Hiscox vs 
Simply Business: How Do They Compare for General Liability Insurance?
What Is Hiscox?
Hiscox suits eligible small businesses that want online GL, professional liability, cyber or BOP quotes; businesses needing other specialty products should compare brokers. Core Hiscox NOW policies are usually issued by its own insurer, while some products use partners. 1,2,3
Simply Business: Online Small-Business Insurance Marketplace
Simply Business describes a digital marketplace and licensed-producer service for small businesses. The policy and selected insurer determine coverage, fees, servicing and claims responsibilities. 7,8
What Is General Liability Insurance?
General liability can protect your business when a customer or visitor claims you caused injury or damaged their property. It suits businesses serving customers or working on their premises; your own building, tools and stock need property coverage. 10,11,12
Key Differences in General Liability Insurance
Technology coverage and the quote record
Hiscox says its standard general liability adds an electronic-data-liability provision for IT and technology professions. Simply Business describes bodily injury, third-party property damage and defense costs as potential coverage, but its reviewed offering record does not describe an equivalent technology provision. A technology business should request the endorsement wording and ask whether Simply Business's carrier quote includes it. 4 9
Named insurer and online availability
Hiscox names Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. for admitted Hiscox NOW policies and says online sales cover 49 states and D.C., excluding Alaska. Simply Business provides an online quote route but says panel-member approval is required before binding, without naming a carrier in this offering record. Your state and the final insurer therefore need checking in the quote documents. 5 8
What to Confirm in General Liability Insurance Quotes
Review Scores
These averages can combine ratings for different products, locations, and customer groups, including approximate BBB grade conversions. Read each review for the sources, scope, and calculation.
Hiscox
Review Score
4 rated sources
Hiscox’s review results are sharply divided: low Trustpilot and ConsumerAffairs scores contrast with strong Feefo feedback. Service quality deserves closer scrutiny before purchase.[1][4][5][6][7]
Read Hiscox reviewsSimply Business
Review Score
4 rated sources
Customers disagree about Simply Business. Trustpilot shows 4.3 out of 5 from 1,901 reviews, but BBB customers give it 1.95 from 20 reviews and ConsumerAffairs shows 1.0.[6][10][7]
Read Simply Business reviewsOffering Details
Hiscox vs Simply Business: General Liability Insurance: documented features by provider
| Criteria | Hiscox General Liability Insurance | General liability insurance through Simply Business |
|---|---|---|
| Role in This Line | Hiscox Inc., a Delaware-based licensed insurance intermediary, sells general liability directly online to small businesses as part of its Hiscox NOW admitted small-business catalogue. 3,4Company-reported. Company-stated online small-business channel; broker-only sections of the Hiscox site are a separate, licensed-professional path not covered here. | Confirm in your quote. |
| Issuing Insurer | Hiscox's appetite guide and About Hiscox US page name Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. (NAIC 10200), a Chicago-based insurer, as the underwriter of admitted Hiscox NOW general liability policies. 5,3Company-reported. Admitted small-business general liability as described in company materials; the exact contracting entity for a particular state or channel should be confirmed on the quote. | Confirm in your quote. |
| Who It’s For | Hiscox says it is currently licensed to sell general liability online in 49 states and the District of Columbia, with coverage unavailable in Alaska; it directs buyers in states where it does not sell online to a specialist broker instead. 4Company-reported. Company-stated jurisdiction for the online small-business catalogue; specific class or industry eligibility still depends on underwriting. | The page discusses sole proprietors, partnerships, LLCs, home-based businesses, independent contractors and freelancers as examples of small-business buyers. Examples do not guarantee a carrier quote or eligibility. 9Company-reported. Company-published general-liability information for U.S. small businesses; availability and actual policy terms depend on the insurer, state and buyer. |
| Coverage Features | Hiscox's general-liability product page adds an electronic-data-liability provision for IT and technology professions on top of its standard general-liability coverage. 4Company-reported. Product-page description; specific wording, limits and exclusions are set by the issued policy and declarations. | The company describes general liability as potentially addressing third-party accidents, bodily injury, third-party property damage and legal-defense costs. Its page says employee injuries are not covered by this line. This is educational material, not a policy form. 9Company-reported. Company-published general-liability information for U.S. small businesses; availability and actual policy terms depend on the insurer, state and buyer. |
