Simply Business review: coverage, prices and claims

What Simply Business is and how buying works

Simply Business describes itself as a digital insurance broker and online marketplace for small businesses. It was founded in the U.K. in 2005 and launched in the U.S. in 2017, and it has offices in Boston, London and Northampton. Its site footer says Simply Business, LLC is a licensed insurance producer in every U.S. state and the District of Columbia, and it uses different names in some states, such as Simply Business Insurance Agency, LLC in California, New York and Pennsylvania.

Travelers announced in March 2017 that it would buy Simply Business from Aquiline Capital Partners for an enterprise value of about $490 million, and Insurance Journal reported the deal closed in August 2017. Business Insurance still described Simply Business as a Travelers subsidiary in April 2026. Travelers is also one of the insurers on its panel, alongside unrelated carriers.

Simply Business says you answer three questions about your business and get quotes. You pick a policy and pay online, and for many policies you can get a certificate of insurance in less than 10 minutes. It says it is paid a commission by the insurer when you buy a policy through it, and that licensed agents are available by phone.

Coverage it offers and who issues it

Simply Business does not write insurance itself. Its site says policies are underwritten by third-party insurers and each insurer handles claims on its own policies. As of October 2026 its insurer list includes ABIC, Accredited America, Arch, biBERK, Cerity, Clear Blue, CNA, Coterie, Employers, Frank Winston Crum, Harborway, Hiscox, Liberty Mutual, Markel, RLI, SolePro, Travelers and USG Insurance Services. Which of them quotes you depends on your trade and state.

The lines it lists, as of October 2026:

• General liability for third-party injury and property damage claims
• Professional liability, also called errors and omissions (E&O)
• Business owner’s policy combining general liability and property coverage
• Workers’ compensation, including policies aimed at sole proprietors
• Inland marine for tools and equipment, plus business personal property
• Cyber liability, only as an add-on for select businesses that buy general liability, professional liability or workers’ comp

What Simply Business publishes about prices

Simply Business shows two kinds of price figures. The “from” prices on its product pages are the 10th percentile of policies it sold from July to December 2025, so most customers paid more. Its cost page also gives median premiums for customers who bought in the same period.

Its general liability cost page lists medians by trade: about $85 a month for remodelers, $82 for general contractors, $51 for handypersons and $36 for electricians. That page puts the overall general liability median at $44 a month, slightly above the $42 on its main cost page. Simply Business says prices depend on your state, the insurer, your limits and your business details, and its quotes before binding are estimates.

Who it suits and who it may not

Simply Business says it focuses only on small businesses and covers more than 400 business types. Its menus are built around sole proprietors, freelancers, independent contractors, home-based businesses, cleaning and repair trades, construction, retail, e-commerce and food businesses. If you want to compare a handful of quotes online and download proof of coverage the same day, that is the process it is set up for.

It fits less well if your business runs vehicles. On its cleaning and repair page, Simply Business says it does not currently offer commercial auto insurance and refers customers to a partner instead. Truckers, delivery fleets and contractors with work vans need to get auto coverage somewhere else. Cyber is only sold as an add-on, so a business that wants standalone cyber also needs another source. Because quotes come only from its panel, how many offers you see depends on which of those insurers write your trade in your state.

How claims and service work

You report claims to the insurer that issued your policy, not to Simply Business. Its claims page lists each insurer’s phone number, hours and online reporting link. Some insurers take claims 24/7, while others, such as American Builders, list weekday phone hours. Simply Business says that if you cannot reach your insurer or find your policy number, its own team will help connect you.

Before you call, the claims page suggests having your policy number, the date, time and place of the incident, photos or videos, receipts and any police reports or proof of loss ready. For service, your online account lets you download your certificate of insurance or add it to an Apple or Google wallet, add an additional insured and buy more policies. To change coverage on an existing policy or to cancel, you call a licensed agent. Simply Business says it renews policies automatically.

What to compare and ask before buying

Quotes from a marketplace can look alike and still differ in ways that matter at claim time. Check these points on each quote:

• Which insurer issues the policy, and that insurer’s claims contact and hours
• Per-occurrence and aggregate limits, and whether they meet your client contracts
• Exclusions, such as auto accidents and injuries to your own employees under general liability
• Whether you can add an additional insured or a waiver of subrogation when a contract asks for one
• Total cost, including any down payment, and how the price compares with the medians above
• Whether you need cyber, auto or umbrella coverage that this quote does not include

How it fits with getting several quotes

Simply Business already compares quotes, but only from the insurers on its own panel and only for the lines it sells. Prices for the same business can differ between insurers, so it helps to see what other carriers and channels offer, especially for workers’ comp and anything involving vehicles.

If you need commercial auto as well as liability, or your trade gets few offers online, you will be shopping more than one place anyway. A broker such as Florin can compare quotes from several insurers, including lines Simply Business does not offer.