Painting Business Insurance

Painting companies can use Insuranceopedia to compare business insurance quotes from leading carriers. It helps you secure the right plans for general liability, property damage, and employee coverage.

Why Do Painting Businesses Need Insurance?

Working as a professional painter comes with specific hazards. From climbing tall ladders to handling chemicals, the potential for accidents is real. Insurance acts as a safety net to handle property damage, legal fees, and safety risks while helping you maintain a good reputation.

Imagine a scenario where a crew member spills a gallon of primer on a client’s expensive hardwood floor. The cost to refinish that floor could be massive. Without general liability coverage, your business would have to pay those damages directly. A single accident like this could drain your business accounts instantly.

You also have to consider physical injuries. If a homeowner trips over a drop cloth or extension cord and gets hurt, they could sue you for medical costs. Liability insurance helps protect your company’s assets against these types of lawsuits.

Finally, carrying insurance is a badge of professionalism. Most clients demand to see a certificate of insurance before signing a contract. Whether you are a solo painter or run a large crew, having coverage proves you are a legitimate and responsible operation.

What Insurance Do Painting Businesses Need?

Running a painting business involves specific risks, from ladder falls to spilled chemicals on a client’s expensive rug. To keep your operation safe from financial loss, you need the right coverage. Below is a guide to the key types of business insurance policies painting contractors should consider.

General Liability Insurance

This is the cornerstone of protection for most trade businesses. It shields you against claims from third parties regarding property damage or bodily injury. If your work causes harm to a person or their belongings, this policy helps pay for legal defense and settlements.

Example: While painting a living room, you accidentally knock over a ladder. It smashes a high-end television set. General liability would pay to replace the customer’s TV and cover legal costs if they decide to sue.

Workers’ Compensation Insurance

Painting is physically demanding work. If you have employees, you likely need this coverage by law. It provides financial support if a crew member gets hurt or sick because of their job. It handles medical expenses, recovery costs, and lost income.

Example: A painter on your crew falls from a scaffold and breaks a leg. Workers’ compensation pays for their surgery and physical therapy while covering a portion of their wages during recovery.

Business Owner’s Policy (BOP)

A BOP is a cost-effective way to get broad coverage. It packages general liability insurance and commercial property insurance together. This is usually cheaper than purchasing the two policies separately. It protects your business assets and covers liability risks simultaneously.

Example: A pipe bursts in your office, destroying your files, and a customer slips in the wet lobby on the same day. A BOP helps handle both the property repairs and the injury claim.

Commercial Auto Insurance

Personal car insurance policies rarely cover accidents that happen during business activities. If you drive a van or truck to haul ladders and paint, you need a commercial policy. It covers liability, medical bills, and vehicle repairs if you are in a crash while working.

Example: You are driving the company van to a job site and accidentally sideswipe another vehicle. Commercial auto insurance covers the damage to the other car and any medical costs for the other driver.

Inland Marine Insurance

Painters are always moving valuable equipment like airless sprayers and pressure washers between locations. Standard property insurance does not always cover items in transit. Inland marine insurance protects your tools from theft or damage while they are on the road or at a job site.

Example: You leave your high-end paint sprayer in the back of your truck while stopping for lunch, and it gets stolen. Inland marine coverage pays to replace the stolen tool so you can get back to work.

Professional Liability Insurance (Errors & Omissions)

This coverage focuses on the quality of your advice and workmanship. If a client claims your work was negligent or that you made a mistake that caused them a financial loss, this policy protects you.

Example: A client hires you to use a specific mold-resistant paint. You accidentally use standard paint, and mold returns two months later, ruining the drywall. The client sues for the cost of repairs. This policy covers those legal claims.

Professional liability insurance costs an average of $82 per month.

Hired And Non-Owned Auto (HNOA) Insurance

Sometimes you or your staff might use vehicles that the business does not own. This includes rented trucks or employees driving their own cars for work errands. HNOA provides liability protection for these specific situations.

Example: You send an employee to the hardware store to buy more masking tape, and they take their own sedan. On the way, they cause a minor accident. HNOA steps in to cover the liability costs.

Umbrella Insurance

Standard policies have financial limits. Umbrella insurance acts as a safety net that sits on top of your general liability or auto policies. If a massive lawsuit exceeds your primary policy limit, umbrella coverage pays the difference.

