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Business Owners Policy for Small Businesses
Business Owners Policy for small businesses, bundling general liability, property, and business income.
Protect your business, location, and income with a Business Owners Policy (BOP). Ellie helps small and mid-size business owners compare coverage options and competitive quotes for the work they do.
Who needs this
Who the BOP is built for
Service businesses with a small location
Offices, salons, studios, small clinics — typical BOP target market.
Retailers and storefronts
Boutiques, gift shops, small specialty retail — property + GL bundled at a discount.
Restaurants and cafes
Most carriers offer restaurant-specific BOPs with food contamination and equipment breakdown built in.
Light contractors
Some carriers BOP small contractor risks; larger trades belong on a CPP.
Professional offices
Accounting, law, consulting — pair with Professional Liability.
Wholesalers and small manufacturers
Under ~$5M revenue and modest property — qualify for many carrier BOPs.
What it covers
What a BOP typically includes
- Commercial General Liability
Same GL coverage as a standalone policy, with $1M/$2M as the standard limit.
- Commercial Property
Building (if owned), business personal property, and tenant improvements.
- Business Income & Extra Expense
Most BOPs include 12 months of business income with no separate limit.
- Equipment Breakdown
Included or low-cost endorsement — covers mechanical/electrical breakdown.
- Hired & Non-Owned Auto (optional)
Common endorsement to handle employee driving on company business.
- Cyber Liability (optional)
First-party and third-party cyber coverage available as an endorsement.
- EPLI (optional)
Employment Practices Liability available as an endorsement on most BOPs.
What it doesn't cover
What the BOP won't cover
- Owned commercial vehicles (need Commercial Auto)
- Workers' compensation (separate statutory policy)
- Professional liability / errors & omissions
- Flood and earthquake (separate)
- Pollution and environmental liability
- Operations excluded by class (some contracting, trucking, etc.)
- Crime / employee theft above small included sublimits
Cost drivers
What drives BOP pricing
Industry class code
The biggest single factor — eligibility and rate both change by class.
Revenue & payroll
BOP rates are usually applied to revenue and payroll.
Property values
Building, BPP, and TIB limits drive the property half of the bundle.
Location quality
Construction, protection class, and CAT exposure all matter.
Claim history
Three clean years unlocks preferred BOP markets.
Endorsement selection
Cyber, HNOA, EPLI add cost — but usually less than buying them standalone.
Start an insurance conversation
Start with your business and contact details. You do not need every document ready to reach out; your agent will explain which additional information is relevant to your coverage.
- Operations description and revenue
- Years in business and ownership
- Property address and building info
- Building / BPP / business income limits
- Employee count and payroll
- Subcontractor expense (if any)
- Loss runs for prior 3–5 years
- Desired endorsements (cyber, HNOA, EPLI)
Compare BOP options for your business
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
- A BOP usually combines general liability with commercial property coverage on one policy. It commonly includes business income coverage to help replace lost income when a covered loss interrupts operations. Most BOPs also include certain default endorsements such as equipment breakdown, employee dishonesty sub-limits, and limited coverage for certain types of contents.
- BOPs are designed for many small and mid-size Florida businesses, including small offices, retailers, light contractors, certain restaurants, professional services, real estate offices, and similar operations. The right answer depends on industry, revenue, location, prior claims, and contract requirements. Some businesses outgrow a BOP and need a commercial package policy instead.
- A BOP usually does not include workers' compensation, commercial auto for owned vehicles, professional liability, employment practices liability, cyber, and certain larger property exposures, and may exclude flood, earthquake, and certain wind in some areas. Some of these can be added by endorsement, while others belong on separate policies.
- Pricing depends on the business class, sales, payroll, property values, location, prior claims, and the limits selected. Carriers also consider construction, occupancy, protection class, and Florida-specific factors such as wind exposure and roof age. A BOP can be more efficient than buying separate policies, but only when the business fits the carrier's BOP appetite.
- Most BOP requests need the legal business name, operations description, locations, sales, payroll, property values, prior insurance, claims history, employee count, and contract requirements. Restaurants, retail, and contractors often share additional information specific to their industry, such as menu and seating, inventory, or job types.
- Yes. Ellie helps business owners compare options from multiple insurance markets when a single carrier is not the right fit. Some carriers focus on small offices and retail, others on contractor BOPs, and others on hospitality, so broader access helps the agent shop available options on the client's behalf.
- Yes. Ellie Insurance Group serves businesses in Tampa, Brooksville, and across Florida, where Florida-specific underwriting factors apply to BOP placements. The agency is headquartered in Tampa, FL and supports owners with operations in more than one state.
Keep reading
Explore related coverage
General Liability
The liability portion of a BOP.
Commercial Property
The property portion of a BOP.
Cyber Liability
Critical add-on for any data-handling business.
Workers' Comp
Workers’ compensation is not included in a BOP. In Florida, whether it is legally required depends on your industry, employee count, entity structure, and any exemption; construction businesses generally have a one-employee threshold.
EPLI
Often a smart BOP add-on.
BOP vs CPP
When to step up to a Commercial Package Policy.
BOP Insurance Cost Guide
How BOP pricing works, what affects rates, and how to compare options.
Sources
Authoritative references
Coverage descriptions and regulatory figures on this page are general summaries reviewed against the references above and are not a statement of coverage, legal advice, or a guarantee of eligibility or price. Last reviewed . Requirements and policy terms change — always confirm current rules with the relevant agency and verify coverage against the actual policy and a licensed agent.
Related articles
Deeper reading on this coverage
Cost benchmarks
General Liability Insurance Cost: How to Compare Coverage and Price
What general liability can help cover, what can change the premium, and how to compare policy terms before choosing a quote.
Operations
Business Insurance Checklist: An Annual Coverage Review
A buyer-focused annual insurance review: what changed, which policy terms to check, and which documents to bring.
Starter guides
Small Business Insurance Guide: Start With Your Actual Risks
Start with your operations, contracts, people, property, and vehicles—not a universal policy list.
Reference
Commercial Insurance FAQ: 9 Essential Questions for Business Owners
Nine buyer questions about insurance requirements, core policy terms, workers’ compensation, audits, property, and umbrella coverage.
Carrier access
More insurance options. One agency in your corner.
With access to 100+ carrier markets, we do the shopping so you don’t have to contact each company yourself. Your Ellie agent helps you compare competitive quotes and choose insurance for the work you do.
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Next step
Compare Business Owners Policy quotes
Share your operations, locations, sales, payroll, property values, prior insurance, claims history, and contract requirements. An Ellie agent can shop BOP options across carriers and discuss whether a BOP or separate policies fit your business better.