Working on electrical systems, whether in a home or at a business, is risky. Electricians and electrical contractors deal with unique risks because they handle:
- Live wires
- Active circuits
- Specialized systems and costly equipment.
This is in addition to standard risks that most business owners face, such as property damage or on-the-job injuries. The best way for electricians to control these risks is to get adequate electrician insurance protection. This article will explain what you need to know to get the insurance coverage you need to protect your business.
- 6 best electrician insurance companies
- What types of insurance do electricians get?
- How much does business insurance for electricians cost?
- Factors impacting electrician insurance costs
- How to get cheap electrician insurance?
6 best electrician insurance companies
After researching more than 20 companies offering electrician insurance, here are our recommendations of the top 6 providers with their own pros and cons.
- InsurePro: Best for pay-per-day electrician insurance coverage
- Simply Business: Best for a simple process to find and buy affordable coverage
- CoverWallet: Best for comparing several quotes
- State Farm: Best if you prefer working with an agent
- Hiscox: Best for small electrical contracting businesses
- Thimble: Best for short-term electrician insurance coverage
InsurePro: Best for pay-per-day electrician insurance coverage
InsurePro makes buying customized electrician insurance simple. Its systems can shop more than 20 reputable insurers, including Hiscox, Chubb, and Next, in as little as ten minutes to help you find the most flexible and affordable coverage. The unique aspect of InsurePro is that you can buy coverage for just few days, instead of a traditional annual policy. If you only need coverage for a few days, this option could save you a lot of money. Even if you want to get a traditional annual policy, InsurePro can find you very affordable coverage.
PROS:
- Simple and fast application process
- Online quotes and complete the purchase process online
- Offers on-demand coverage, which is good if you don’t need insurance all the time.
- Affordable premiums.
CONS:
- Relatively new company.
- Doesn’t offer as many coverages as more established insurance providers.
- You won’t make claims or get answers to your insurance-related questions post purchase through InsurePro. You have to work through your insurer.
Bottom line: With InsurePro, you won’t waste valuable time getting coverage. You should be able to get the electrician coverage you need in ten minutes or less.
Simply Business: Best for a simple process to find and buy affordable coverage
Simply Business was founded almost twenty years ago. Despite its relative newness, it’s become an insurance company trusted by more than 800,000 small business owners.
PROS:
- It’s simple to apply for coverage on the Simply Business website or get support from an experienced representative over the phone.
- It allows you to compare multiple quotes and find and buy the most affordable electrician business insurance in minutes.
- Expert claims support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
CONS:
- Less able to customize coverage than more established insurers.
- May not offer all coverages in all states
- May need to complete an online purchase over the phone.
Bottom line: If you need electrician insurance fast and value a quick and easy application process, give Simply Business a look.
CoverWallet: Best for comparing several quotes
Want to compare costs and coverages for electricians insurance in a single place and manage it online? CoverWallet could help you do just that!
PROS:
- CoverWallet’s advanced platform ensures it can connect electricians with the business insurance they need quickly and at a fair price.
- Receive quotes from two or three insurance providers on a single screen, making it simple to compare coverages and prices.
- Short and easy application process.
CONS:
- Limited support when getting coverage online.
- May be more expensive than getting coverage direct from an insurer.
- Claims must be made through your insurer and not direct through CoverWallet.
Bottom line: CoverWallet makes it easy to purchase electrician insurance online or through an agent. When you get your policy through CoverWallet, it’s simple to manage your coverage online, including downloading a certificate of insurance, filing a claim, renewing your policy, and more.
State Farm: Best if you prefer working with an agent
State Farm takes a unique approach to providing business insurance. It offers bundles of coverages tailored to 300 plus different industries, including electricians
PROS:
- Bundled coverage tailored to your specific electrician business needs and risks.
- The company has been around since 1935 and has a solid track record.
- State Farm is known for its high level of service and quick claims process.
CONS:
- You must get coverage through an agent.
- Business insurance prices may be a bit higher than with other providers.
- Little online functionality for people who prefer to manage their insurance that way.
Bottom line: Best option for electrical contractors that want protection from an established provider with a solid track record.
Hiscox: Best for small electrical contracting businesses
Hiscox is a leading provider of small business insurance. It’s been in operation since 1901. More than 400,000 smaller business owners choose Hiscox for their insurance needs.
PROS:
- Makes it simple to purchase electrician business coverage online.
- Easy to connect with experienced business insurance experts.
- Customizable coverage to meet your unique business insurance coverage needs.
CONS:
- May need to speak to a representative to complete a quote and purchase coverage.
- Back-end systems seem a bit old-school.
- Coverage is sometimes more costly than from other providers.