Example: A major accident involving your work vehicle causes severe injuries to multiple people. The lawsuit demands $1.5 million, but your auto policy limit is only $1 million. Umbrella insurance covers the remaining $500,000.

Commercial Property Insurance

If your business has a physical location, such as a workshop, office, or storage warehouse, you need this protection. It covers the building and the assets inside against risks like fire, storms, and theft.

Example: A severe thunderstorm damages the roof of your paint storage warehouse. Commercial property insurance pays for the roof repairs and any inventory ruined by the leak.

Business Personal Property (BPP) Insurance

This is specifically for the movable items your business owns. It covers furniture, electronics, and inventory located at your business premises. If these items are destroyed or stolen, BPP helps you replace them.

Example: Someone breaks into your office and steals your laptop and billing software. BPP covers the cost of replacing the computer equipment.

Business Interruption Insurance

Disasters can force a business to shut down for days or weeks. Business interruption insurance helps replace lost income during that downtime. It ensures you can still pay bills like rent and payroll, even if you cannot paint.

Example: A fire in your workshop destroys your supplies, and you cannot accept new jobs for three weeks while you restock and repair. This insurance reimburses the income you would have made during those three weeks.

Cyber Liability Insurance

Even painting businesses have digital risks. If you store customer credit card numbers or addresses on a computer, you are a target for hackers. This insurance covers the costs associated with data breaches and cyberattacks.

Example: A hacker gains access to your email and steals a list of client addresses and payment info. Cyber liability pays for the legal fees, notification costs, and credit monitoring for the affected customers.

These policies work together to create a safety net for your painting business. While every painter might not need every single policy listed here, understanding these options helps you build a plan that keeps your tools, your team, and your income safe.

Cheapest Painting Company Professional Liability Insurance

Next Insurance offers the lowest rates for professional liability, with an average annual cost of approximately $235.

Note: Estimates are based on 2024-2025 advertised starting rates and median premiums for small painting contractors with standard risk profiles. Actual premiums will vary based on your business revenue, location, and claims history.

Cheapest Painting Company General Liability Insurance

biBERK provides the most competitive entry-level premium option for general liability, averaging around $341 annually.

Note: Figures reflect estimated annual premiums for a standard $1 million/$2 million policy limit for residential painting businesses. Actual premiums will vary depending on crew size, state regulations, and specific coverage add-ons.

Cheapest Painting Company Business Owner’s Policy

Next Insurance presents the most affordable option for a business owner’s policy, averaging $615 per year.

Note: Estimates assume a bundle including General Liability and Commercial Property coverage for a small painting business with typical equipment values. Actual premiums will vary significantly based on property value, deductibles chosen, and regional risk factors.

How Much Does Painting Company Business Insurance Cost?

General liability insurance typically costs a painting business around $61 a month. However, your specific business insurance rate depends on several details. Providers look at where you work, the size of your crew, and the specific painting services you provide. They also review your history of insurance claims, how well you maintain business records, and whether you haul valuable equipment.

The final price also shifts based on your policy limits or if you bundle multiple coverages. While saving money is great, avoid simply choosing the lowest price tag. It is better to secure a plan that adequately covers the real risks your painting company faces.

Note: Estimates are based on industry averages for small to medium-sized painting businesses with typical risk profiles. Actual premiums will vary significantly based on your specific location, number of employees, claims history, and coverage limits selected.

How Is Your Painting Company Business Insurance Cost Calculated?

Insurance underwriters assess several risk factors to calculate the premium for your painting business. The specific type of work you do is one of the most important details. Painting interiors usually carries less risk than working on the exterior of high buildings. Since specialized gear is not always needed for indoor jobs, the premiums are often lower.

The scale of your business also impacts the price. Higher revenue and bigger projects generally mean more risk. A painter working alone will likely have lower costs than a large firm with many crews. Bringing in subcontractors can also add to the expense of your policy.

Your location matters as well. Rates may be higher in areas with a history of frequent natural disasters or high crime rates. Local regulations can also dictate the mandatory coverage you are required to have.

Providers will look at your history of claims. If you have filed for insurance losses in the past, your rates could go up. The value of your ladders and sprayers affects the cost, too. Other factors include your business vehicles, the coverage limits you select, and your specific business structure.

Following these steps helps ensure you’re properly insured and set up to handle risks confidently and professionally.