Michigan is home to over 2.6 million business entities, of which the majority are small businesses. Commercial insurance in Michigan provides a business with financial protection against various covered losses. It can be used by different business types to protect their assets from unexpected financial issues. Basic commercial liability insurance policy for a small business in Michigan starts from $40-$50 per month and increases based on the amount of needed coverage.
The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) regulates insurance in the state, including commercial insurance. Businesses can choose various commercial insurance coverage options based on their specific needs with the help of a Michigan-licensed commercial insurance agent.
Commercial insurance is also referred to as business insurance. In Michigan, commercial insurance protects an insured business from client lawsuits, customer or employee injuries, property theft, property damages, and all other unexpected events resulting in injuries, losses, and damages. It provides various coverage types to businesses, such as workers' compensation, property and liability insurance, and professional indemnity policies.
These policies can be tailored to meet your business needs, depending on the type of risk it faces. Having the right insurance can help keep your business running smoothly and efficiently. If the business is damaged in a covered loss event and cannot operate until the repairs are complete, business interruption coverage pays for the bills and salary to the staff.
There are over a thousand insurance companies licensed to sell insurance to Michigan’s businesses, so the choice of coverage is wide.
Most Commonly Used Commercial Property & Liability Insurance Companies in Michigan | |
(in alphabetical order) | Average Consumer Satisfaction Rating |
Acuity | 3.9 |
Allstate | 3.5 |
American National | 3.4 |
Amica | 4.4 |
BiBerk | 4.6 |
Chubb | 4.1 |
Farm Bureau | 4.0 |
Farmers | 3.7 |
Frankenmuth | 4.1 |
Geico | 3.2 |
Grange | 3.9 |
Hanover | 3.6 |
The Hartford | 4.1 |
Hiscox | 4.0 |
Homesite | 3.3 |
Hortica | 4.2 |
Infinity | 2.1 |
Larkin Group | 4.9 |
Liberty Mutual | 3.7 |
Michigan Commercial Insurance Mutual | 4.7 |
Michigan Insurance Company | 2.8 |
National General Insurance | 3.5 |
Nationwide | 3.9 |
Next | 4.0 |
Philadelphia | 3.2 |
Pie | 4.6 |
Progressive | 3.4 |
State Auto | 3.2 |
State Farm | 4.1 |
Stillwater | 2.0 |
Thimble | 4.5 |
Travelers | 3.8 |
USAA | 4.0 |
Westfield | 4.2 |
Note: Average consumer satisfaction score is the average aggregate score from multi-user (non-employee) review platforms, such as: ConsumerAffairs, TrustPilot, WalletHub, Google, and others (based on availability). |
If you are looking to get group health insurance for your Michigan business, here are the most common places where you can buy it:
Most Commonly Purchased Small Business Group Health Insurance in Michigan
(in alphabetical order) |
Blue Cross Blue Shield - Blue Care Network of Michigan |
Cigna |
Health Alliance Plan (HAP) of Michigan |
Health Choice of Michigan |
Priority Health |
UnitedHealthcare |
Below is a table showing the proportion of commercial insurance premiums written in Michigan compared to the total property and casualty insurance written in the state. Commercial liability is the most sought after coverage in Michigan, accounting for 31% all of business insurance sold in the state:
COMMERCIAL P&C INSURANCE in MICHIGAN
(at a glance) |
|||
Type of Commercial Coverages | Commercial Coverage | % of all Commercial P&C in MI | % of all P&C in MI |
Commercial Liability | General Liability | 21% | 8% |
Workers Compensation | Workers Comp | 5% | 12% |
Commercial Property | Commercial Multiple Peril (CMP) | 6% | 15% |
Commercial Property | Fire + Allied Lines | 5% | 2% |
Commercial Auto | Liability | 10% | 4% |
Commercial Transportation | Inland Marine | 7% | 3% |
Commercial Liability | Medical Professional Liability | 3% | 1% |
Commercial Auto | Collision | 2% | 5% |
Commercial Transportation | Ocean Marine | 1% | <1% |
Commercial Liability | Product Liability | 1% | <1% |
See the link for the list of insurance companies providing workers disability compensation coverage in Michigan.
Independent professionals and business owners can protect themselves from financial crises due to covered risks with commercial insurance policies, such as stock or premises damage, liability insurance, and business interruption. Some coverage types also help prevent supply chain breakdowns and business interruption. Commercial insurance protects business owners and their employees from covered unforeseen events. Among insured adults in Michigan, 81% receive insurance through their employer. Business insurance can also help keep your business from folding up in the event of a covered risk because you will be guaranteed a payout from your insurer. It can help potential customers and employees feel that you are trustworthy.
