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What Is a Business Owner’s Policy?

A BOP may suit an eligible small business that wants property, liability and lost-income protection together. If you also need auto, workers’ compensation or professional liability, plan for separate coverage.

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What Does a Business Owner’s Policy Cover?

A covered fire can damage your stock and shut down a shop, leaving repair costs and lost sales. 4 4

Business Property

If a covered event damages your equipment, inventory or furniture, the property part addresses those business assets. 4

Claims Against the Business

Use liability coverage for claims that your business injured someone or damaged their property; use property coverage for damage to your own assets. 3,4

Income During an Interruption

If a covered disruption interrupts your business, business-interruption coverage addresses lost income, not just property repairs. 4
Part of the packageAsk in the quote
PropertyWhich business property and damage events does this quote address?
General liabilityWhich injury or property-damage claims against your business does it address?
Business interruptionWhat event triggers lost-income coverage, and what waiting and payment periods apply?

Who Needs a Business Owner’s Policy?

Your business activities determine whether you qualify for a BOP; describe what you do when requesting a quote. 1,5

Business Owner’s Policy Coverage Examples

What happened

A Fire Closes Your Shop

A fire damages your stock, and you close the shop while repairs are made.

How coverage may help

If the fire is covered, property insurance may pay for the damaged stock. Business interruption coverage may replace lost income while you're closed, subject to its waiting period and payment limits. 4,6

What happened

You Start Offering Advice

Your shop starts charging customers for professional advice as well as selling products.

How coverage may help

A BOP doesn't automatically cover claims about your professional advice. You may need professional liability insurance for that work. 4,3

How Do You Compare a Business Owner’s Policy Coverage and Costs?

Property Values and Liability Limits

Compare your property values, valuation terms and deductibles separately from the liability limits in the quote. 6,2

The Income-Coverage Timeline

To see how long income payments could last after a covered shutdown, compare the trigger, waiting period and payment period with the time your business would need to reopen—not only the listed income limit. 6

What Exclusions and Conditions Should You Check in a Business Owner’s Policy?

Property Exclusions

Before you buy, check flood, earth-movement and wear-and-tear exclusions in the property coverage. 6

Whether the Package Fits Your Business

Describe the work your business does before you apply; BOP eligibility depends on the business. 3

How Does a Business Owner’s Policy Compare With Related Coverage?

Auto, Employees and Professional Services

If you need commercial auto, workers’ compensation or professional liability, quote those separately; a BOP does not include them automatically. 3

What Do You Need for a Business Owner’s Policy Quotes?

To start a quote, gather your business locations, activities, property inventory and current policy; also review income patterns and essential operations if you need income protection. 1,5

Connect the Operation to the Quote

PrepareDirect quote action
Locations and activitiesDescribe what your business does at each location and ask whether it qualifies.
Property inventoryList the equipment, furniture and stock you want covered.
Property valuesCompare your estimates with the quote’s values, valuation terms and deductibles.
Current policy, if you have oneAsk the broker to explain differences between your current and proposed coverage.
Income patterns and essential operationsExplain what a shutdown would affect and ask how the quote addresses lost income.
Needs beyond the packageAsk separately about commercial auto, workers’ compensation and professional liability.
1,5 6,2 3

Frequently Asked Questions About a Business Owner’s Policy

Does a BOP Include Workers’ Compensation or Auto?

Not automatically. Commercial auto, workers' compensation and professional liability may need separate policies or additional coverage. 3

Can Any Small Business Buy a BOP?

No. Eligibility depends on what the business does. Describe your operations to the broker rather than assuming the package is available to every small company. 3

Is a BOP the Same as General Liability Insurance?

No. A BOP combines property, general liability and business interruption protection for eligible businesses. General liability addresses claims involving harm to others; the property portion addresses your own business assets. 4 3,4

Can a BOP Help With Income Lost During a Shutdown?

The business interruption portion can address income lost during a covered disruption. It serves a different purpose from the property portion, which pays toward damaged business assets. 4 4

What Coverage Is Related to Business Owner’s Policy?

  • What Is Commercial Property Insurance?

    Commercial property may fit your business if you own a building or rely on equipment and stock. Compare replacement-cost terms, deductibles and any coinsurance condition, and check lost-income protection separately.

  • 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.

  • What Is Commercial Auto Insurance?

    Commercial auto suits businesses that use vehicles for work and need liability protection; damage to your own vehicles is a separate coverage choice. If employees drive personal or rented cars, check how those trips are handled.

  • What Is Workers’ Compensation Insurance?

    Workers’ compensation can pay medical care and part of an employee’s lost wages after a work-related injury or illness. If you have staff, check who is covered in each state; owners, contractors and some workers may be treated differently.

  • What Is Professional Errors and Omissions (E&O) Insurance?

    Professional liability can help pay defense costs and covered losses when a client says your advice or service caused financial harm. If customers rely on your work, list every service you provide and check the claims-made reporting and prior-work terms.

Business Owner’s Policy Guides by State

Which Insurance Providers Offer Business Owner’s Policy?

  • Alliance Risk

    Alliance Risk arranges business owner’s policies.

  • Amelia Risk

    Amelia Risk arranges business owner’s policies for startups.

  • biBerk

  • Chubb

    Chubb offers business owner’s policies for eligible small businesses with up to $30 million in revenue.

  • CNA

  • Corgi

    Corgi lists a business owner’s policy in its coverage catalog.

  • Coterie Insurance

    Coterie offers a business owner’s policy through its agent channel.

  • Coverdash

    Coverdash lists a business owner’s policy in its coverage hub.

  • Embroker

    Embroker lists a business owner’s policy with a quote route.

  • ERGO NEXT Insurance

    ERGO NEXT markets a business owner’s policy.

  • Foxquilt

    Foxquilt’s About page lists Business Owner’s Policy among “Our Primary Coverages”; no current BOP-specific terms or bundled contents are established here.

  • Gallagher

    Gallagher arranges business owner’s policies for small businesses.

  • Harper

    Harper accepts business owner’s policy inquiries through its coverage intake.

  • Heffernan Insurance Brokers

    Heffernan arranges business owner’s policies for small businesses.

  • Hiscox

    Hiscox offers business owner’s policies for small businesses.

  • HUB International

    HUB International arranges business owner’s policies for small and midsized businesses.

  • Insureon

    Insureon markets Business Owner’s Policy (BOP); description does not establish insurer, policy terms, or individual availability.

  • Kinro

    Kinro lists a business owner’s policy in its product catalog.

  • Liberty Mutual

    A group brand spanning personal and commercial insurance businesses; its business unit pages describe small-commercial cover for small businesses and commercial, specialty, surety, and reinsurance solutions for mid-size and large businesses.

  • Mylo

    Mylo lists a business owner’s policy among its business insurance products.

  • Nationwide

    Nationwide markets a BOP for eligible small businesses and describes property and liability elements with optional additions; actual coverage is controlled by policy forms.

  • Pie Insurance

    Pie accepts business owner’s policy quote requests.

  • Simply Business

    Small businesses and solopreneurs seeking commercial insurance, as described by Simply Business.

  • TechInsurance

    TechInsurance arranges business owner’s policies for small businesses.

  • The Hartford

    The Hartford offers business owner’s policies combining property and liability coverage.

  • THREE by Berkshire Hathaway

    Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection.

  • Travelers

    Travelers offers business owner’s policies for small technology-services businesses.

Updated .

Spot, a product of Tools for Enlightenment, publishes this research and works in the commercial insurance market. Editorial policy. To suggest a correction, contact Spot with the page URL and supporting source.

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