What types of small business insurance do I need in California?

Every California business is unique, so we’re best able to answer that question after learning about your company. However, general liability insurance is needed if customers visit your premises, and errors and omissions insurance is important for individuals or businesses that provide a professional service or advice. If you have assets like equipment and furniture, or if you own buildings, a business owners policy (also called property & liability insurance) is important. And if you have employees, you’ll need a workers’ compensation policy.

How long does it take to get small business insurance in California?

Getting a business insurance quote and then paying for one or more policies is fast and easy. It can take as little as five minutes. And your coverage is instant once you complete the process.

Can I set up my policy to be paid automatically when premiums are due?

Yes, our <a href="/policyholders/autopay-enrollment">autopay</a> feature is easy to activate and signing up gives you one less task to worry about.

Small Business Insurance In California

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Tailored Business Insurance in California

biBERK is a trusted provider of business insurance in California. We offer different policies to protect you from the many types of risk California businesses face.

California Workers' Compensation Insurance

Workers’ compensation insurance in California is a legal requirement. This insurance helps protect your business if an employee is injured, contracts an illness, or dies as a result of an incident on the job. It can cover medical costs, legal fees, and lost wages due to the injury. Note that workers’ comp coverage is required for HVAC and tree service companies even when they are solo operations with no employees.

Workers' Compensation

California General Liability Insurance

Also known as commercial liability insurance, a general liability policy insurance in California covers damages and legal costs associated with injury claims to customers and other people you don't employ, damage to other people's property that was caused by your business, and medical costs associated with these incidents. It also covers libel, slander, and copyright infringement. Plus, there are endorsements you can add to customize your policy, including cyber, hired and non-owned auto liability, employment-related practices liability, and employee benefits liability.

General Liability

California Business Owners Policy (BOP)

Also called property & liability insurance, a business owners policy (BOP) combines general liability insurance with coverage for your company’s property. You'll get protection for the building you own, space you lease, and any property needed to run your business, while also receiving coverage for things like business interruption. This kind of business insurance in California can replace lost income, as well as cover other costs associated with getting your business back up and running after suffering property damage, such as the use of a temporary location. You can also tailor your BOP with add-ons including cyber, hired and non-owned auto liability, employment-related practices liability, and employee benefits liability.

Business Owners Policy

California Professional Liability Insurance

Also known as errors and omissions (E&O) insurance, this policy could protect you from the cost of damages and legal fees when someone claims your professional service caused financial harm to them or their business. Coverage includes both mistakes on the part of your business (errors) and the failure to perform a service (omissions). A professional liability policy is a vital part of business insurance in California if your business provides professional advice, offers a professional service, or has contractual requirements for the coverage.

Professional Liability

California Commercial Auto Insurance

If your company owns or leases vehicles, this policy protects your business. This type of California business insurance can provide coverage for your legal fees and the medical costs of others if your employee is at fault in an accident. It can cover the cost of damages even if the vehicle is used for personal activities outside of its primary business use.

Commercial Auto

California Cyber Insurance

This coverage can be purchased as an add-on to a general liability, professional liability, or BOP policy. It helps cover costs related to system hacks or data security breaches in which sensitive information has been stolen and fraud has occurred or there is a reasonable expectation that it might occur.

Cyber Insurance

California Umbrella Insurance

Every insurance policy you purchase has a maximum value that it will cover in the event of an incident. Umbrella insurance adds another layer of protection: it can cover costs that exceed the limit of another liability policy, subject to its own limit. Without it, you may be responsible for anything over your policy limit. Business liability suits can easily exceed the actual value of many small businesses, so we highly recommend an umbrella policy to protect your company.

Umbrella Insurance

We Cover all Kinds of Professionals and Businesses in California, Including:

Amusement parks
Auto dealerships
Auto repair shops
Auto retail stores
Barber shops
Beauty parlors
Bookbinding operations
Building electrician services
Cabinet and fixture companies
Campground operations
Carpentry services
Concrete construction companies
Dental labs Dental offices
Detective agencies
Flooring installation companies
Furniture warehouses
Garbage collection services
Glazier services
Homemaker services
Hotels
Landscaping services
Limousine companies
Mail delivery services
Patrol agencies
Pest control companies
Physicians’ offices
Plumbing services
Refrigeration services
Residential care agencies
Residential cleaning services
Restaurants
Retail stores
Sandwich shops
Tree trimming companies
Trucking firms
Umbrella manufacturing companies
Waterproofing companies
Wholesalers

Why biBERK for Business Insurance in California?

We’re the experts when it comes to small business.

Save Time

Get a quote for business insurance in California entirely online or speak with one of our insurance experts right away for help getting a quote, buying a policy, or answering any questions you may have.

Save Money

We insure your small business directly, without a middleman or insurance broker, so we pass that savings on to you—up to 20% less than policies with other insurance companies.

Experienced

We're part of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Group with millions of satisfied customers, more than 75 years of insurance experience, and $38 billion in paid claims in 2020.

Workers’ Compensation Insurance in California and Other Policies: Companies Trust biBERK

Whether it’s workers’ compensation insurance in California or other small business insurance in California, companies are reassured that biBERK is part of the Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Group. You may know Berkshire Hathaway as the company started by Warren Buffett. Mr. Buffett began as a small business owner, and he’s dedicated to providing small businesses with services and value that can help them grow.

What do biBERK Customers Say?

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Requirements for Small Business Insurance in California

Workers' Compensation

In California, every business with employees is required to carry workers’ compensation insurance. Even if you only have one employee, you’re still required to carry workers’ comp. And, you need to cover independent contractors and subcontractors if you don’t have a Certificate of Insurance (COI) from them proving they have their own coverage.

Other Policy Considerations

While the law may not state it, there’s a good chance you need to carry other business insurance in California in addition to workers’ comp. Many contracts require a general liability policy and/or a professional liability policy. Even if your customers, clients, or partners don’t require you to carry specific policies, it’s recommended that you carry policies to cover any part of your business that could be at risk. Financially protecting your company is one of the smartest business decisions you can make.

Policy Cost
Resources

What Does Small Business Insurance in California Cost?

Insurance costs take multiple factors into consideration, including your industry, the size of your business, your desired coverage, and any claims you’ve had in the past. Because of that, the cost of insurance can vary largely for different small businesses. Workers’ comp policies in California, in particular, are some of the most expensive in the country with an average rate of approximately 2% of payroll.

Frequently Asked Questions About Small Business Insurance in California

What types of small business insurance do I need in California?

Every California business is unique, so we’re best able to answer that question after learning about your company. However, general liability insurance is needed if customers visit your premises, and errors and omissions insurance is important for individuals or businesses that provide a professional service or advice. If you have assets like equipment and furniture, or if you own buildings, a business owners policy (also called property & liability insurance) is important. And if you have employees, you’ll need a workers’ compensation policy.
How long does it take to get small business insurance in California?

Getting a business insurance quote and then paying for one or more policies is fast and easy. It can take as little as five minutes. And your coverage is instant once you complete the process.
Can I set up my policy to be paid automatically when premiums are due?

Yes, our autopay feature is easy to activate and signing up gives you one less task to worry about.