Bottom line: Hiscox is known for providing top-tier service, fast quotes, instant coverage, and quick claims processing. If these things are important to you, the higher cost of its coverage could be worth it.
Thimble: Best for short-term electrician insurance coverage
Thimble is an online insurance provider that sells coverage to people who need electrician and other business insurance fast and for limited periods.
PROS:
- Great for fast or temporary electrician business insurance.
- Perfect choice for electricians that hire contractors and need them to get insurance.
- Monthly, daily, and even hourly coverage is available through Thimble.
CONS:
- Thimble does not underwrite the policies it sells. Other insurers do.
- You must file claims with the insurer who underwrites your policy.
- Limited ability to speak with someone over the phone, whether when shopping for insurance or after purchasing a policy.
Bottom line: Thimble could be a good choice if you need fast limited-term business insurance coverage.
Here is a sample quote from Thimble.
What types of insurance do electricians get?
Savvy electricians and electrical contractors purchase a business owner’s policy (BOP). It combines three types of insurance that cover the most critical risks small business owners face.
General liability insurance
General liability insurance (also called electrician liability insurance) helps cover you if a non-employee is injured on your business property or if you or an employee damages someone else’s property while doing electrical work.
Learn more at general liability insurance cost and the best general liability insurance companies
Commercial property insurance
Commercial property insurance helps protect a building you own or rent that you run your electrical business out of and the electrical equipment you store in it from things like fire, weather events, theft, or vandalism. This includes:
- Amp meters
- Screwdrivers
- Wire strippers
- Pliers
- Power tools
- Batteries.
Learn more at commercial property insurance cost and the best commercial property insurance companies
Business income insurance
Business income insurance helps recover a portion of your lost income if you can’t operate your electrician business for a reason covered by your Business Owners Policy (BOP). Learn more at the best business income interruption insurance companies and the best BOP insurance companies
Once you secure a BOP, it’s easy to add other coverages electricians need, including:
- Workers’ compensation insurance helps you and your employees recover from a work-related injury or illness. It provides benefits that help pay their medical bills, disability costs, rehabilitation, and replace some of their lost wages. Your state likely requires you to carry this coverage if you have employees. Learn more at workers comp insurance cost and the best workers comp insurance companies
- Contractor’s equipment insurance helps protect the equipment and tools you use for your electrical contractor business. This includes things you own or rent when they’re stored on a job site or in a vehicle.
- Commercial auto insurance protects you and your employees when driving vehicles for business purposes. It covers accident-related damage to someone else’s property, including their car, and injuries to others. Learn more at commercial auto insurance cost and the best commercial auto insurance companies
- Electrician professional liability insurance helps cover lawsuits related to the electrical services you provide, including legal and settlement costs.
- Employment practices liability insurance helps protect your business from claims related to how you treat your employees. It covers you if you’re ever sued for discrimination, sexual harassment, or wrongful termination.
How much does electrician insurance cost?
The average cost of a general liability insurance policy for electricians is $49 per month, or $550 a year. However, electricians may need more coverages. If they add more coverages, the average monthly costs may increase up to $313 a month with the following breakdowns:
| Electrician insurance coverages | Average costs |
| General liability insurance | $48 per month |
| Commercial property insurance | $85 per month |
| Contractors tools and equipment | $35 per month |
| Workers comp insurance | $145 per month |
Learn more at how much electrical contractor insurance costs
Factors impacting electrician insurance costs
Electricians’ insurance costs depend on many factors, including:
- Coverages and policy limits. The more coverage you have, the more it will cost.
- Business risks. Electricians that work on large electrical systems in major high rises will pay more for protection than ones that do minor home repairs.
- Equipment value. Covering heavy-duty electrical equipment will cost more than a few smaller tools.
- Business property. Electricians that rent a small office will pay less to cover it than ones that own a large shop.
- Location. Electrical businesses that operate in large cities where lawsuits are common will pay more for coverage than those in rural areas where getting sued is less likely.
- Insurer. Insurers calculate premiums differently, which will impact how much you pay for insurance.
How do I get cheap electrician insurance?
Electrician insurance isn’t too expensive, so you should get have a general liability policy to protect your business. Following the tips below to get cheap electrician insurance:
- Only get the coverages that you need. If you can only afford one policy, let it be general liability insurance
- Manage the policy details such as coverage limits and deductibles. Reduce the coverage limits if you don’t need or increase the the deductible if you can afford to reduce your rates
- Implement safety best practices and standards
- Always compare several quotes before making your final decisions. Compare at least 3-5 quotes to choose the cheapest one for you.
You owe yourself to do your due diligence to get the right insurance coverage to protect the electrical contracting business you’ve worked so hard to build.
