BOP vs General Liability Insurance
A Business Owners Policy (BOP) and a standalone General Liability (GL) policy are the two most-shopped commercial-insurance starting points. They are not interchangeable. GL is one of two coverages bundled inside a BOP — but a BOP also includes commercial property and business income protection, and a GL policy alone does not.
If you have any physical location, equipment, or inventory you'd need to replace after a fire or theft, you almost certainly want a BOP. If you have no owned business property and just need third-party injury / property damage protection (typical for a sole-proprietor consultant working from a client's site), a standalone GL may be enough.
Side-by-side
| Dimension | BOP (Business Owners Policy) | General Liability (GL) |
|---|---|---|
| What it covers | 3 coverages bundled: general liability + commercial property + business income loss (also called business interruption). |
1 coverage: third-party bodily injury, property damage, personal & advertising injury claims, plus legal-defense costs. |
| Who it's designed for | Small businesses with a physical location or owned business property: shops, restaurants, food trucks, offices, salons, contractors with a yard. |
Businesses with no owned property to protect: solo consultants, freelancers, contractors who work onsite at client locations. |
| Typical small-business cost | BOP averages run from a few hundred dollars/year on the low end (home-based, low revenue) into the low four figures for shops and restaurants. Final premium depends on revenue, payroll, location, and claim history. Cost ranges cited on our BOP guide are sourced from carrier benchmarks (Hiscox, Insureon, MoneyGeek). |
Standalone GL is typically the cheapest line — often in the low hundreds/year for solo consultants and freelancers. Trades + contractors run higher. Ranges cited on our GL guide are sourced from carrier benchmarks. |
| What it does NOT cover | Workers comp (separate policy, mandatory in nearly every state for businesses with employees). Commercial auto. Professional liability / errors & omissions. Cyber. Employment practices liability. |
Everything a BOP excludes — PLUS commercial property and business income loss. A pure GL policy provides no protection if your equipment is destroyed in a fire. |
| Where it's required | Rarely required by statute, but commonly required by commercial leases (landlord wants property coverage on the building's contents) and by some clients/vendors who require both GL and property limits. |
Commonly required by contracts and certificates of insurance (COIs): many clients, landlords, and event venues require a GL policy with $1M / $2M aggregate limits before you can work for them. |
| Customization | BOPs are designed for specific industries — carriers offer industry-tailored BOPs (restaurant BOP, salon BOP, contractor BOP) with relevant endorsements (spoilage coverage, tools & equipment, etc.). |
Less industry tailoring — most GL policies look similar across carriers. The main customization is selecting limits ($1M/$2M aggregate is standard; higher available). |
Bottom line
If you own or lease physical business property, a BOP is almost always the right starting point — you get GL automatically as part of the bundle, plus protection for the property and income at typically 10–25% less than buying the policies separately.
If you don't own business property (truly portable consulting, work-from-anywhere freelancer, contractor with no owned tools), a standalone GL may be enough.
Either way, GL alone is rarely sufficient for established businesses — most operating companies need a BOP plus workers comp (if any employees) and often commercial auto. Comparison shop your specific situation or consult our CA-licensed reviewer.
Related guides
Sources cited
- Businessowners policy (BOP) — International Risk Management Institute (IRMI), 2024
- Commercial general liability policy (CGL) — International Risk Management Institute (IRMI), 2024