According to the National Notary Association’s census, there are 4.4 million notaries in the US. An essential part of the notary business to consider is notaries insurance. Similar to a law firm, your business can face lawsuits from disgruntled customers whose documents were lost by employees or who received poor outputs. In this article, we will examine some of the components you can use to create your own notary public insurance package.
| 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 |
Notary business insurance commonly includes general liability coverage. This coverage protects your business against third-party claims of injury and property damage. Situations, where this coverage is used, include:
A customer injures themselves while in your notary office and sues for medical costs
During the course of your notary business, you cause damage to a customer’s property and need to replace it
You can further customize your notary insurance policy through the use of add-ons or endorsements.
Tools and equipment insurance–Covers the cost to repair or replace tools or equipment that you use in your notary business
Hired and non-owned auto insurance–Protects vehicles not owned by the business when they get into an accident while being used commercially
Excessive liability–Extends the amount of coverage you have on an existing general liability insurance policy
Your notary general liability insurance policy will generally have a $1 million per occurrence limit and as well as a $2 million aggregate limit over the duration of your policy.
No. General liability insurance will not cover injuries or illnesses that are sustained on the job. To get coverage for these incidents, you would need to buy a workers’ compensation policy.
Yes, a common part of general liability insurance will give you advertising injury coverage. This will protect you against lawsuits you receive based on any libel, slander, or copyright infringement, which includes social media posts.
| 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 |
The best e&o insurance for notary public businesses will protect you from mistakes, negligence, and oversights that happen during the course of business. Examples of situations include:
You make a mistake when notarizing a document that causes a client to lose money
An oversight in your notary business causes you to need to pay for a lawyer to defend your business in court
Additional insured–Extends your errors and omission coverage for people or organizations not covered on the original policy
Extended reporting coverage–If you have a claims-made errors and omissions insurance policy, this lets you file claims outside the usual policy window
Errors and Omissions insurance coverage will range between $250,000 and $2 million. Typically you will find a $1 million per occurrence limit and a $1 million aggregate limit for your notary business insurance.
Yes, errors and omissions insurance covers the majority of legal expenses that you incur, even if your lawsuit never gets to trial. In fact, the majority of lawsuits never make it to court.
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| 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 protects your notary offices and personal business property contained within it from physical damage. Some situations to use this insurance include:
A fire starts suddenly near your notary office and causes significant damage to the building and contents inside
Your business gets attacked by a smash-and-grab thief who steals some of your notary equipment
Business interruption–Helps you recover from a covered event by supplementing lost income, paying loans, and relocation costs for your notary business
Equipment breakdown–Your notary business equipment can be covered from damage caused by mechanical breakdown and power surges
Outdoor signs–Includes damage to things like signs outside your business in the scope of coverage for your notary building
Property insurance will typically cover your building for $50,000 and your business contents for $50,000. Higher limits and lower limits are available and will depend on the provider.
No, many policies will specifically exclude some types of perils. For example, earthquakes are typically excluded because of the damage it causes. Also, if you live in an area that regularly experiences hurricanes, you made need to add hurricane coverage to your policy. You will also need to buy a separate policy for flood damage.
| 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 |
Business owner’s policy is an insurance policy for your notary business that combines the coverage of commercial property with general liability. Examples include:
A member of the public wanders onto your notary building property and trips and falls
Your business property becomes the victim of a vandal who smashes your windows and spray paints the facade of your building
Flood insurance–If you live in an area where flooding is a risk, you will want to add on flood insurance to your BOP
Cyber liability–Allows you to protect your business against the costs related to cyber attacks, data breaches, and phishing emails
Business owners’ policy for notaries will typically have a coverage limit between $1 million and $2 million and a commercial property coverage limit of $25,000 to $50,000.
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| 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 protects the items you use in your notary business if they get suddenly damaged in a covered event like weather or theft. Use this to protect your notary seal and office equipment.
Inland marine–Protects your tools if they are stored in another place besides your business premises and when they are transported over the land
Equipment breakdown–Allows your tools and equipment to get covered against mechanical failure, electricity surges, and more
Your notary tools and equipment insurance will cover between $5,000 and $10,000 in damage.
Yes, some insurers offer protection for borrowed gear that you use if it gets damaged or stolen in a covered event.
Workers’ compensation insurance will protect your notary employees in cases where they are injured on the job. This policy can provide them with a replacement for wages, medical treatments, and disability benefits. Example situations will include:
One of your notary employees develops chronic leg pain
An employee tries to organize their desk but trips and injures their back
Employer’s liability coverage–This add-on may be automatically already be included in your workers’ comp insurance. It protects when employees sue you for negligence in connected with their work-related injuries or illnesses
Occupational accident–A similar policy to workers comp that is generally not mandatory to purchase for your notary company. These policies are generally less expensive than workers comp and can cover independent contractors
Excess liability insurance is a supplementary insurance policy that can extend the coverage of an already existing insurance policy. Some times to use this policy are listed below.
