Small Commercial appetite1

Businessowners

• Up to $20 million in building and business personal property
• $10 million max total insurable value per building
• Up to $20 million in total sales
• Story height less than or equal to 6 if frame, joisted masonry or noncombustible, and less than or equal to 10 if masonry noncombustible or better, unless tenant only

Commercial Auto

• Fewer than 20 power units

Cyber Liability and Employment Practices Liability

• Automatically offered on all eligible businessowners policy (BOP) quotes
• Available limits up to $1 million
• Available for the majority of target classes

Workers' Compensation

• Fewer than 50 employees
• Up to $2 million in total payroll exposure

Key underwriting guidelines

• New ventures may be considered
• Architects and engineers should not be engaged in actual construction activities
• Professional liability coverage is currently unavailable

Avoid

• Banks and financial institutions
• Surveying and mapping services
• Testing laboratories and services
• Research and development

Businessowners

• Up to $20 million in building and business personal property
• $5 million maximum total insurable value per building 
• Up to $20 million in total sales
• $5 million maximum sales per location

Commercial Auto

• Fewer than 20 power units

Cyber Liability and Employment Practices Liability

• Automatically offered on all eligible BOP quotes
• Available limits up to $1 million
• Available for the majority of target classes

Workers' Compensation

• Fewer than 50 employees
• Up to $2 million in total payroll exposure

Key underwriting guidelines

• New ventures are not eligible
• Minimum Gross Sales of $250,000
• Sales of nonautomotive products or services should not exceed 10% of total receipts
• No work is allowed on high-performance vehicles, truck engines, or vehicles used in racing or competitive events; motor homes or watercraft; motorcycles, scooters or ATVs
• Towing activities should be incidental; no contract towing
• Risks should not provide rental vehicles or loaner cars to customers
• Auto body shops must have UL-approved paint booths that meet NFPA 33 standards
• Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) filling is not eligible, but exchange is acceptable with adequate controls
• Risks should not have impoundment yards, rental operations, tire recapping operations or split-rim work

Avoid

• Car washes
• Automotive brake repair shops
• Tire dealers

Businessowners

• Up to $20 million in building and business personal property
• $10 million maximum total insurable value per building
• Up to $20 million in total sales
• $5 million maximum sales per location

Commercial Auto

• Fewer than 20 power units

Cyber Liability and Employment Practices Liability

• Automatically offered on all eligible BOP quotes
• Available limits up to $1 million
• Available for the majority of target classes

Workers' Compensation

• Fewer than 50 employees
• Up to $2 million in total payroll exposure

Key underwriting guidelines

• New ventures in certain classes may be eligible
• Property should occupy less than 50,000 square feet of space in the building, with the service being a majority of the occupancy; there should be less than 25,000 square feet of storage
• Barbers and beauticians should not offer services beyond normal haircutting, perms, highlighting, tinting, manicures, etc.
• Dry cleaning plants should have retail outlets and should not do a substantial amount of specialty work such as furs, high-value rugs, leathers, etc.
• Professional liability is available for funeral directors and beauticians

Avoid

• Reupholstery/furniture repair
• Association/club risks, including homeowners associations
• Day spas or other risks offering electrolysis, permanent makeup risks, tanning, acupuncture, piercing, tattooing, waxing or other similar services
• Medical spas

Businessowners

• Up to $20 million in building and business personal property
• $10 million maximum total insurable value per building
• Up to $20 million in total sales
• $5 million maximum sales per location

Commercial Auto

• Fewer than 20 power units

Cyber Liability and Employment Practices Liability

• Automatically offered on all eligible BOP quotes
• Available limits up to $1 million
• Available for the majority of target classes

Workers' Compensation

• Fewer than 50 employees
• Up to $2 million in total payroll exposure

Key underwriting guidelines

• Fewer than 50 employees
• Up to $2 million in total payroll exposure
• Key underwriting guidelines
• New ventures may be considered
• Veterinarians should not provide services for animals involved with racing, and should not specialize in 24-hour emergency surgery or in exotic or high-value livestock or animals

Avoid

• Veterinarians who are not principally engaged in the operation of a veterinary office, clinic or hospital
• Veterinarians providing services for animals involved with racing, or who specialize in 24-hour emergency surgery or in exotic or high-value livestock or animals
• Workers’ Compensation for veterinarians working on large non-household animals
• Pet breeding
• Animal shelters

