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Book Shop Insurance & Book Club Insurance: Quotes From $5

It doesn’t seem like it, but a book store business faces risks. For one, it is an easy target for fire breakouts during the summer season where wildfires are very common, just like libraries and museums. Bodily injuries of customers is another common exposure, as shelves can topple over customers. 

You can insure your business with book shop insurance or book store insurance. Read this guide to know how each inclusion works, how much premiums cost, where to get covered, and compare quotes. 

Book Store Insurance

Book store insurance is an insurance package comprising different casualty and property insurance solutions. Examples of companies that underwrite and sell this are NEXT and Thimble. The following sections discuss the functions of each insurance policy included in book shop insurance. 


General Liability Insurance For Book Shops 


CoverWallet NEXT (Best)Thimble Hiscox
Per occurrence limit $1,000,000$1,000,000/$2,000,000$1,000,000/$2,000,000$300,000/$2,000,000
Aggregate limit $2,000,000$2,000,000/$4,000,000$1,000,000/$2,000,000$300,000/$2,000,000
Products and completed operations aggregate limit 
$2,000,000
$1,000,000$2,000,000$1,000,000
Advertising injury coverage aggregate limit $1,000,000$1,000,000$1,000,000$1,000,000
Tenant’s legal liability coverage limit 
$300,000
$100,000$5,000$100,000
Waiver of subrogation included?YesNoIncludedExcluded
Hired/non-owned auto liability coverage included?YesNoExcludedExcluded
Equipment breakdown floater included?No YesYesExcluded
Can you get a certificate of insurance online?YesYesYesYes
Name additional insureds?YesYes
YesYes
Deductible$0$0$0$0


A general liability policy is always included in book shop insurance packages. In fact, this is a coverage that your business must have to be commercially insured. Use the table above to compare the general liability insurance of companies we recommend. 

With general liability insurance, your business enjoys a shield against claims for bodily injuries and property damage. Here are some possible problematic scenarios where general liability insurance can help:

  • Your book shop’s floor is newly mopped and doesn’t have a wet floor sign on it. A customer entered then slipped and fell

  • An earthquake happened and your book shop’s book rack fell to a customer

  • A customer slipped and fell after stepping on a discarded paper or plastic wrapper 


So what can you do with general liability insurance? When a claim is filed, you can use this insurance to get the money for paying these expenses:

  • Medical treatments

  • Restitution for the damaged property 

  • Attorney fees, court filing fees, and other legal expenses

  • Settlements


The general liability policy of your book store insurance package comes with add-ons. Look at its policy document or quote, and you’ll find the limits and other pertinent details of these coverages:

  • Advertising injury coverage-Covers slander and copyright infringement claims

  • Products and completed operations coverage-Takes care of costs if a customer is unhappy with the merchandise from your bookstore 

  • Rented premises liability coverage-For reimbursing the landlord of the rented space you’re using as a bookstore


Professional Liability Insurance For Book Shops


CoverWallet NEXT Thimble (Best)Hiscox
Per occurrence limit $1,000,000$1,000,000$1,000,000/$2,000,000$1,000,000
Aggregate limit $2,000,000$2,000,000$1,000,000/$2,000,000$1,000,000
Name additional insureds?YesYesYesYes
Waiver of subrogation included?YesNoYesCan be included
Deductible $500$500$500$50/$10,000


Some book stores offer editorial, book restoration, and publishing services. If this applies to you, then know that it’s smart to add a professional liability coverage to your book shop insurance package. Use the table above to compare the professional liability insurance of companies we recommend. 