Your general liability policy only covers $1 million, but you need to cover a total of $1.5 million
An errors and omission insurance policy you have for your notary business runs out of coverage before the policy period is over
Excess liability insurance can increase your coverage limit up to $25 million, depending on your insurer and the policy you select to increase.
Excess liability insurance offers excellent value for the coverage you are buying. Insurers will sometimes make you buy a higher coverage limit for your policy before they allow you to purchase excess liability.
Cyber liability insurance will cover the costs to your notary business that stem from data breaches and cyber attacks. Some situations to use this policy include:
After a data breach, you need to pay expensive costs to notify all the customers whose data has been stolen
You need to expend extra resources to manage your reputation after a cyber attack
Cyber extortion–Helps compensate you for costs that may occur when data is held hostage and you have to pay a ransom
Digital media–A coverage add-on that covers online content claims related to privacy, defamation, and copyright infringement
Cyber liability insurance for your notary business will generally have a $1 million per occurrence limit and a $1 million aggregate limit. You can purchase higher limits of $5 million or more.
No, your notary cyber liability policy will often not cover claims of fraud, dishonesty, and wrongful business acts that cause your company damage.
Commercial auto insurance covers the risk associated with using a vehicle for commercial purposes. You can use this policy to cover the cost of medical treatment for third parties you injured in a vehicular accident. Insurance companies also design a commercial auto policy to cover vehicle repairs in case of damage caused by collisions, fire, theft, vandalism, and other covered perils.
Commercial auto insurance provides a minimum auto liability coverage limit of $25,000 per bodily injury, $50,000 per accident, and $15,000 per property damage.
| Cost per Month | Cost per Year | Deductible | |
|---|---|---|---|
| General liability insurance | $39 | $468 | $0-$500 |
| Professional liability insurance | $43 | $516 | $500-$1,000 |
| Cyber liability insurance | $57 | $684 | $500-$1,000 |
| Commercial property insurance | $50 | $600 | $1,000-$2,000 |
| Business owner’s policy | $89 | $1,068 | $1,500 |
| Commercial auto insurance | $55 | $660 | $500-$1,000 |
| Tools and equipment insurance | $46 | $552 | $500-$1,000 |
| Workers compensation insurance | $93 | $1,116 | $2,000-$5,000 |
The average notary public insurance cost is $39 per month or $468 per year for a $1 million general liability insurance. E&O insurance for notary cost will be $43 per month or $516 per year for a $1 million worth of coverage. Factors that affect the cost of premiums are claims history, business history, policy limits, deductibles, number of employees, annual revenues, and location. Here’s a table showing the cost of a $1 million general liability insurance from the best companies:
| Cost per Month | Cost per Year | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEXT | $25 | $300 | Best overall; Fastest general liability insurance for notary public |
| The Hartford | $29 | $348 | Notary errors and omissions insurance |
| CoverWallet | $30 | $360 | Comparing notary insurance quotes online |
| Tivly | $27 | $324 | Comparing notary insurance quotes over the phone |
| Thimble | $35 | $420 | On-demand coverage for tour operators |
| Hiscox | $37 | $444 | Notary public insurance with worldwide coverage |
Get all the best quotes from leading providers in a click of a button!
Here are some of the companies you might want to work with. Read some of the reviews below to know their pros, cons, and average rate for a $1 million general liability insurance.
Best overall
Issues an online proof of insurance instantly
Fastest general liability insurance for notaries
Great customer service and reputation
Excellent rates
Outstanding value for money
Get a 10% discount if you buy two or more policies
Couldn’t find any
NEXT has a guide to help you understand their notary insurance selection. They offer a fast way to get coverage and less than 10 minutes. The company offers a 10% discount when bundling business insurance you want, like general liability, errors and omission, and workers' compensation. NEXT was rated with an A- from AM Best for its financial strength and has a B+ score with the Better Business Bureau.
Best for: Best overall; Fastest general liability insurance for notary public
Average cost: $25 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Extensive small business experience
Easy claim tracking
Renowned company for workers compensation insurance
Limited add-ons to general liability insurance
The Hartford is an insurance company with 211 years of experience in the industry. They offer an outstanding notary errors and omissions insurance in addition to other critical policies. The company has an A- rating from AM Best and had over $11 billion in direct premiums in 2022.
Best for: Notary errors and omissions insurance
Average cost: $29 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Compare quotes online
HNOA coverage included in general liability insurance
Easy online policy management
A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau
Not an insurance company but an insurance broker
CoverWallet an excellent selection of partners that offer a wide variety of policies that you notary business needs. You can get general liability, cyber liability, commercial property, workers' compensation, and more. Their E&O insurance covers judgments, defense costs, and settlements that your notary business might be required to pay.