Commercial insurance in Michigan is important for several reasons, including:
Commercial insurance in Michigan provides coverage up to the limits that the company has purchased. Contact a Michigan-licensed business insurance agent to help your business shop for ideal coverage from multiple commercial insurance companies authorized to do business in Michigan. The agent can help assess your business’s current needs and find the most cost-effective solutions.
Businesses only need to buy the right amount of insurance required to meet their needs and to satisfy legal requirements. The trick is to not under-insure and not over-insure. This is why you should discuss your decisions with an experienced state-licensed insurance agent, who can help you do this.
You typically need at least one of these mandatory commercial insurance coverages in Michigan:
The amount of additional needed coverage depends on the selected options of the policies based on the actual needs of the business and its risk exposures. To identify your business insurance coverage needs, the business must evaluate its property and human capital insurance needs and liability exposures:
These are the types of questions you and your insurance agent need to discuss to figure out how much business insurance coverage you need for your specific business in Michigan. Michigan insurance agent will help your business do the following:
Before employing a Michigan licensed commercial insurance agent, you can confirm their licensing status through the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Service (DIFS) search platform.
Having the proper commercial insurance is important for any company’s operations. It can help protect a company from various risks that it may face such as claims related to injuries incurred by customers or employees and lawsuits. Michigan’s business climate is favorable as about two-thirds Michigan’s small business owners believe so.
A commercial insurance policy is made up of several components, including:
When choosing a business insurance policy, it is important to thoroughly research the available options to ensure that the company's needs are met. In addition to workers' compensation and disability benefits, businesses are required to purchase commercial auto liability insurance for their vehicles. Commercial auto policy covers:
Aside from the coverage mentioned above, Michigan does not mandate companies to carry commercial insurance. While it's not mandatory, it is important to note that certain risks can negatively affect a company's operations without commercial insurance.
Contact a Michigan-licensed commercial insurance agent to discuss the various aspects of the commercial insurance process and insurance policy details.
Commercial insurance in the Michigan insurance industry is classified into four major categories, namely:
Commercial property insurance in Michigan provides businesses with financial protection to replace or repair insured damaged equipment and buildings. It also offers payment for income lost due to the business's inability to operate following a covered event. In Michigan, businesses can utilize various types of commercial property insurance policies. For example, businesses renting or operating facilities, such as offices or equipment, need commercial property insurance. Likewise, those leasing parts of a building or a property must purchase business insurance. Property owners can also provide coverage for leased properties. Below are the various types of commercial property policies available in Michigan for different categories of businesses.
Under this policy, businesses can enjoy the following commercial insurance products:
Michigan businesses can get a variety of insurance policies to fit their needs. Bundling multiple coverages can help a business lower its premium costs, which helps the business save. A Michigan-licensed commercial insurance agent can help a business find the ideal commercial property coverage suitable for their needs.
Although commercial liability insurance is not a requirement under the law of the state, it is important that all these businesses operating in Michigan get one. With over 2.6 million businesses operating in Michigan, a commercial liability insurance policy will protect against damages and injuries sustained by third parties from the effects of their employees’ actions. For example, if a customer slips and falls inside the store or on black ice outside of the entrance and gets injured, the business may be held liable and sued for damages.
Without liability insurance, the business would have to pay for the legal defense costs and any resulting settlements or judgments out of pocket, which could be financially devastating. However, with liability insurance in place, the insurance company would typically cover these costs up to the policy limits, helping the business to avoid bankruptcy or closure.
In Michigan, businesses can choose from various commercial liability policy coverages to meet their business specific needs, including:
Another type of business liability insurance that a company can choose to provide is account receivable coverage. This type of insurance protects companies from the financial losses they might face if their customers fail to pay their bills. The coverage also offers protection to records of account receivables.
Contact a Michigan-licensed commercial insurance agent to get free quotes for commercial liability insurance that suits your business’s needs. The agent can help you evaluate the various options available to your company and help you pick the most affordable and suitable one.
According to the Michigan Affordable Care Act, employers must provide coverage if they employ more than 50 workers. However, if an organization has fewer than 50 workers, it is not required to provide health insurance; the business can be eligible for a small business health care tax credit if it offers health coverage. In 2019, 5.8% of Michigan's population were uninsured. Nonetheless, employers provide health insurance coverage to 51% of the insured population, making commercial health insurance an important offering for businesses to consider.
There are various types of commercial health insurance plans in Michigan, such as:
Group health insurance: there are two types of group health insurance policies in Michigan:
Disability income: Some companies offer insurance to help employees recover from an injury on the job. It provides a portion of their salary while they are recovering.
Workers compensation: A workers compensation insurance policy is a type of insurance that covers the medical expenses of people who get injured at work. It also pays lost wages to employees who can not work due to an injury. However, there is a liability limit, except if the employee can provide proof of negligence on the employer’s part, which caused their injury. The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, Workers’ Disability Compensation Agency is in charge of worker’s compensation claims in Michigan.