Professional liability insurance covers exposures associated with the services you provide to clients. Usually, this insurance will grant coverage for settlements, legal expenses, and other related costs if a claim is filed for:

  • Negligence

  • Violation of good faith

  • Violation of fair dealing

  • Breach of contract

  • Other acts considered as errors and omissions 


Tools And Equipment Insurance For Book Shops


NEXT (Best)ThimbleHiscox
Aggregate limit$5,000/$10,000$2,500/$5,000$5,000/$25,000
Covers hired and borrowed equipment?$5,000/$10,000$2,500/$5,000No
Miscellaneous equipment also covered?$5,000/$10,000NoNo
Offered as an endorsement to general liability insurance?YesYesYes
Deductible$500$500$0


Tools and equipment insurance is available as an add-on to general liability insurance if you want to insure the printing machines, book presses, and other equipment used for restoring or publishing books. 

Use the table above to compare the tools and equipment insurance of companies we recommend. 

Let’s discuss how tools and equipment insurance work. This type of insurance for book stores covers the cost of replacing or repairing equipment that got lost, damaged, or destroyed because of:

  • Fire

  • Theft

  • Vandalism

  • Operator error

  • Impact

  • Electrical breakdown

  • Electrical shorts

  • Mechanical breakdown

Compare Book Shop and Book Club Insurance Online

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Commercial Property Insurance For Book Shops


CoverWalletNEXT (Best)ThimbleHiscox
Building coverage limit (minimum)$50,000$230,000$25,000/$500,000$25,000
Contents coverage limit (minimum)$50,000$18,000$25,000/$500,000$25,000
Outdoor signsExcluded$2,500ExcludedExcluded
Accounts receivableExcludedExcluded$5,000/$10,000Included
Money and securitiesExcluded$2,500$1,000Included
Lock and keysExcluded$2,500ExcludedExcluded
Business interruption floaterExcludedIncludedIncludedIncluded
Equipment breakdown floaterExcludedIncludedExcludedExcluded
Inland marine insurance floaterExcludedExcluded$10,000Excluded
Employee dishonesty floaterExcluded$5,000$2,500Included


A book store is very vulnerable to fires. Books are very combustible. Be on your guard because fire departments in the USA have responded to at least 13,570 fires in stores and other mercantile properties.

You need commercial property insurance. This insures the business property that’s legally owned, managed, and used by your book shop. Use the table above to compare the quotes of commercial property insurance from companies we recommend.

You can use commercial property insurance to recover financial losses if your book store gets damaged or destroyed by:

  • Fire

  • Theft

  • Vandalism

  • Civil commotion

  • Riot

  • Lightning

  • Sinkhole collapse

  • Weather

  • Vehicle

  • Aircraft

  • Impact


In a similar fashion, commercial property insurance also grants coverage if something happens to the books in-stock or in the inventory, HVAC, electricity generator, signage, book racks, POS system, and other valuables inside the bookstore.

Additionally, your book store’s commercial property insurance comes with valuable papers and records coverage. And so, it can be used to recover financial losses and pay the extra expenses for recreation and research if financial records, contracts, accounts receivable records, and other important documents get lost or damaged.


Business Owner’s Policy For Book Shops


CoverWalletThimble (Best)NEXTHiscox
General liability aggregate limit$2,000,000$2,000,000$2,000,000$300,000/$2,000,000
Commercial property coverage limit$50,000$500,000$230,000$25,000
Optional policies can be added?YesYesYesYes
Name additional insureds for free?YesYesYesYes
BOP discount?YesYesYesYes


There’s no need to get general liability and commercial property insurance separately if you need both for your business.

You can make things easier by getting a business owner’s policy. Use the table above to compare the business owner’s policy of companies we recommend.

A business owner’s policy fuses the functions of general liability and commercial property insurance. Its cost is cheaper too than the combined cost of general liability and commercial property if these were bought separately.

But note that with most insurance companies right now, it’s possible for a business owner’s policy to also have cyber liability insurance, workers' compensation insurance, and other add-ons.



Commercial Auto Insurance For Book Shops

Your book store might provide door-to-door delivery with a motorcycle or automobile. It’s also possible for your business to own a cargo van that’s used for taking stocks from different suppliers.

If vehicle use is a part of your book store’s day-to-day operations, then consider getting commercial auto insurance.