| Limits and Retentions | The general-liability page does not publish a standard limit amount; example California consultant pricing shown on the page is explicitly labeled illustrative rather than a quote. 4Not publicly disclosed. Public product page as previously reviewed; actual limits, retentions and pricing are quote-specific. | Confirm in your quote. |
| How to Apply | Hiscox says eligible buyers can apply for general liability online, with the policy issued by email and a certificate of insurance included in the welcome documents once the application is complete; buyers can also pay annually or monthly with no additional fees. 4Company-reported. Company-described online application and billing options; eligibility and binding conditions require confirmation on the actual application. | Simply Business directs buyers to an online quote flow; its Terms say a quote is not guaranteed and the producer cannot bind a risk without panel-member approval. 9,8Company-reported. Company-published general-liability information for U.S. small businesses; availability and actual policy terms depend on the insurer, state and buyer. |
| Claims Support | Hiscox says general-liability policyholders can report a claim online 24/7, and describes assigning a specialized claims professional to validate coverage on reported claims. 4,6Company-reported. Company-described claims process; does not establish claim outcomes or turnaround time. | Confirm in your quote. |
Full Comparison
More Hiscox vs Simply Business Comparisons
Other General Liability Insurance Comparisons
Sources
Hiscox
- Website Terms & Conditions of Use. Hiscox; Last modified May 28, 2024; Hiscox Inc. as Delaware corporation headquartered in Atlanta, d/b/a Hiscox Insurance Agency in CA, licensed intermediary for admitted and surplus-lines business with Hiscox Insurance Company Inc., other domestic insurers, and Lloyd’s syndicates; small-business online path distinguished from broker-only site sections. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Get A Small Business Insurance Quote. Hiscox; States that Hiscox offers general liability, professional liability, cyber security and business owner’s policies online; zip-code quote field; licensed-agent hours Monday–Friday 7 a.m.–10 p.m. ET and Saturday–Sunday 8 a.m.–5 p.m. ET. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- About Hiscox US Insurance. Hiscox; Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. NAIC 10200 as Chicago, IL domiciled insurer admitted or licensed in all 50 states and D.C.; Hiscox Inc. as general agent and Lloyd’s coverholder for Syndicates 33 and 3624; surplus-lines placements through licensed surplus-lines brokers; A.M. Best rating statement. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- General Liability Insurance. Hiscox; Online quote; 49-state and D.C. availability with Alaska excluded; broker-referral if not sold online; payment annually or monthly with no additional fees; online 24/7 claim reporting; policy issued via email and certificate in welcome documents; electronic data liability for IT professions; coverage subject to underwriting. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Hiscox US Agent Appetite Guide. Hiscox; Hiscox NOW admitted GL, PL, cyber and BOP underwritten by Hiscox Insurance Company Inc.; footer underwriting disclosure. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Start a Business Insurance Claim Online, by Phone or Mail. Hiscox; Online claim filing; specialized claims professional assignment; coverage validation. Accessed 2026-09-16.
Simply Business
- Our Small Business Insurance Story. Simply Business; Opening description and audience; digital marketplace, business types and U.S. service. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Terms of Service. Simply Business; Dated June 30, 2026; §1 lines 22–28; §8 lines 87–113; §10 lines 143–149; §19 line 211. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- General Liability Insurance for a Small Business. Simply Business; Coverage lines 51–75; audience lines 61–65, 153–155; application and examples elsewhere on page. Accessed 2026-09-29.
General Liability Insurance Guide
- Commercial general liability insurance. Insurance Information Institute; Coverage A; Coverage B; Coverage C; Purchasing commercial general liability insurance. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Commercial Insurance Guide. California Department of Insurance; Commercial General Liability; Commercial Automobile; What Should I Expect from a Broker-Agent?; How Are Commercial Policies Rated? Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Commercial General Liability Coverage Form. ISO; specimen hosted by Hiscox; I.A pp.1–5; I.B pp.6–7; I.C pp.7–8; Supplementary Payments p.8; II pp.9–10; III p.10; IV pp.10–12. Accessed 2026-09-16.
