How Much Does Painters Insurance Cost? 2025 Rates

U.S. painters can expect to pay between $720 and $960 annually for business insurance, averaging $60 to $80 per month. The primary cost drivers are the type of painting work, business size, number of employees, location, experience & safety practices, type and value of equipment.

How Much Does Painters Insurance Cost?

The average painting business in the U.S. pays between $720 and $960 per year for a full business insurance package. That breaks down to roughly $60 to $80 per month. However, this is just a ballpark range and actual business insurance costs can vary widely depending on your specific situation.

Every painting business has its own unique risks and insurance needs, which is why there’s no one-size-fits-all premium.

A single painter working on small, residential interiors will typically pay far less than a large painting company handling commercial high-rises with a full crew and specialized equipment.

The type of painting work you do, the number of employees you have, the value of your tools, and even your business location can all influence your premiums.

For example, painting contractors operating in cities with higher rates of lawsuits or property damage may pay more for liability coverage. Similarly, a business that regularly works on scaffolding or handles hazardous materials like lead-based paint will likely face higher insurance costs due to increased safety and environmental risks, compared to a painter doing low-risk touch-ups on interior walls.

Understanding these variables can help you better estimate your insurance needs and prepare for the real costs of protecting your painting business.

Average Painting Insurance Costs For Coverage Types

When it comes to protecting your painting business, different types of insurance cover different risks. Understanding the average cost, coverage details, and what influences pricing for each policy type can help you build a more effective insurance plan.

Here’s a closer look at the major coverages most painters need.

• General liability insurance: $60 per month
• Business owner’s policy: $78 per month
• Workers’ compensation insurance: $231 per month
• Commercial auto insurance: $134 per month
• Contractor’s tools and equipment: $17 per month
• Professional liability insurance: $79 per month

General Liability Insurance

General liability is one of the most common policies for painters, averaging about $60 per month.

This insurance protects against third-party injuries, property damage, or claims related to your business activities. If a homeowner trips over a paint tarp or you accidentally spill paint on flooring or furniture, general liability can help with medical bills, repair costs, and legal fees.

Standard limits are $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate.

Costs vary depending on the number of job sites you visit, whether you work in residential or commercial spaces, your business size, and past claims history.

Average annual premiums in ten states:

Note: These estimates reflect typical General Liability Insurance premiums for painting contractors. Actual premiums will vary depending on state regulations, project size, coverage limits, and individual business risk factors.

Business Owner’s Policy (BOP)

Painters often choose a business owner’s policy because it combines commercial property insurance with general liability in one package. The average cost for painters is around $78 per month.

A BOP helps protect your painting business if customer injuries, equipment damage, or property loss occur. For example, if a small electrical fire in your workshop damages sprayers, ladders, or stored supplies, the BOP can help cover repairs or replacements.

Typical liability limits are $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate, while property coverage limits vary based on what you insure.

BOP pricing is affected by the value of your tools, whether you rent or own workspace, the area you operate in, business revenue, and how many employees you have.

Here are average annual premiums for ten states:

Note: These estimates reflect typical BOP premiums for painting contractors. Actual premiums will vary depending on state regulations, property values, project scope, and individual business risk factors.

Workers’ Compensation Insurance

Painters with employees generally pay around $231 per month for workers’ compensation insurance.

This coverage pays for medical treatment, rehabilitation, and wage replacement if an employee is injured while working. For example, if a crew member falls from scaffolding or develops a sprayer-related injury, workers’ comp would provide financial protection for both the employee and your business.

Premiums are based on payroll size, job duties, workplace safety records, and prior claims. Higher-risk activities such as ladder work or handling hazardous coatings can increase rates.

Average annual premiums by state:

Note: These estimates reflect typical Workers’ Compensation premiums for painting contractors. Actual premiums will vary depending on state regulations, payroll size, employee roles, and individual business risk factors.

Contractor’s Tools And Equipment

Painters typically spend about $17 per month for contractor’s tools and equipment coverage.

This insurance protects portable tools such as sprayers, sanders, brushes, ladders, and power washers against theft, vandalism, or accidental damage. Since painters frequently transport equipment from one site to another, this coverage helps avoid unexpected replacement costs that can disrupt projects and income.

Costs depend on tool value, storage security, usage frequency, and any past claims.

Average annual premiums for ten states:

Note: These estimates reflect typical Contractor’s Tools and Equipment Insurance premiums for painting contractors. Actual premiums will vary depending on state regulations, equipment value, coverage limits, and individual business risk factors.

Professional Liability Insurance

Professional liability insurance, sometimes referred to as errors and omissions coverage, costs painters about $79 per month on average.

This coverage protects you if a customer claims your workmanship caused financial loss. For example, if a client argues that improper prep caused peeling paint and they must hire another painter, this policy helps cover legal costs or settlement payments even if you disagree with the claim.

The price depends on the types of projects you take on, your experience level, business size, and claims history.

Average annual premiums by state:

Note: These estimates reflect typical Professional Liability Insurance premiums for painting contractors. Actual premiums will vary depending on state regulations, project scope, coverage limits, and individual business risk factors.

Painting Business Insurance Costs By Provider

Painting business insurance costs will vary greatly depending on the insurance carrier. Use the table below to find average costs across different providers.

Note: Estimates are based on average annual premiums for painting businesses; actual premiums will vary by location, project size, staff, claims history, and coverage limits.

What Factors Impact Your Painters Insurance Costs?

Painters insurance premiums are carefully calculated by underwriters based on your business’s risk profile. From the type of painting you do to your location and claims history, several factors influence what you’ll pay for coverage.

Type Of Painting Work

The kind of painting a business does affects the insurance cost. For example, if a painter works mostly indoors on homes, the risk is lower, so the insurance is usually cheaper. But if a painter works on tall buildings or industrial sites, the risk is higher, which makes the insurance more expensive. There are simply more hazards working on industrial, multi-level sites.

Business Size And Number Of Employees

The size of the painting business also plays a big role. A company with just one person will usually pay less than a company with many employees. More workers means more chances for accidents or mistakes, which increases the cost of insurance.

Underwriters look to your business size and revenue to determine your risk. A company bringing in $400,000 in annual revenue through commercial contracts will simply have higher risk exposure compared to a residential paint company that generates $75,000 per year.

Location Of The Painting Business

Where the business is located can change the cost too. Some areas have higher rates of accidents, lawsuits, or theft, which raises the insurance price. Insurance companies look at the local risks and set prices based on that.

Credit Score

Insurance companies look at your financial stability. That starts with your credit score (and your claims history). If you have a higher credit score, one you’ve maintained for years, you pose less of a financial risk compared to a new company with an untenable credit score history.

Experience And Safety Practices

Insurance companies also look at how long the painter has been in business and what safety measures are in place. A painter with years of experience and good safety training is seen as less risky and may pay less for insurance.

Type And Value Of Equipment

If a painting business uses expensive tools, vehicles, or special equipment, insurance may cost more to protect those items. So a painting business using mostly hand brushes and rollers won’t need the same protection as a robust painting company using spray paints and epoxy finishes over garage floors. More valuable gear means higher potential losses, which raises the premium.

Your business also has to consider the value of your painting vehicles or larger equipment. This includes:

• Scaffolding
• Commercial spray rigs
• Ladders
• Work vans

If, for example, your company offers custom touch-up jobs, your company van might be full of basic tools, equipment, and paint, which increases the risks when working on job sites. This will cost more to insure compared to a beat down pick up truck that is twenty years old and only holds basic rollers and paint.