Commercial auto insurance covers the occasional legal liabilities and extra costs associated with the ownership of a commercial vehicle. Here’s a quick look at the functions of this insurance policy:

  • Cover the victims’ medical treatment if your bookstore’s commercial vehicle causes an accident

  • Pay the replacement or repair of parts if your commercial vehicle sustains damage because of fire, theft, vandalism, collision, and other covered perils

  • Cover the driver and the passenger’s medical treatment if your commercial vehicle gets involved in an accident caused by an uninsured/underinsured driver


Workers Compensation Insurance For Book Shops

Consider getting workers compensation insurance if your bookshop employs clerks, inventory managers, and other types of employees. In case work-related accidents happen, this will cover the cost of the employee’s treatment, hospitalization, medication, lost wages, rehabilitation, and even death benefits.


Cyber Liability Insurance For Online Book Stores

Cyber liability insurance is essential if you sell books in e-commerce platforms such as websites or Amazon. In case of a data breach, cyber liability insurance will cover the legal expenses if affected customers file a claim. You can also use this insurance to pay public relations expenses, data recovery, and professional services for containing the breach.


Book Club Insurance

A book club is simply a reading group. It mostly consists of several members who read and talk about a book’s theme or suggested reading list. Book club members often choose a specific book to discuss and share ideas. If you operate a book club business, you must secure it.

This is because it's a type of business facing a wide range of liabilities. For instance, a member of your book club could sustain severe injuries through a fall accident.

There are several other cases where book club insurance comes in handy. For example, if your business has several vehicles used to pick book club members and it gets involved in an accident, you have less to worry about with book club insurance prepared.

In addition, book club insurance also protects against customer complaints. For instance, when someone complains of poor services and decides to file a lawsuit against you, this insurance policy helps cover it.

If you operate your book club at home, you need to confirm whether your book club insurance has home-based business insurance coverage.


Events Insurance For Book Stores And Book Clubs

Book stores and book clubs sometimes hold reading events, book launches, writing symposiums, writing contests, and other events. Insurance companies can insure these activities through event insurance.

Event insurance consists of general liability insurance or public liability insurance, cancellation insurance, equipment rental coverage, and liquor liability insurance. Here’s a quick explanation of each:

  • General liability or public liability insurance-Covers bodily injuries or property damage claims filed by guests, participants, and other people taking part in your event

  • Cancellation insurance-Reimburses non-refundable costs if your event is canceled or delayed because of a covered peril

  • Equipment rental coverage-Takes care of expenses if rented sound systems, tents, and other equipment gets lost or damaged during the event

  • Liquor liability insurance-If your event offers or sells liquor, this covers the bodily injury or property damage claims filed by drunk guests or people who have been wronged by a drunk attendee

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Book Shop Insurance Cost


Cost per MonthCost per YearDeductible
General liability insurance$38$456$0-$500
Professional indemnity insurance$41$492$500-$1,000
Cyber liability insurance$42$504$1,000
Commercial property insurance$61$732$1,000
Business owner’s policy$99$1,188$1,000
Commercial auto insurance$50$600$1,000
Workers compensation insurance$85$1,020$2,000-$5,000


The average book shop insurance cost is about $38 a month or $456 a year for a $1 million general liability insurance policy. 

The cost varies depending on different business-specific factors, from location to business size and individual history and risks. To get a better idea of your precise cost, click the 'Get Quotes' button, complete the questionnaire and compare quotes online from the best book shop and book club insurance companies.

Here’s another table that shows how much the best insurance companies charge for their $1 million general liability insurance for book shops:


Cost per MonthCost per YearBest for
NEXT$25$300Best overall; Fastest general liability insurance for book shops
CoverWallet$27$324Book shop insurance quotes comparison online
Tivly$29$348Comparing book shop insurance quotes over the phone
Thimble$31$372On demand coverage for book stores
Hiscox$33$396Book shop insurance with worldwide coverage and automatic renewal

Compare Book Shop and Book Club Insurance Online

Get all the best quotes from leading providers in a click of a button!