General Liability

• Up to $750,000 — not including nonconstruction codes i.e., clerical/sales in total payroll

Commercial Property

• Up to $20 million in building and business personal property (including business income and extra expense)

Commercial Auto

• Fewer than 20 power units

Cyber Liability and Employment Practices Liability

• Available limits up to $1 million
• Available for the majority of target classes

Workers' Compensation

• Fewer than 50 employees
• Up to $750,000 in total payroll
• Minimum $50,000 in total payroll

Key underwriting guidelines

• Key underwriting guidelines
• New ventures are not eligible
• Risk transfer with subcontractors is required, including being named as additional insured on the subcontractor’s policy
• Construction defect considerations may make certain classes in certain states undesirable
• Errors & Omissions coverage is available for certain classes¹

Avoid

• General/paper contractors
• Handypersons
• Excavation/grading of land
• Roofing
• New residential construction

Businessowners

• Up to $20 million in building and business personal property
• Up to $20 million in total sales
• $5 million max sales per location
• 25,000 maximum square footage for a retail building

Commercial Auto

• Fewer than 20 power units

Cyber Liability and Employment Practices Liability

• Automatically offered on all eligible BOP quotes
• Available limits up to $1 million
• Available for the majority of target classes

Workers' Compensation

• Fewer than 50 employees
• Up to $2 million in total payroll exposure

Key underwriting guidelines

• New ventures may be considered
• Risks may include storage facilities in a separate building owned by the insured, which are incidental to an eligible retail risk and do not exceed 25,000 square feet
• Risks should operate from a retail location and not primarily act as a contractor
• Occupancies with a high exposure to business personal property theft must have a central station security alarm system
• Operations should not have more than 10% of receipts derived from rental of personal property and should not have more than 5% of receipts derived from sales of used merchandise
• Florists should not grow stock for sale by others, employ landscape gardeners or designers, operate greenhouses or care for live plants away from the insured location

Avoid

• Tire dealers
• Convenience stores
• Grocery stores
• Liquor stores

Businessowners

• Up to $20 million in building and business personal property
• $10 million maximum total insurable value per building
• Up to $20 million in total sales
• Story height less than or equal to 6 if frame, joisted masonry or noncombustible, and less than or equal to 10 if masonry noncombustible or better, unless tenant only

Commercial Auto

• Fewer than 20 power units

Cyber Liability and Employment Practices Liability

• Automatically offered on all eligible BOP quotes
• Available limits up to $1 million
• Available for the majority of target classes (may be ineligible in certain states)

Workers' Compensation

• Fewer than 50 employees
• Up to $2 million in total payroll exposure

Key underwriting guidelines

• New ventures may be considered
• Buildings should be occupied principally for office purposes
• Professional liability is not available

Avoid

• Mental health and substance abuse centers
• Surgery centers
• Pathology laboratories
• Medical spas
• Ophthalmologists

Businessowners

• Up to $20 million in building and business personal property
• Up to $20 million in total sales
• $5 million maximum sales per location
• Minimum gross receipts of $250,000 for limited cooking, $500,000 for full cooking and $750,000 for fine dining¹

Commercial Auto

• Fewer than 20 power units
• Non-owned auto coverage for risks doing food delivery are ineligible

Cyber Liability and Employment Practices Liability

• Automatically offered on all eligible BOP quotes
• Available limits up to $1 million
• Available for the majority of target classes (franchised fast food may be limited)

Workers' Compensation

• Fewer than 50 employees
• Up to $2 million in total payroll exposure

Key underwriting guidelines

• New ventures are not eligible; limited exceptions may be made for franchised risk and new locations for existing customers
• Operations must be year-round
• Buildings must be designed for restaurant or food service occupancies
• Non-owned auto coverage for risks doing food delivery are ineligible
• Restaurants open past 10 p.m. are ineligible
• If alcoholic beverages are served, these receipts may not exceed 35% of total gross receipts
• Liquor liability coverage may be available by endorsement and is subject to liquor underwriting criteria; see ReferenceConnect or contact your underwriter
• Catering receipts should not exceed 20% of total gross receipts
• Sprinklers may be required based on total insured value
• Food Service Plus endorsement is available, including important coverages like food contamination — loss of income and spoilage from power outage

Avoid

• Bars
• Caterers
• Mobile food services