Best for: Comparing notary insurance quotes online
Average cost: $30 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Over 200 partners to choose from
Compare quotes over the phone
Will hook you up with the best insurance company that best matches your risk profile
You need to call to get a quote
Tivly focuses on combining tech solutions and insurance to help you select the perfect notary policy from over 200 partners. They have been in the insurance game for 20 years and help you get connected with insurance partners that can craft the perfect notary insurance policy. Call now to compare quotes over the phone.
Best for: Comparing notary insurance quotes over the phone
Average cost: $33 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Numerous add-ons to general liability insurance
You can purchase errors and omissions insurance as an add-on to general liability insurance
Quickly issues an estimate of your rates
You can’t reach customer service by calling
Thimble’s advantage over its competitors is how accessible it is to new insurance buyers. You can get coverage quickly and easily. They have an insurance glossary available for new buyers to understand key insurance terms.
Best for: Short-term general liability insurance for notaries
Average cost: $35 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Offers comprehensive cyber security insurance
Flexible payment options
Worldwide coverage
14-day money-back guarantee
Online quoting may not be available all the time due to periodic site maintenance
Hiscox offers policies for notaries that include general liability, business owner's policy, errors and omissions insurance, and more. They have an A rating from AM Best and have a high customer service rating. You can also get worldwide coverage which can help if you do work outside the US.
Best for: Notary public insurance with worldwide coverage
Average cost: $37 per month
Our rating: 10/10
1 / 5
Use anyone except Employers. Period. They are non-transparent and shameful. After I complained long enough to warrant a call from a supervisor, the supervisor called back from a PRIVATE NUMBER (no caller ID), left a message that they are not reversing their decision (without any communication with me), and failed to leave a phone number for me to call back. She was hiding! They also fact find via email and phone calls, which is terrific for speed and communication. However, after setting a precedence of email or phone calls, they send time sensitive information via email, without any heads up... they are hoping you miss it and forfeit via expiration. Evil policies. Go elsewhere.
1 / 5
This place is an absolute joke of a company and should be ashamed of the way they conduct business. I was hurt on the job at the end of July and it took them just shy of 7 weeks to issue out a paycheck to me. Yes the amount was back dated but still. Not many have the luxury of not receiving a paycheck for almost 2 months. To top it all off, the original adjuster marked me down for the wrong state which caused a problem from the get go, I've had 3 different adjusters now since each one can't seem to figure out the simplicity of my claim. All my paperwork which includes, my job, house, and drs visits all are from the same state and city but yet some how I have been filed under a completely different state 1500 miles away. They do not answer your phone calls or emails no matter how many you leave. I've had to escalate my frustrations to the supervisors of each of these individuals in order to even get some kind of response. I've had more communication and information given to me about my claim from the customer service representatives then the actual adjusters.......... please tell me how that works?! A serious overhaul needs to happen here in order to serve your clients the way they deserve to be taken care of. 10/10 do not recommend this company to a single soul on earth
1 / 5
I have never had the displeasure of working with a more incompetent and disrespectful person in my life. I’m an injured worker and the adjuster that was assigned to my case was named Carrie Furgeson. In the past 6 weeks that I’ve been injured and out of work I have only been able to get ahold of her twice, not for lack of trying. I have left countless voicemails, countless emails, and she ignores them all. When I am finally able to get ahold of her I’m greeted with terrible customer service. She is rude, she talks over me and I’m hardly able to get a word in edgewise. She spelled my name wrong on my documents even after I spelled it for her properly countless times, this caused a whole new issue with my bank. I have bill collectors from the hospital calling me demanding payment and Carrie Furgeson won’t do a single thing to help, or to get them paid. All of my documentation is in Colorado, my job is in Colorado, my address is in Colorado, all my Dr offices and appointments have been in Colorado and Carrie still managed to hold my claim because she wasn’t sure what state she needed to file it under. It’s been 6 weeks since my Injury and my company still hasn’t received the wage paperwork to fill out so they can get me my correct wages. When she’s not ignoring me she’s answering my questions with “I don’t know” well I don’t know how she got this job, because apparently she doesn’t know anything about it. She is a disgusting morose individual inside and out and I genuinely wish her the worst in all of her future endeavors. I highly recommend you don’t use this company. Please if you are a business owner and your looking into this company please don’t use them. I’m sure they have the cheapest payment and that’s why companies use them in the first place, but you will be doing your employees a grave disservice by forcing them to venture into this absolute dumpster fire of a company. I would rate 0/5 if possible but 1 was the lowest I was allowed.
5 / 5
Their general liability insurance purchase process is simply the best online experience I've ever had in my life!
5 / 5
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!
Not all those who wander are lost.
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