Progressive Small Business Insurance Review

Progressive offers commercial auto insurance, but most of its business insurance policies are issued by third-party insurers. The Progressive Advantage Business Program lets you get quotes for multiple types of business insurance online, though you'll have to go through an agent to purchase coverage. Customers who bundle business or general liability insurance with a commercial auto insurance policy could qualify for a package discount.

This insurer is a good fit for: Customers who need commercial auto insurance and want to save money by bundling policies or who want to handle all their business insurance needs in one place.

Full Progressive small business insurance review

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Bottom Line

Progressive Insurance might be best-known for its "Dr. Rick" auto insurance commercials -- so it's no wonder that this insurance company has a special focus on bundling commercial auto insurance with business insurance. If you want to get a customized package of insurance that's the right fit for your small business's specific industry, size, and stage of growth, the Progressive Advantage® Business Program can help. And Progressive offers online quotes as well as support from insurance agents.

Pros

Potential bundling discounts
Online quotes
Extensive commercial auto options
Customized coverage

Cons

Doesn't directly issue most business policies
Coverage not available in Hawaii or Washington, D.C.
Must buy policy through agent
No standalone commercial property insurance

Business insurance coverage options

Commercial auto

Progressive underwrites an extensive range of commercial auto insurance policies, which provide coverage for vehicles your company owns or leases. Because Progressive directly provides commercial auto coverage, you have access to 24/7 policy support.

You may also be eligible for several discounts, like a multi-vehicle discount or automatic savings if you enroll in its Snapshot Proview to track driving habits. Progressive offers commercial auto policies in all 50 states, but coverage isn't available in Washington, D.C.

General liability

A general liability policy protects your small business from third-party claims involving bodily injury, damage to someone else's property, false advertising, or reputational damage. For example, if someone slips and falls at your business or one of your employees accidentally damages someone else's property, general liability coverage kicks in.

Through its network of insurers, Progressive offers standard general liability insurance. It also offers excess and surplus lines insurance, which is basically general liability coverage for high-risk businesses, like a tree-trimming service or roofing company.

Business owner's policy

Business owner policies combine general liability and commercial property coverages into a single policy. They also include business interruption insurance, which protects against financial losses in case your business is temporarily unable to operate because of an unexpected event. Progressive offers business owner policies through third-party insurers. However, it doesn't offer standalone commercial property insurance.

Professional liability insurance

Progressive offers professional liability insurance, also known as errors and omissions (E&O) insurance, through its third-party providers. This type of coverage protects your business from claims involving professional negligence, subpar work, or inaccurate advice. Some states require professional liability insurance for certain professions, like attorneys.

Workers' compensation insurance

Most states require businesses that employ people to carry workers' compensation insurance. The coverage helps pay for employees' medical bills and lost wages if they become sick or injured on the job. You can buy workers' comp insurance through Progressive's third-party insurers unless your business is located in Ohio, North Dakota, Washington, or Wyoming, which generally require you to buy coverage through a state-run fund.

Cyber insurance

Progressive offers cyber insurance through its network of providers. This type of insurance provides coverage if your business experiences a data breach or cyber attack.

Top perks

Good for businesses that own vehicles

Commercial auto insurance is the area where Progressive shines. It directly insures many types of commercially owned vehicles, meaning you can get policy support at any time and file claims through Progressive. Several types of discounts are available, including a discount if you insure both your personal vehicles and business vehicles through Progressive.

Easy online quotes

You can easily obtain quotes online for most types of business insurance that Progressive offers. Because it has a wide network of providers, that can simplify the shopping process. But if you want to purchase coverage, you'll need to speak to an agent by phone.

Bundling discounts

Customers who bundle Progressive commercial auto insurance with a general liability or business owner policy could qualify for a discount. Keep in mind that discounts may not be available in all states.

What could be improved

Most policies are written by third-policy insurers

With the exception of commercial auto policies, Progressive doesn't directly underwrite most of its business policies. You can start your quote using its website or by calling Progressive directly, but you'll be purchasing coverage through another company.

Using a major insurer like Progressive to shop for the best small business insurance is a lot simpler than getting individual quotes from major companies. But if you file a claim, you'll be dealing with a third-party insurer rather than Progressive.

No standalone commercial property insurance

Commercial property insurance protects your business location, inventory, furnishings, and supplies from events like a fire, theft, or vandalism. Though Progressive offers business owner's policies, which includes both liability and commercial property insurance, through its third-party insurers, you can't buy a standalone commercial property policy.

Above-average number of complaints

Progressive received more customer complaints than expected for a company of its size, both for all policies in general and specifically for commercial auto policies between 2021 and 2023, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' complaint index. Delays, unsatisfactory offer/settlement, and adjuster handling were the top three reasons for complaints.

Monthly premium costs

Your monthly business insurance premiums will depend on several factors, like your location, how many employees you have, what type of business you own, and past claims history. Progressive says the median monthly premiums for its business policies for new customers were as follows as of 2023:

Commercial auto: $207 (contractors) and $211 (business auto)
General liability: $59
Business owner's policy: $63
Professional liability: $42
Workers' compensation: $67

How to get Progressive small business insurance

You can get a quote for most types of business insurance on Progressive's website. You'll need to answer a few questions about your business, such as how long you've been in business, how many employees you have, whether you currently have insurance, and whether you've filed past claims. You can also get a quote by calling Progressive directly.

If you want to purchase a policy, you'll need to call an agent.

Customer service and ratings

Progressive has 24/7 customer service. You can reach representatives by phone or email, and there's also a chatbot on its website. Despite round-the-clock customer support, Progressive often receives poor reviews for customer service.

Though some customers describe customer service as knowledgeable and responsive, many report long hold times and say their calls went unreturned when they asked for updates on their claims.

Keep in mind, though, that you'll usually deal with insurance customer service when you're filing a claim -- which can be an emotional time since you may be dealing with injury, property damage, or a combination of the two. As a result, insurance company customer service reviews often skew negative.

Alternatives to consider

When looking for a small business insurer that offers a 100% digital experience: You'll need to go through an agent to purchase most business policies through Progressive, but NEXT Insurance lets you purchase a policy and file a claim using its website or mobile app.

When looking for a small business insurer that directly writes its policies: Aside from commercial auto insurance, most of Progressive's business policies are offered by a third party with Progressive acting as the broker. Travelers Insurance is another major insurance company, but it directly writes its own policies and offers an array of options for customizing your policy.

This small business insurer is best for:

Progressive business insurance is best suited for people who:

Already have a Progressive policy
Need commercial auto insurance
Want to obtain online quotes

Other insurance companies to consider are NEXT Insurance if you prefer buying insurance without going through an agent or Travelers if you prefer to buy insurance from a company that directly writes its own policies.

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Progressive Small Business Insurance Review: Good for Commercial Auto, but Most Other Policies Are Issued by Third Parties