Find the Best Business Insurance Options in Montana

It may be your dream to start a business in Montana, or perhaps you already run one. The state is a great location to own a business for many reasons, but your company must be protected by business insurance. If your business lacks coverage, it's vulnerable to huge financial losses after just one disaster. But having business insurance can help you get reimbursement after fire damage, vandalism, data breaches, and more.

Montana is home to nearly 120,250 small businesses, and its more than 245,400 small business employees also need coverage. Fortunately, an independent insurance agent in Montana can help you get equipped with all the protection your business requires. But for starters, here's a deep dive into Montana business insurance. 

Best Business Insurance Companies in Montana

Many carriers in Montana offer business insurance. But your company will benefit the most from a quality policy from a trustworthy carrier. So we've compiled this list of only the best options for business insurance companies in Montana just for you.

  • Progressive: Progressive sells business insurance and personal coverage. The carrier has excellent financial strength, offers many discounts, and provides 24/7/365 customer service. 
  • pomi: pomi offers business insurance and personal products as well. The carrier has excellent ratings from AM Best and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and offers online claims reporting. 
  • The Hanover: The Hanover offers a large catalog of business insurance and personal insurance. The carrier has outstanding ratings from both AM Best and the BBB and offers 24/7 claims reporting. 
  • Stillwater: Stillwater also has a large catalog of business and personal coverages. The carrier is highly rated by AM Best and the BBB and offers 24/7 claims reporting.

A Montana independent insurance agent can help you find the coverage you need from one of the best business insurance companies in the state. 

Montana Business Insurance Requirements

All businesses, with a few exceptions, must carry workers' compensation in Montana. But your business insurance policy likely won't be complete without several other types of coverage, too. For example, if your business has physical buildings or inventory, you'll need to get commercial property coverage to protect it. You'll also need commercial auto insurance to protect any company vehicles. Having business income insurance is also critical to maintaining employee payroll and continued revenue during covered closures. 

The Only State-Mandated Type of Business Insurance in Montana Is:

Some Optional Types of Business Insurance Coverage to Consider in Montana Are:

A Montana independent insurance agent will help you build the right business insurance policy for your company.

What Business Insurance Covers in Montana

The coverage you put into your Montana business insurance policy will determine what protection you have for your company. So, the more coverage options you choose, the more coverage you'll ultimately have. It's highly recommended to at least purchase commercial general liability coverage, workers' comp., commercial auto coverage, business income coverage, and cyber liability coverage. But your Montana independent insurance agent can help ensure your business gets covered from every possible angle by your business insurance policy.

Liability Coverage Options for Small Businesses in Montana

Lawsuits can happen at any time and to any business. Your Montana business needs the protection provided by liability coverage. Depending on the nature of your operations, you may need more than one form of liability coverage, like:

  • Professional liability insurance: Reimburses your business for lawsuits resulting from claims of improper or inaccurate advice or services given or rendered to the public.
  • Commercial general liability insurance: Reimburses your business for lawsuits resulting from claims of personal property damage or bodily injury to the public.
  • Cyber liability insurance: Reimburses your business for lawsuits resulting from a data breach or other cyber threat that may sell or expose sensitive data like customer credit card information.

Your Montana independent insurance agent will help you get all the liability coverage your business needs.

Property Coverage Options for Small Businesses in Montana

Having any type of physical property means your business needs a special form of extra protection. Just a few disasters that can damage company property include vandalism, fire damage, explosions, and more. You might need to add this critical coverage to your business insurance policy:

  • Commercial property insurance: Reimburses your business for the cost of repairs or replacement of company property like physical buildings and inventory after a covered disaster.

Your Montana independent insurance agent can recommend the right amount of commercial property coverage.

Other Insurance Options for Small Business Owners in Montana

Your business insurance policy may not yet be complete. Depending on the type of business you run, there are other types of coverage you may still need to consider. Check into these coverages to add to your business insurance policy:

  • Commercial auto insurance: Reimburses your business for incidents involving company vehicles, like accidents, fire, theft, vandalism, etc.
  • Business interruption insurance: Reimburses your business for expected revenue and employee payroll during covered temporary closures, such as due to fire damage.

A Montana independent insurance agent will help you complete your business insurance policy the right way. 

Average Cost of Business Insurance in Montana

Business insurance costs in Montana aren't standard, so offering an average figure isn't really possible. However, the more coverage your business needs, the larger it is, and the more employees it has, the more its business insurance is likely to cost. Your business's exact location can also drive up coverage costs if it's especially prone to natural disasters or crime. Finally, if your business is in a dangerous industry like construction, you can also expect to pay more for your business insurance policy.

How does your city measure up to the national average?

Number of businesses in the US: 30,819,176

Burglary rate per 1,000 residents in the US: 3.76

Auto theft rate per 1,000 vehicles in the US: 2.29

CityNo. businessesBurglaries / 1,000 peopleAuto thefts / 1,000 cars
Belgrade1,1040.871.52
Billings11,3765.525.67
Bozeman7,4731.140.89
Great Falls5,5415.424.45
Havre7533.94.83
Helena4,2553.812.26
Kalispell3,6182.782.25
Laurel5231.031.03
Livingston1,4881.971.58
Miles City8731.310.36
Missoula9,1164.532.32
Whitefish1,9232.050.51

How Does Your Montana City Measure Up?

Commercial property insurance: Montana is prone to many different types of natural disasters, including harsh blizzards in the winter. For businesses in Billings that have physical structures like offices or storefronts, having commercial property coverage can help them repair or rebuild after structural damage caused by many threats, including snow and ice. 

