Small business insurance in California
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Tailored business insurance in California
biBerk is a trusted provider of small business insurance in California. We offer different policies to protect you from the many types of risk California businesses face. Let's take a look at what they are and how you benefit from them.
California Workers' Compensation insurance
Workers’ compensation insurance in California is a legal requirement. This insurance helps protect your business if an employee gets hurt, sick, 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're solo operations with no employees.
Workers' Compensationchevron_rightCalifornia General Liability insurance
Also known as commercial liability insurance, general liability insurance in California covers damages and legal costs associated with injury claims from people who don’t work for you (like customers), damage to other people's property that your business caused, 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 general liability insurance in California, including cyber, hired and non-owned auto liability, employment-related practices liability, and employee benefits liability.
General Liabilitychevron_rightCalifornia Business Owners Policy (BOP)
Also called property & liability insurance, a business owners policy (BOP) is a type of commercial insurance in California that combines general liability 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 lots of add-ons including cyber, hired and non-owned auto liability, employment-related practices liability, and employee benefits liability.
Business Owners Policychevron_rightCalifornia Professional Liability insurance
You might hear people call this errors and omissions (E&O) insurance. It can protect you from the cost of damages and legal fees when someone says your professional service caused financial harm to them or their business. Coverage includes both mistakes by your business (errors) and the failure to perform a service (omissions). Having professional liability insurance in California is crucial if your business provides professional advice, offers a professional service, or has contractual requirements for the coverage.
Professional Liabilitychevron_rightCalifornia 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 Autochevron_rightCalifornia Cyber insurance
You can buy this coverage as an add-on to a general liability, professional liability, or BOP policy. It helps pay costs related to system hacks or data security breaches where a hacker steals sensitive information and uses it to commit fraud or is likely to.
Cyber Insurancechevron_rightCalifornia Umbrella insurance
You probably know that 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 might 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 Insurancechevron_rightWe 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 insurance.
Save time.
Get a quote 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 $52.2 billion in paid claims in 2023.
Workers’ Compensation insurance in California and other policies: companies trust biBerk.
Whether it’s workers’ compensation or other commercial insurance in California, companies are reassured that biBerk is part of the Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Group. You might 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.
Who turns to biBerk for business insurance in California?
We work with a wide range of business owners in California. People starting their first business rely on us to help set a solid foundation for their companies. We provide straightforward guidance on the types of insurance they need. We also share insights on compliance issues and guidance on who to contact in their state for detailed information. New owners who connect with biBerk get a roadmap for their financial protection that provides powerful peace of mind.
Collaborating with experienced business owners
Established businesses rely on biBerk for regular policy reviews that ensure they have gap-free insurance protection. Owners also come to us for assistance when they expand or restructure their businesses to see if they need to make any changes to their tailored insurance strategy. We help lots of California companies, so we’re a good source of general information on the state’s regulatory environment, as well.
Assisting independent contractors and freelancers
When you’re working solo, it’s nice to have an insurance company behind you that understands the challenges you face and can provide excellent advice on the coverages you need. The fact that biBerk’s policies can be as much as 20% less than those from other providers is also helpful to these professionals, who might have limited budgets. We also support people navigating the so-called gig economy, helping them address their business risks so they can relax and enjoy the flexibility and freedom of this approach.
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 a good idea to 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.
What does small business insurance in California cost?
Insurance costs take multiple factors into consideration—things like 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 significantly 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
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What types of small business insurance do I need in California?
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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.
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How long does it take to get small business insurance in California?
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Getting California business insurance quotes 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.
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Can I set up my policy to be paid automatically when premiums are due?
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Yes, our autopay feature is easy to activate and signing up gives you one less task to worry about.
Small business insurance in California in three simple steps
Get a quote.
Fill out a form online or give us a call to tell us about your company. You’ll have a quote in as little as five minutes.
Buy a policy.
Complete your purchase and make payments online or over the phone. You can pay your premium all at once or in monthly installments.
Get a certificate.
Download an instant Certificate of Liability Insurance immediately after purchasing a policy.
Get a quote today.
Trust biBerk to provide the right insurance for your California small business.