Table of contents
Dental hygienists work with dentists to promote good oral health. They take dental X-rays, remove tartar, and administer fluoride to the teeth.
You face risks as a dental hygienist. A patient can sustain injuries during a cleaning session. A piece of equipment in the dental clinic might get damaged. The best way to protect yourself and your business from perils is to purchase dental hygienist insurance. Everyone’s insurance needs differ, so this article will show the policies that fit well with your practice.
| CoverWallet | NEXT (Best) | Thimble | Hiscox | The Hartford | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per occurrence limit | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 |
| Aggregate limit | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 |
| Products and completed operations aggregate limit | $2,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Advertising injury coverage aggregate limit | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Tenant’s legal liability coverage limit | $300,000/$1,000,000 | $300,000 | $100,000 | $100,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Waiver of subrogation included? | Yes | No | Included | Can be included | No |
| Hired/non-owned auto liability coverage included? | Yes | No | No | Can be included | Can be included |
| Equipment breakdown floater included? | No | Yes | Yes | Can be included | Can be included |
| Can you get a certificate of insurance online? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Name additional insureds? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Deductible | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Consider a general liability policy. This dental hygiene liability insurance protects you and your business from third-party injury and property damage claims. Common situations include:
A patient slips and breaks their hip while in your care
One of your patient’s private property gets damaged while in your office
Your dental hygienist practice may benefit from add-ons coming from general liability insurance:
Non-owned auto liability–Helps cover the cost of accidents caused by a commercial vehicle you hired or borrowed
Employment practices insurance–Protects your medical practice in cases where employees allege workplace harassment and wrongful termination
Tools and equipment coverage–Protects your tools or equipment when damaged due to fire, theft, vandalism, and other covered perils
The coverage limit you will typically see for general liability insurance is between $1 million and $2 million.
No, in most cases, you will not be legally required to have general liability coverage to be a dental hygienist. However, just because it isn’t illegal doesn’t mean you should skip out on general liability insurance. General liability insurance can save you in a pinch or when you least expect it from damaging lawsuits.
| CoverWallet | NEXT | Thimble (Best) | Hiscox | The Hartford | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per occurrence limit | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Aggregate limit | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $2,000,000 |
| Name additional insureds? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Waiver of subrogation included? | Yes | No | Yes | Can be included | No |
| HIPAA coverage included? | No | No | No | No | No |
| Sexual misconduct coverage included? | No | No | No | No | Can be included |
| License defense coverage included? | No | No | No | No | Can be included |
| Deductible | $500 | $500 | $500 | $50/$10,000 | $500 |
A dental hygiene malpractice insurance policy will protect your business from medical negligence, improper diagnosis, inaccurate advice, breach of contract, and other related offenses. This is sometimes called professional liability insurance for dental hygienists.
The best malpractice insurance for dental hygienists offers add-ons so that you are getting adequate protection: Here the most common:
Excess liability–Helps you get more coverage on an existing policy that doesn’t have enough coverage to get the protection you need
Extended reporting period–This gives you more time to file claims than your original policy would allow and still get covered
Malpractice insurance for dental hygienists will have a $300,000-$2 million per occurrence limit and a $500,000-$3 million aggregate limit.
The average dental hygienist malpractice insurance cost is $1,100 per year. This number will vary based on policy rates between insurers and your workplace location.
Get all the best quotes from leading providers in a click of a button!
| CoverWallet | NEXT (Best) | Thimble | Hiscox | The Hartford | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building coverage limit (minimum) | $50,000 | $260,000 | $25,000/$500,000 | $25,000 | $60,000 |
| Contents coverage limit (minimum) | $50,000 | $22,000 | $25,000/$500,000 | $25,000 | $60,000 |
| Outdoor signs | Excluded | $2,500 | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded |
| Accounts receivable | Excluded | Excluded | $5,000/10,000 | Included | Excluded |
| Money and securities | Excluded | $2,500 | $1,000 | Included | Excluded |
| Lock and keys | Excluded | $2,500 | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded |
| Business interruption floater | Excluded | Included | Included | Included | Excluded |
| Equipment breakdown floater | Excluded | Included | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded |
| Inland marine insurance floater | Excluded | Excluded | $10,000 | Excluded | Excluded |
| Employee dishonesty floater | Excluded | $5,000 | $2,500 | Included | Excluded |
Commercial property insurance is a policy that protects your business building and property. It applies protection for physically damaging events in situations like:
Theft
Vandalism
Fire
Lightning
Sinkhole collapse
Riot
Outdoor signs–This covers damage to signs outside your business property that gets damaged by a physical incident like fire or graffiti
Lock replacement–Helps with the cost of replacing keys and installing locks to help better protect your dental office
A typical commercial property coverage limit is $60,000 for your business building and $25,000 for the contents.
