Business's network for your state.

The hybrid approach: Use Simply Business to benchmark prices, then buy from Next Insurance directly if their price is competitive and you want the faster certificate and mobile app experience. Simply Business shows you the market; you are not obligated to buy through them.

Alternatives to Consider

Hiscox directly: If you are a professional service business and Simply Business returns a Hiscox quote you like, you can often get the same or similar pricing going directly to hiscox.com. Hiscox's direct site has the same coverage options.

The Hartford: For businesses with employees needing GL plus workers comp, The Hartford's small business bundle is worth a standalone comparison. See our review of best workers comp insurance for small business.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Simply Business an insurance company?

No. Simply Business is an insurance broker and marketplace owned by Travelers. They help you find coverage from other carriers. The policy you purchase through Simply Business is backed by the carrier (Hiscox, Markel, or whoever they matched you with), not by Simply Business.

Does using Simply Business cost extra?

No. You pay the carrier rate. Simply Business earns a broker commission from the carrier when you buy. This commission is factored into the carrier's pricing structure. It does not appear as a separate fee on your invoice.

Will I get a better price through Simply Business than going to Next Insurance directly?

Sometimes. Simply Business may surface a carrier in their network pricing below Next Insurance for your classification. They may also return quotes that are higher. The only way to know is to run both. Simply Business is worth checking if you have 15 minutes to compare.

Can I manage my policy through Simply Business after I buy?

For policy changes, renewals, and claims, you deal with the carrier directly. Simply Business facilitates the initial purchase. Post-purchase, your relationship is with the carrier that issued the policy.

What carriers are in the Simply Business network?

Network composition varies by state and business type. Hiscox and Markel are frequently listed. Other carriers appear depending on your classification. Simply Business does not publish a fixed carrier list.

Disclaimer

AM Best rating for Next Insurance: A-. Simply Business is a broker; the AM Best rating of the policy you purchase depends on the carrier selected. Pricing estimates are illustrative. Actual premiums vary by business type, revenue, location, and coverage selections.

Sources

• Next Insurance: next.insurance
• Simply Business: simplybusiness.com
• AM Best ratings: ambest.com
• Travelers Companies (Simply Business parent): travelers.com