Best Book Shop Insurance Companies 

There are many insurance companies that offer coverage for book shops. However, only a few give a bang for your buck. Let’s review the best book shop insurance companies, and know their pros, cons, and cost of a $1 million general liability insurance. 


NEXT Book Shop Insurance

Pros

  • Best overall

  • Get an online proof of insurance and send as a text message, email, or social media post

  • Fastest general liability insurance for book stores

  • Great customer service and reputation

  • Issues an online proof of insurance instantly

  • Outstanding value for money

  • Bundle two or more insurance policies and get a 10% discount

Cons

  • Couldn’t find any

NEXT offers a very quick coverage for bookstores. Moreover, your insurance from this company comes in three options-basic, premiere, and deluxe. Here’s a quick look of what each package offers:

  • Basic-$1 million general liability insurance, $1 million professional liability insurance, and $1 million product liability insurance

  • Premiere-$2 million general liability insurance, $1 million professional liability insurance, $2 million product liability insurance, and $260,000 commercial property insurance

  • Deluxe-$2 million general liability insurance, $1 million professional liability insurance, $2 million product liability insurance, and $260,000 commercial property insurance with $50,000 website business income coverage


Best for: Best overall; Fastest general liability insurance for book shops

Average cost: $25 per month 

Our rating: 10/10


CoverWallet Book Shop Insurance

Pros

  • Compare book shop insurance quotes online

  • Easily add an unlimited number of additional insureds

  • Hired/non-owned auto coverage included in general liability insurance

  • You can cancel your coverage anytime

  • Sells event insurance

Cons

  • Not an insurance company but an insurance broker 

CoverWallet is an insurance broker that sells the book shop insurance package of its partners. That said, work with this company if you plan to get multiple quotes in one transaction. To get quotes, you just access CoverWallet’s online platform and provide some basic business information. 

In most cases, your general liability insurance from this company will have a $1 million per occurrence limit. Also, it will have hired/non-owned auto liability coverage and waiver of subrogation. 

Best for: Book shop insurance quotes comparison online

Average cost: $27 per month

Our rating: 10/10


Tivly Book Shop Insurance

Pros

  • Call and compare book shop insurance quotes over the phone

  • Responsive customer service

  • A partner of many reputable insurance companies 

Cons

  • You need to call to get a quote 

Tivly (formerly CommercialInsurance.NET) grants coverage regardless of your business profile. It can take you to partners who can provide general liability, professional liability, commercial property, and other comprehensive policies for bookstores. You need to talk with a representative to get covered. That said, call Tivly now and compare book shop insurance quotes over the phone. 

Best for: Comparing book shop insurance quotes over the phone

Average cost: $29 per month

Our rating: 10/10


Thimble Book Shop Insurance

Pros

  • Has event insurance

  • Numerous add-ons to business owner’s policy

  • On-demand coverage

  • Quick to issue an estimate of your rates

Cons

  • You can’t reach customer service online 

Thimble’s book shop insurance offers workers compensation insurance and a business owner’s policy. You can get event insurance too. 

Note that your business owner’s policy from this company can have optional add-ons such as customer property coverage, cyber liability insurance, and hired/non-owned auto coverage. Moreover, the business owner’s policy’s general liability insurance limit is $1 million-$2 million. Commercial property insurance limit, on the other hand, is $25,000-$500,000. 

Best for: On demand coverage for book stores

Average cost: $31 per month 

Our rating: 9/10


Hiscox Book Shop Insurance

Pros

  • Worldwide coverage

  • An insurance company with a proven track record

  • Your insurance automatically renews every year

  • Offers policy bundle discounts

Cons

  • Poor customer reviews

Hiscox sells a business owner’s policy and cyber liability insurance for book shops. Work with this insurance company because it allows you to choose between numerous limits and deductibles. Moreover, your policies offer worldwide coverage and automatically renew every year. 

Best for: Book shop insurance with worldwide coverage and automatic renewal

Average cost: $33 per month

Our rating: 9/10


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