Yes. Your insurance premium will increase depending on the risk involved with your dental hygienist business. You can take steps to show that you are mitigating risk to lower the premiums you will have to pay. Maintaining all your electrical and fire safety systems, having a well-lit workplace, and teaching employees about job safety can all help reduce your risk profile to insurers.
| CoverWallet | Thimble (Best) | NEXT | Hiscox | The Hartford | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General liability aggregate limit | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $300,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 |
| Commercial property coverage limit | $50,000 | $500,000 | $260,000 | $25,000 | $75,000 |
| Optional policies can be added? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Name additional insureds for free? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| BOP discount? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
You will want a business owner’s policy because it combines the protection of general liability insurance, business interruption, and commercial property insurance. Examples coverage includes:
A member of the public visits your dental office but slips and hurts their back
Your dental office’s windows are broken in an act of vandalism
Cyber liability–This can help pay for damages to your business caused by a cyber attack or data breach
Employment practices–Insures your dental hygienist business against employee claims of discrimination, workplace harassment, and improper termination
BOPs will have between $1 million and $2 million in general liability coverage and between $15,000 and $50,000 in commercial property protection.
A business owner’s policy is a good fit because it allows you to get liability insurance with property coverage. With BOP, you enjoy comprehensive protection of both policies at an affordable rate.
| NEXT | Thimble | Hiscox | The Hartford | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aggregate limit | $3,000/$10,000 | $2,500/$5,000 | $15,000/$25,000 | $5,000-$10,000 |
| Covers hired and borrowed equipment? | $3,000/$10,000 | $2,500/$5,000 | No | Yes |
| Miscellaneous equipment also covered? | $5,000/$10,000 | No | Yes | Yes |
| Offered as an endorsement to general liability insurance? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Deductible | $500 | $500 | $0 | $0 |
Tools and equipment insurance helps protect your business equipment when damaged or stolen. Example coverage includes:
A dental tool is left unattended and gets stolen by someone walking by
A weather event causes some of your dental equipment to be repaired
Inland marine coverage–This policy can protect your tools and equipment when transported by a land vehicle or stored at another location
Equipment breakdown–Covers internal breakdowns of your dental hygienist tools and equipment
Tools and equipment insurance coverage limits vary between $5,000 and $20,000 to repair or replace equipment.
Tools and equipment insurance helps protect your business equipment when damaged or stolen. Example coverage includes:
A dental tool is left unattended and gets stolen by someone walking by
A weather event causes some of your dental equipment to be repaired
Inland marine coverage–This policy can protect your tools and equipment when transported by a land vehicle or stored at another location
Equipment breakdown–Covers internal breakdowns of your dental hygienist tools and equipment
Tools and equipment insurance coverage limits vary between $5,000 and $20,000 to repair or replace equipment.
This insurance policy is essential because tool and equipment theft results in billions of dollars in yearly loss. Getting your stolen tools and equipment back after someone has already taken them has a low chance of success. It is more efficient to replace a stolen tool.
You can utilize workers’ compensation policies to protect employees when they become ill or injured while working. Workers comp pays for medical payments and lost income. Examples include:
An employee hurts their shoulders while carrying dental equipment
One of your employees develops a chronic neck condition while working
Yes, workers qualify for benefits regardless of who is at fault for the incident. This means that employee mistakes that cause injuries are covered as well. Exceptions include intentional injuries, fights among employees, and employees performing work duties while under the influence of substances.
Excess liability is an insurance policy that can boost another of your dental hygienist policies with additional coverage. Times to use this coverage include:
Your general liability policy runs out of coverage for an expensive lawsuit, and you need to get more coverage
A malpractice policy has used all the coverage, you get an excess liability policy so that you are still protected
An underlying policy is the initial insurance coverage you created to protect your business against losses. Excess liability insurance applies to this underlying policy to extend your coverage limits and guard against catastrophic claims.
