A business owners policy — almost everyone calls it a BOP — is the starter kit of commercial insurance. Carriers package the coverages most small businesses need on day one into a single policy with one premium and one renewal date.
It is built for lower-hazard businesses: offices, shops, salons, small contractors, cafés, and similar operations that fit a carrier’s size and class guidelines. If you qualify, a BOP is usually the most efficient way to buy liability and property together.
What Business Owners Policy (BOP) typically covers
- General liability. Claims that your business injured someone or damaged their property — a customer slip-and-fall, a product that causes harm, or damage you cause at a client’s location — including defense costs.
- Business personal property. Your equipment, furniture, inventory, computers, and tenant improvements after covered events like fire, theft, or certain storm damage.
- Building (if you own it). The structure itself when the business owns the building, often with replacement-cost options.
- Business income & extra expense. Lost income and extra costs to keep operating while you recover from a covered property loss — often the coverage that keeps a business alive after a fire.
- Common add-ons. Many BOPs let you add equipment breakdown, water/sewer backup, hired & non-owned auto liability, data breach, and limited professional coverage by endorsement.
A kitchen fire closes a family café for six weeks. The BOP’s property section helps replace the damaged equipment, business income helps cover lost profits and payroll while the space is repaired, and the liability section responds if a customer was hurt during the evacuation.
Businesses that commonly carry Business Owners Policy (BOP)
- Retail shops, boutiques, and showrooms
- Offices — consultants, agencies, real estate and financial offices
- Restaurants and cafés that fit carrier guidelines
- Small contractors and service trades with modest payroll
- Salons, studios, and personal-service businesses
- Landlords of small mixed-use or commercial buildings (with the right carrier)
What it usually does not cover
- Employee injuries. Workers’ compensation is a separate policy. A BOP’s liability section excludes injuries to your own employees.
- Business vehicles. Vehicles you own or lease need commercial auto. Some BOPs can add hired & non-owned auto liability, but that is not physical damage coverage for your trucks.
- Professional mistakes. Advice or professional-service errors are usually excluded or very limited — that is professional liability (E&O).
- Flood and earth movement. Rising water and earthquake are excluded from standard property forms. Flood needs its own policy.
- Wind in some coastal areas. On parts of the Gulf Coast, carriers may apply a separate hurricane or wind deductible — or exclude wind entirely so it must be placed separately. Always check before storm season.
- Higher-hazard operations. Roofing, heavy manufacturing, and other higher-risk classes usually do not qualify for a BOP and are written on separate (monoline) policies.
Independent means we compare — not just quote one company
BOP markets we can shop include Next, Coterie, Thimble, Travelers, Liberty Mutual, The Hartford, and Progressive. Which carriers fit depends on your state, class of business, building, and size — we compare the ones that actually want your type of risk.
Tips before you buy
- Know your revenue, payroll, square footage, and building details (year built, roof age, construction type) — carriers price BOPs on them.
- Insure property at replacement cost, not depreciated value, whenever you can.
- Ask about business income limits that match a realistic shutdown — 6 to 12 months is common for serious losses.
- If you lease, read the lease: landlords often require specific limits and additional-insured wording.
Coverage that pairs with Business Owners Policy (BOP)
General Liability
Third-party injury, property damage, and advertising injury claims — plus defense costs.
Learn moreCommercial Property
Buildings, equipment, inventory, and lost income after fire, theft, and covered storms.
Learn moreWorkers’ Compensation
Medical bills and lost wages for employees hurt on the job — plus employers liability.
Learn moreCyber Liability
Breach response, ransomware, business interruption, and privacy liability.
Learn morePopular with: Retail & Boutiques · Restaurants & Food Service · Professional & Medical Offices · Contractors & Trades · All commercial coverage
Business Owners Policy (BOP) questions
Is a BOP the same as general liability?
No. General liability is one part of a BOP. A BOP adds business property and business income coverage to general liability in one package. If you do not have property worth insuring — for example, a home-based consultant — a stand-alone GL policy may be enough.
How much does a BOP cost?
It depends on your class of business, location, revenue, property values, and claims history. A small office and a café in the same building can be priced very differently. We quote multiple carriers so you can see real numbers instead of a national average.
Does a BOP cover my employees if they get hurt?
No. Injuries to your employees are handled by workers’ compensation, which is a separate policy and is required in most states once you have employees.
Does a BOP include flood or hurricane coverage?
Flood is excluded and needs its own policy. Wind and hurricane are often included but may carry a separate percentage deductible, and in some coastal areas wind is excluded and placed separately. We will show you exactly how your quote handles both.
Can I get a BOP if my business is new?
Often, yes. Several carriers write new ventures if the owner has industry experience. If a standard carrier will not, we can look at specialty markets.
We cover your assets
Let’s build the right commercial program
Tell us about your business once. We shop multiple carriers, explain the trade-offs in plain English, and handle certificates, audits, and renewals after you bind.
Educational only — not a policy, quote, or coverage guarantee. Coverage, eligibility, and carrier availability vary by state, class of business, and underwriting. Policy language controls. Talk with a licensed Asshield agent about your situation.