Business insurance, audited from the outside
Every insurer has a sales pitch. This is their claims record.
We review small-business insurers on the one thing their ads never mention: how they behave when you file a claim. Regulator complaint data (NAIC), AM Best financial strength, and thousands of customer reviews — every figure sourced and dated.
The record
NAIC complaint index: 1.00 = expected complaints for company size. Lower is better.
Eight insurers small businesses actually buy from. No ranking — read the columns and decide what matters to you. Full sourcing on each review.
| Insurer | NAIC complaints | AM Best | Trustpilot | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 NEXT Insurance | ▴ 1.63 · 2025 | A+ | 4.4 / 5 | Read → |
 Thimble | – N/A — MGA | None of its own | 4.2 / 5 | Read → |
 biBERK | ▴ Elevated · 2022–24 | A++ | 3.7 / 5 | Read → |
 Coterie Insurance | – N/A — MGA | None of its own | No usable rating | Read → |
 Hiscox | ▴ 1.97 · 2023 | A | 1.6 / 5 | Read → |
 The Hartford | ▾ 0.74–0.81 · 2022–24 | A+ | 1.6 / 5 | Read → |
 Progressive Commercial | ▴ ≈3.0 · commercial | A+ | 1.5 / 5 | Read → |
 Simply Business | – N/A — broker | Not applicable | 4.1–4.2 / 5 | Read → |
Disclosure: some links to insurers may be affiliate links — if you get a quote through them we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. That never changes the data: complaint figures, ratings and review themes are reported as published, sources cited and dated. We are not an insurance agent or broker, and nothing here is advice. How we score
1.63
What an index of 1.63 means
State regulators log every formal complaint against every insurer. The NAIC index adjusts for company size: 1.00 is expected, 1.63 means 63% more complaints than an insurer that size should generate. We pull these figures from the NAIC Consumer Information Source and date every one.
0.78
Why reviews alone mislead
Star ratings skew toward the buying experience — slick checkout, five stars, claim never tested. Regulator complaints skew the other way: they're filed almost exclusively by people whose claims went wrong. You need both, which is why every review here shows both.
N/A
The MGA trap
Several popular "insurers" — Thimble, Coterie, Simply Business — don't underwrite anything. They're agents and brokers; another company pays (or fights) your claim. Their glowing reviews describe the checkout, not the claim. We flag exactly who holds the paper.
By profession
What coverage your trade actually needs, and which insurers' claims records fit it.
Salons
4 core coverages
Estheticians
3 core coverages
Lawn care businesses
4 core coverages
Daycares
4 core coverages
Food vendors
4 core coverages
Teachers & tutors
3 core coverages
HVAC contractors
5 core coverages
Caterers
4 core coverages
Painting businesses
4 core coverages
Pressure washing businesses
3 core coverages
From the ledger
The machinery of business insurance — certificates, audits, complaint data — explained with the same sourcing discipline as the reviews.
General liability vs professional liability — what each actually covers
The difference in one line: general liability covers accidents, professional liability covers mistakes. Here's how the same incident can land on either policy, with scenario tables and what each costs.
The certificate of insurance, explained — and how to get one in minutes
What a COI actually proves, who demands one, how to get it free from your insurer in minutes, and the additional-insured trap that delays contracts. Includes how fast each major insurer issues one.
Is business insurance tax deductible?
Generally yes — premiums for general liability, professional liability, workers' comp, commercial auto and property are ordinary business expenses. The exceptions, the mixed-use rules, and where it goes on your return.
By state & city
Requirements differ by state — workers' comp thresholds, penalties, licensing. Verified against each state's insurance department.