| Cost per Month | Cost per Year | Deductible | |
|---|---|---|---|
| General liability insurance | $34 | $408 | $0-$500 |
| Professional liability insurance | $36 | $432 | $500-$1,000 |
| Excess liability insurance | $39.00 | $468 | $500-$1,000 |
| Commercial property insurance | $45 | $540 | $1,000-$2,000 |
| Business owner’s policy | $60 | $720 | $1,500 |
| Tools and equipment insurance | $23 | $276 | $500-$1,000 |
| Commercial auto insurance | $49 | $588 | $500-$1,000 |
| Workers compensation insurance | $72 | $864 | $2,500-$5,000 |
The average dental hygienist insurance cost is $34 per month or $408 per year for a $1 million general liability insurance. Factors that affect premiums are claims history, business history, policy limits, deductibles, location, annual revenues, and number of employees. Here’s a table showing the cost of a $1 million general liability coverage from the best companies:
| Cost per Month | Cost per Year | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEXT | $18 | $216 | Best overall; Fastest general liability insurance for dental hygienists |
| The Hartford | $22 | $264 | Workers compensation insurance for dental hygienists |
| CoverWallet | $25 | $300 | Comparing dental hygienist insurance quotes online |
| Tivly | $27 | $324 | Comparing dental hygienist insurance quotes over the phone |
| Thimble | $29 | $348 | On-demand coverage for dental hygienists |
| Hiscox | $31 | $372 | Dental hygienist insurance with worldwide coverage |
Get all the best quotes from leading providers in a click of a button!
Here are the companies to consider for the best liability insurance for dental hygienist. Read some of the reviews below to know their pros, cons, and average rate for a $1 million general liability policy:
10% discount when bundling policies
Best overall
Issues an online proof of insurance instantly
Fastest general liability insurance for dental hygienists
Great customer service and reputation
Excellent rates
Outstanding value for money
Couldn’t find any
NEXT is an expert in business insurance that offers a plethora of helpful policies. You can find essential policies for your practice, like general liability, workers’ compensation, business owner’s policy, and more. The company maintains an A- (excellent) rating with AM Best for its financial longevity.
Best for: Best overall; Fastest general liability insurance for dental hygienists
Average cost: $18 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Quote online or through an agent
The claim tracking process is very intuitive
Renowned company for workers compensation insurance
Limited add-ons to general liability insurance
The Hartford has been a long-established provider of insurance with over 200 eyers of experience. Their direct premiums totaled more than $11 billion in 2022, and the company has served over one million small businesses. The Hartford has an A- rating from AM Best.
Best for: Workers compensation insurance for dental hygienists
Average cost: $22 per month
Our rating: 10/10
A convenient dashboard helps you easily keep track of policies
Easy online policy management
Compare rates with different providers
Not an insurance company but an insurance broker
CoverWallet is an online insurance platform that lets you compare rates with different providers. Dental hygienists will be happy to find an excellent malpractice insurance policy that meets your needs. Coverwallet provides policies in many states and has a good selection of insurance policies to choose from as well.
Best for: Comparing dental hygienist insurance quotes online
Average cost: $25 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Representatives connect you with the right insurer
Solution-oriented insurance approach
Excellent customer service that many find responsive
You need to talk to a representative to get a quote
Another excellent insurance platform can be found in Tivly. The company has over 200 partners to pick your dental hygienist insurance. With so many policies, you are bound to find an option that works for you. Tivly won’t just leave you to your own devices, either. Their customer service focuses on finding insurance solutions to your problems and matching you with the best policies. Call now to compare quotes over the phone.
Best for: Comparing dental hygienist insurance quotes over the phone
Average cost: $27 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Quickly issues an estimate of your rates
Accredited by the Better Business Bureau
Sells a short-term general liability policy
Make sure to do your research so you don’t overpay for policies
Thimble is a highly rated insurer offering policies for dental hygienist insurance like general liability, equipment protection, commercial property insurance, and business owner’s policy. The company has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
Best for: On-demand coverage for dental hygienists
Average cost: $29 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Offers discounts for bundling multiple policies
An excellent mobile app that customers find easy-to-use
Worldwide coverage
Coverage is limited in Alaska
Hiscox offers specialized policies for medical professionals that address their needs. The company has policies like business owner’s policy, cyber security, and medical malpractice insurance that you can utilize in your dental hygienist practice. Hiscox has over 100 years of insurance experience. This company has an A rating from AM Best and serves over 500,000 customers.