Commercial general liability insurance: This coverage can reimburse your Billings business for lawsuit costs if it gets sued by a third party like a customer. Claims of bodily injury or personal property damage are covered.

Commercial auto insurance: If your Billings business has any company vehicles, this coverage can help reimburse for repairs or replacements after several covered threats. Comprehensive coverage under this policy can help pay for repairs to company vehicles that get damaged by natural disasters like blizzards, as well.

Commercial property insurance: Montana is prone to many different types of natural disasters, including harsh blizzards in the winter. For businesses in Bozeman that have physical structures like offices or storefronts, having commercial property coverage can help them repair or rebuild after structural damage caused by many threats, including snow and ice. 

Commercial general liability insurance: This coverage can reimburse your Bozeman business for lawsuit costs if it gets sued by a third party like a customer. Claims of bodily injury or personal property damage are covered.

Commercial auto insurance: If your Bozeman business has any company vehicles, this coverage can help reimburse for repairs or replacements after several covered threats. Comprehensive coverage under this policy can help pay for repairs to company vehicles that get damaged by natural disasters like blizzards, as well.

Commercial property insurance: Montana is prone to many different types of natural disasters, including harsh blizzards in the winter. For businesses in Butte-Silver Bow that have physical structures like offices or storefronts, having commercial property coverage can help them repair or rebuild after structural damage caused by many threats, including snow and ice. 

Commercial general liability insurance: This coverage can reimburse your Butte-Silver Bow business for lawsuit costs if it gets sued by a third party like a customer. Claims of bodily injury or personal property damage are covered.

Commercial auto insurance: If your Butte-Silver Bow business has any company vehicles, this coverage can help reimburse for repairs or replacements after several covered threats. Comprehensive coverage under this policy can help pay for repairs to company vehicles that get damaged by natural disasters like blizzards, as well.

Commercial property insurance: Montana is prone to many different types of natural disasters, including harsh blizzards in the winter. For businesses in Great Falls that have physical structures like offices or storefronts, having commercial property coverage can help them repair or rebuild after structural damage caused by many threats, including snow and ice. 

Commercial general liability insurance: This coverage can reimburse your Great Falls business for lawsuit costs if it gets sued by a third party like a customer. Claims of bodily injury or personal property damage are covered.

Commercial auto insurance: If your Great Falls business has any company vehicles, this coverage can help reimburse for repairs or replacements after several covered threats. Comprehensive coverage under this policy can help pay for repairs to company vehicles that get damaged by natural disasters like blizzards, as well.

Commercial property insurance: Montana is prone to many different types of natural disasters, including harsh blizzards in the winter. For businesses in Missoula that have physical structures like offices or storefronts, having commercial property coverage can help them repair or rebuild after structural damage caused by many threats, including snow and ice. 

Commercial general liability insurance: This coverage can reimburse your Missoula business for lawsuit costs if it gets sued by a third party like a customer. Claims of bodily injury or personal property damage are covered.

Commercial auto insurance: If your Missoula business has any company vehicles, this coverage can help reimburse for repairs or replacements after several covered threats. Comprehensive coverage under this policy can help pay for repairs to company vehicles that get damaged by natural disasters like blizzards, as well.

Popular Questions about Business Insurance in Montana

The cost of your business insurance policy in Montana depends on your business's industry, size, coverage needs, exact location, claims history, and several other factors.

Yes, every employer in Montana who has employees must have workers' compensation insurance by state law. This is the only required form of coverage in Montana. 

You'll want to build a business insurance policy that covers every angle of your Montana business. But your policy's coverage will vary based on what you choose. You may opt to build a business insurance policy that has workers' comp., commercial auto coverage, commercial general liability coverage, and commercial property insurance, for example. 

In Montana, business general liability or commercial general liability insurance covers the costs of lawsuits filed against your business by third parties for claims of personal property damage or bodily injury. You can get reimbursed for attorney, court, and settlement fees with this coverage.

Yes, small business health insurance plans are available in Montana. Your business may also qualify for tax credits on coverage if it has fewer than 25 employees and pays less than $50,000 per year average wage per employee. 

Our research found that Progressive, pomi, The Hartford, and Stillwater are currently the best business insurance companies in Montana. These carriers were chosen based on official ratings for financial strength, customer service, products offered, discounts offered, rates, and more.

Your small business in Montana must have workers' compensation coverage if it has any employees. Other coverages you need will depend on your unique operations. If you have company vehicles, for example, you'll need commercial auto coverage. If you perform professional services for the public, you'll need professional liability insurance, etc. 

Your insurance company should be able to provide you with a certificate of insurance for your Montana business. However, you can also ask your Montana independent insurance agent to help you obtain this certificate. 

Yes, a few industries are exempt from the state's workers' comp. requirements in Montana, including:

  • Newspaper carriers
  • Freelancers
  • Domestic/household workers
  • Church ministers and other religious order members
  • Contracted, licensed cosmetologists and barbers
  • Commissioned real estate, securities, or insurance salespeople

Working with an independent insurance agent in Montana can help you get the right coverage much faster and easier. Independent insurance agents shop and compare options for business insurance from multiple different carriers in your area, then they provide you with quotes that offer the best blend of coverage and cost. 

Do You Know What Your Business Insurance Covers in Montana?

https://www.insureon.com/small-business-insurance/workers-compensation/montana

https://www.insureon.com/small-business-insurance/workers-compensation/montana#:~:text=Montana%20requires%20every%20employer%20to,employees%20with%20workers'%20compensation%20insurance.

https://www.ehealthinsurance.com/montana-health-insurance/health-plans/group-medical