For your best business protection and savings, we recommend bundling GL with some other important coverages on one Business Owners Policy!
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 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.
| 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? | Yes | No | Included | Excluded |
| Hired/non-owned auto liability coverage included? | Yes | No | Excluded | Excluded |
| Equipment breakdown floater included? | No | Yes | Yes | Excluded |
| Can you get a certificate of insurance online? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Name additional insureds? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 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
| 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? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Waiver of subrogation included? | Yes | No | Yes | Can 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
| NEXT (Best) | Thimble | Hiscox | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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/$5,000 | No |
| Miscellaneous equipment also covered? | $5,000/$10,000 | No | No |
| Offered as an endorsement to general liability insurance? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 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
Get all the best quotes from leading providers in a click of a button!
| CoverWallet | NEXT (Best) | Thimble | Hiscox | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 signs | Excluded | $2,500 | Excluded | Excluded |
| Accounts receivable | Excluded | Excluded | $5,000/$10,000 | Included |
| Money and securities | Excluded | $2,500 | $1,000 | Included |
| Lock and keys | Excluded | $2,500 | Excluded | Excluded |
| Business interruption floater | Excluded | Included | Included | Included |
| Equipment breakdown floater | Excluded | Included | Excluded | Excluded |
| Inland marine insurance floater | Excluded | Excluded | $10,000 | Excluded |
| Employee dishonesty floater | Excluded | $5,000 | $2,500 | Included |
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.
| CoverWallet | Thimble (Best) | NEXT | Hiscox | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Name additional insureds for free? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| BOP discount? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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.
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
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 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.
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.
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
| Cost per Month | Cost per Year | Deductible | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 Month | Cost per Year | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEXT | $25 | $300 | Best overall; Fastest general liability insurance for book shops |
| CoverWallet | $27 | $324 | Book shop insurance quotes comparison online |
| Tivly | $29 | $348 | Comparing book shop insurance quotes over the phone |
| Thimble | $31 | $372 | On demand coverage for book stores |
| Hiscox | $33 | $396 | Book shop insurance with worldwide coverage and automatic renewal |
Get all the best quotes from leading providers in a click of a button!
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.
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
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
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
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
Call and compare book shop insurance quotes over the phone
Responsive customer service
A partner of many reputable insurance companies
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
Has event insurance
Numerous add-ons to business owner’s policy
On-demand coverage
Quick to issue an estimate of your rates
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
Worldwide coverage
An insurance company with a proven track record
Your insurance automatically renews every year
Offers policy bundle discounts
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
Their general liability insurance purchase process is simply the best online experience I've ever had in my life!
As long as they cover your line of business, you're literally covered! best rates, best coverage, best online experience, best professionals, can't be happier that I chose them!
It really can't get any better than this... wow
Very good experience
Terrific experience with their construction business insurance! 10/10! Thank you!
Not all those who wander are lost.
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