Best for: Dental hygienist insurance with worldwide coverage
Average cost: $31 per month
Our rating: 10/10
2 / 10
I purchased a year long policy for my small business I paid for the year up front. First they sent me the incorrect paperwork and acted as if I had something to do with the mistake. About three weeks later I received a bill for the policy. I then sent countless email as the payment did clear my account. About a week later I'm told they have no record of my payment. Now I have to send any documents proving I said then. It went on for weeks. More requests of proof from this person then another.... Read More
10 / 10
Simple online quoting and purchase. excellent mobile app. claims filing via phone, website or app. Combines competitive rates with excellent customer experience. Progressive provides all of the coverage a small business needs. not to mention its financial strength
10 / 10
Excellent business insurance coverage tailored to your business needs in good rates, professional customer service, pays claims fast and fairly. Recommended!
10 / 10
For me this company has proven to be the best to do business with and worth my hard earned money. Contractors this is your company look no further.
7.7 / 10
Decent experience with Hiscox business insurance
10 / 10
Good company. Good and knowledgable customer service. If they don't know something they will pass you on to a more experienced rep that is more knowledgable. So far so good.
10 / 10
Best insurance ever
10 / 10
Coolest concept, I wish this was applied to other insurance products too.
9.4 / 10
Fastest ever online insurance quote and purchase! Also, great rates and professional customer reps that helps with whatever you need, if you need. Nice company!
2.8 / 10
Embroker sells a product that it doesn't honor. We purchased a combination D&O and EPLI policy. However, when it came to renewal, it told us that we only had D&O coverage even through our ACCORD certificate clearly mentions we have both. Basically they refused to honor the EPLI coverage and will leave you hanging with the bag. At time of renewal, they more than doubled our quote to get similar coverage. Basically BAIT & SWITCH. Unacceptable tactics. Easy to buy and pay but you may not be... Read More
2.8 / 10
Great platform. Terrible policy. There is no teeth behind it. No coverage. It's a fake policy that they sell. Sold us an EPLI policy that later we came to find out had no EPLI coverage. Amazing that they can get away with outright fraud. Check the positive reviews. They are all 'Anonymous' posted by Emroker staff. Stay away and find a real policy that will actually provide you coverage. We've been bitten by them and hope to find restitution via a lawsuit.
Paul Burns Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
It has been 70 days since I made a claim on the roof of my building. No one from the company will return calls. We are in hurricane season and located in Louisiana. My building is tarped to secure it.
Felicia Broadus Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
They are the worst, my truck was hit in January 23 and the claim adjuster has not been out to this very day! They have every excuse in the book as to why. They have not been to the collision shop. PLEASE AVOID THESE SCAM ARTIST!
Felicia Broadus Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
Avoid these SCAM ARTISTS! They don’t pay claims!!! Save yourself the trouble and money!
Kasey Arey Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
This company gives you a price that was in place for a year and when you have to use it there is fine print were they can go back and charge you more. Would not recommend them to any one. Crooks
John Murphy Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
Worst insurance comapny I have ever dealt with. A commercial vehicle represented by GUARD t boned my wife and daughters family vehicle in the middle of the day. Driver was cited and insurance claim insued. Fast forward 4 months and refusal of full amount of claim is still happening. Driver was found guilty, repairs started on my vehicle and when it comes to the final bill and diminished value we cannot get any help. I am out a family car, have an injured and traumatized wife and children,... Read More
Harshadray Patel Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
Extremely bad service, when you call , will make you wait on the phone for ever (over an Hour) and still no one to answer , so you end up hanging up. To cancel the policy, bounce you from one department to the other. They are supposed to refund from the date other insurance started and after sending the proof of other insurance policy, still they did not refund based on that actual date instead they use the date i managed to get hold of them. They charged me $7000.00 for a year's insurance on... Read More
Aaron Wensel Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
Guard Insurance is terrible. They were so bad I cancelled them because them couldn't figure out why I would never get a paper copy of the bill . Verified my address with them and still intermittent billing. I cancelled them in March through my local broker. Today 6/27 I get a letter in the mail from a collections company saying I owe 87.97. This was the first myself or my broker heard of owing this money. Here is some advice for this failure of a company send me a god damn bill and I will pay.... Read More
Michael Swink Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
My employer had to have workers compensation by law. He obtained a policy through this Berkshire Hathaway GUARD and they failed me. I fell from a ladder and fractured my spine in 7 different places, my clavicle in 4 places, and the base of my skull. Going to my Dr visits I was prescribed medication for pain and the insurance company placed a pre-authorization hold on me picking up the medication from Walgreens. The hold lasted 5 days! My weekly benefits have never been on time, right now... Read More
2 / 10
I never purchased the policy. The person I spoke with "Bruce" was condescending and argumentative. He kept repeating himself and talking in circles telling me what I HAVE TO DO, basically trying to bully me into purchasing commercial insurance. I wouldn't use this company if they were paying me!
