California business insurance cost estimator
Choose the kind of business, then enter revenue, employees, the value of what you own and whether vehicles do work for you. The estimator returns a low-to-high yearly range for each policy a business like yours usually carries: general liability or a business owner's policy, commercial auto, and workers' compensation. Each line shows the one thing that moves it most.
$0 – $0 / year
all lines together, about $0 – $0 / month. Estimate, not a quote.
Where the ranges come from
Most cost articles quote a national average. This estimator starts from policies Insurance City actually has in force for California businesses. As of October 2, 2026, the book held 162 commercial auto policies with a median of about $1,490 a year (middle half roughly $720 to $3,000), 47 general liability policies with a median near $590 (middle half roughly $440 to $1,700), nine business owner's policies with a median near $1,350, and nine workers' comp policies with a median near $2,600. The industry presets widen or narrow those bands: a tow operator's auto policy sits far above the median, an office suite's liability sits below it. (Source: Insurance City Agency, LLC commercial book reconciliation as of October 2, 2026, 138 in-force policies; workers' comp rates: Insurance Commissioner decision, 9/1/2025 rates.)
Revenue scales the liability line because carriers rate most liability classes on gross sales or payroll. Property value adds a percentage of the amount insured, with the rate depending on how the business uses the space. Vehicles add a per-unit range that is low for a salon's hatchback and high for a flatbed tow truck. Workers' comp applies a blended WCIRB advisory pure premium rate for the industry to an assumed payroll per employee, then shows the usual carrier spread above that floor.
What each line responds to
- Liability / BOP: the class of work first, then gross revenue. A C-39 roofer and a bookkeeper with identical sales are rated decades apart.
- Property: the dollar amount you insure and the construction, protection and occupancy of the building. Restaurants and auto shops carry higher property rates than offices.
- Commercial auto: vehicle type and use, radius, driver records and the liability limit a contract or the FMCSA demands. See commercial auto and trucking.
- Workers' comp: payroll and classification, then your experience modification once you qualify for one. Run exact codes in the workers' comp calculator.
- Everything: claims in the last five years, years in business and the limits you choose.
Frequently asked questions
How much does business insurance cost in California? It depends on the line. In Insurance City's October 2026 book the middle general liability policy ran about $590 a year, the middle BOP about $1,350, the middle commercial auto policy about $1,490 and the middle workers' comp policy about $2,600. Contractors, tow and trucking sit well above those midpoints; offices and small retail sit below. (Source: Insurance City commercial book, reconciled October 2, 2026.)
What is the difference between general liability and a BOP? General liability pays for injury and property damage you cause others. A business owner's policy bundles that with coverage for your own building, contents and lost income. It costs more because it insures your property too, and many trades are not eligible for one.
Does the estimate include workers' comp? Yes, once you enter at least one employee. It uses a blended WCIRB rate for the industry and an assumed payroll per worker; the dedicated calculator takes exact class codes.
Is this a quote? No. It is a budgeting range built from real policies and public rate filings. A quote needs your exact class, revenue, payroll, limits, loss history and location. A licensed agent at Insurance City compares options across carriers for you, usually the same business day.
Related: Business insurance · Business owner's policy · Contractors general liability · Workers' compensation.