Life insurance protects the interests and life of a Michigan business in two significant ways when used for business purposes. This type of insurance policy is designed to help the business continue to operate and avoid financial hardship in the event of the loss of a key person. For example, if the owner or a key employee of a business were to die unexpectedly, the business could face financial difficulties as a result. A commercial life insurance policy can provide funds to help the business pay for expenses such as debt, salaries, and other operating costs while the business transitions and finds a replacement for the key person who passed away. Commercial life insurance can be used to fund buy-sell agreements between business owners as it ensures that the remaining owners have the funds to purchase the deceased owner's share of the business, which can help to prevent disputes and maintain the stability of the business.
Overall, commercial life insurance is an important protection for businesses, as it can provide financial security and stability in the event of an unexpected loss of a key person.
Michigan group life insurance refers to a type of life insurance coverage that is purchased by an employer and provided to their employees as part of their benefits package. This coverage typically provides a death benefit to the employee's designated beneficiaries if the employee were to pass away while employed by the company. Group life insurance is less expensive than individual life insurance policies and can be a valuable benefit for employees.
In Michigan, group life insurance policies are regulated by the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) to ensure that they comply with state laws and regulations. Employers can choose to offer group life insurance as a term life policy or a permanent life policy. Term life insurance provides coverage for a set period of time, while permanent life insurance provides coverage for the duration of the employee's life as long as premiums are paid. Group life insurance can be an important benefit for employees, providing financial security for their loved ones in the event of their unexpected passing. It can also be a valuable recruitment and retention tool for employers, helping to attract and retain talented employees.
The policy features three unique coverage options:
Most Michigan employers who choose to offer group life insurance, offer a Term life policy with a death benefit equal to one year of pay.
In Michigan, most insurance companies will place a cap on a maximum benefit that can be given to policyholders. Group life policy's cap on benefits will typically be set at:
When buying life insurance for employees, it is best to work with a Michigan-licensed commercial insurance agent who can meet your business's needs and provide you with the best possible service. The agent will help you find the right life insurance coverage for the business and its employees. Also, the agent will be knowledgeable about returning a policy and the free look period required under Michigan law. Per section 500.603 of the Michigan Insurance Code, most life insurance contracts are required to provide a free look period of at least ten days, allowing the insured to cancel without making any surrender charges or paying any additional fees. The free look period begins from the day that you receive the contract.
A Buy-Sell Agreement is a legal document that outlines what will happen to a business in the event that one of the owners dies, becomes disabled or wants to sell their share of the company. In many cases, life insurance is used to fund these agreements. Let's say there are two owners of a company, and they each own 50% of the business. They have a Buy-Sell Agreement in place that says if one of them dies, the other owner will buy out their share of the company. To fund this agreement, they purchase a life insurance policy on each other for the amount of their ownership stake. If one of the owners dies, the surviving owner receives the death benefit from the life insurance policy and uses that money to buy out the deceased owner's share of the company. This ensures that the surviving owner retains full control of the business, and the deceased owner's family receives fair compensation for their ownership stake. Buy-Sell Agreements using life insurance are important because they provide a clear plan for what will happen to a business in the event of unexpected events like death or disability of an owner. They can also help ensure a smooth transition of ownership and provide financial security for all parties involved.
In Michigan, redemption and cross-purchase are the most common types of buy-sell agreements.
This insurance provides coverage for businesses with a key staff member or principal whose demise or absence can disrupt business activities. The business is responsible for paying premiums to the insurance company. The business becomes the insurance policy beneficiary if the person's death occurs. Michigan key man life insurance policy provides a financial safety net to a business when the key man's death occurs. The business will then use the received funds to mitigate the absence of the individual, by finding a replacement and implementing various strategies to keep the business running.
Contact a Michigan-licensed insurance agent to evaluate your business needs. An agent can also help you get multiple commercial life insurance policy quotes online so you can pick the most suitable and affordable policy.
Specialty insurance as a group provides a variety of coverages to Michigan businesses that are not covered by standard insurance policies. Frequently, specialty business insurance is designed for a specific use, property type, or type of unusual loss.
Specialty coverages can be used to protect a Michigan business in different ways:
To find the appropriate insurance coverage for your business, it is important that you contact a Michigan-licensed commercial insurance agent.
Common types of specialty insurance in Michigan include:
In Michigan, business hazard insurance is a type of business property insurance that protects a company's owned or rented building. The two primary types of business hazard insurance in Michigan include:
The most common natural disasters that strike businesses in Michigan are:
Before you start shopping for business hazard insurance, it is important that you speak with a Michigan-licensed commercial agent. The agency can help you evaluate the various commercial insurance quotes and pick the right coverage for your business at an affordable cost.