9.8 / 10
Chubb provides business insurance coverage for all size of businesses, from small local ones to huge multinational corporates, they are very fast to respond to your claims, their business insurance coverage is very advanced while being tailored to your needs, aka covering you from all sides without over-covering you to make you pay more like some companies do. I'm a very satisfied customer.
9.7 / 10
Very annoyed in 2020 they do not offer online quotes, however they are great at everything else. The coverage is amazing, customer service is world class, value of money is great (even when their rates are not the cheapest), fast and excellent handling of claims, very dedicated and business focused. The only other issue is since they cover all types and sizes of businesses, they do not seem to specialize in any of them specifically.
2 / 10
I purchased a year long policy for my small business I paid for the year up front. First they sent me the incorrect paperwork and acted as if I had something to do with the mistake. About three weeks later I received a bill for the policy. I then sent countless email as the payment did clear my account. About a week later I'm told they have no record of my payment. Now I have to send any documents proving I said then. It went on for weeks. More requests of proof from this person then another.... Read More
10 / 10
Liberty Mutual is one of the more simple companies to deal with. I had to file a claim for my business owner policy after I caught one of my employees stealing a large amount of products from my business. Liberty mutual paid the claim fast and with no efforts. I wish the legal process was as easy…
10 / 10
Simple online quoting and purchase. excellent mobile app. claims filing via phone, website or app. Combines competitive rates with excellent customer experience. Progressive provides all of the coverage a small business needs. not to mention its financial strength
0 / 10
State Farm's business insurance was such a bad choice for us. Worst communication, very unprofessional. Been insured for over 12 years through a local statefarm agent who we were having insurance for our own home, our personal cars, our own health insurance, workers compensation, all of our commercial autos that serve our business - our agent didn't inform us of raising our premium rates, of certain inspections, and send us very rude emails upon our policy cancellations that were caused by his... Read More
10 / 10
Extremely helpful, kind and knowledgable customer service team! I received a business insurance package that was tailored and personalized to my exact business needs! Excellent liability insurance. Their pricing for business insurance is not the most affordable you'll find, however it's better to pay more and know that you are covered well. We got coverage for $1M. In regards to claims, I haven't had any experience so cannot attest, but the rest was excellent so I'm sure claims will be great as... Read More
10 / 10
Customer service is fast and efficient. They were very caring about issues that we faced, checked them all and resolved our claims fast. State Farm is an excellent company. They gave us excellent business insurance coverage that was customized to our precise needs. We worked together to build the most suitable coverage to our needs, nothing more or less, while making sure the rate is good enough. State Farm's business insurance cost was very good compared to other companies, while maintaining a... Read More
10 / 10
Excellent business insurance coverage tailored to your business needs in good rates, professional customer service, pays claims fast and fairly. Recommended!
10 / 10
highly recommended!
10 / 10
Their business insurance products are by far the best business decision I've made financially. Got us covered when we needed it and for such a bargain cost. Couldn't recommend more!
10 / 10
Excellent business insurance policies at cheap rates. Claim process was easy and helped us cover financial loss.
10 / 10
Great rates and excellent service. Our business feels safe.
10 / 10
For me this company has proven to be the best to do business with and worth my hard earned money. Contractors this is your company look no further.
7.7 / 10
Decent experience with Hiscox business insurance
9.4 / 10
Very pleased with Hiscox - their small business insurance rates are very good and they specialize in small business which gives me a peace of mind as a small business owner. So far so good!
10 / 10
Their customer service is absolutely fantastic. Very patient, knowledgable and provided excellent explanation of the purchased policy. I would highly recommend this insurance company to anyone that's looking to protect their business from unexpected expense. Thank you Hiscox for doing a great job for my business!
0.6 / 10
STAY AWAY! I wouldn't recommend hiscox small business liability insurance to anyone. Better not waste both your money and your time. Hiscox customer service is extremely unpleasant, not organized and not professional. It is the worst company we have dealt with in almost 25 years in business!
10 / 10
Good company. Good and knowledgable customer service. If they don't know something they will pass you on to a more experienced rep that is more knowledgable. So far so good.
10 / 10
Extremely fast and simple. Wasted a lot of time and money until I found these guys! I feel like my business is in good hands now.
Not all those who wander are lost.
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