Did you know that the global book publishing market is worth more than $90 billion? The Association of American Publishers (AAP) found that copyright industries employed nearly 4% of the entire US workforce in 2019.
With publishers making up a significant part of the economy, they must be vigilant to protect their interests against liability and other damage claims. As a publisher, one of the best ways to protect your business is through the use of publisher business insurance.
You never know when something can go wrong. For one, the printing company you’re working with might file a lawsuit for breach of contract. Workplace accidents can also happen and employees might ask for compensation. Of course, let’s not forget that the writers you’re helping out might become disgruntled.
In this article, we will examine common topics and questions that you might have about business insurance for publishers.
| 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 |
General liability insurance can help you pay for expenses related to third-party claims involving injury and property damage. Some example events include:
Someone walks into your publishing office and cuts their arm on an exposed piece of equipment, requiring medical treatment
When one of your employees is helping a client, they accidentally damage the client’s personal laptop
Many insurers will allow you to customize your policy further through the use of add-ons or endorsements. Some add-ons to this publishers liability insurance include:
Product liability–Adds financial protection for your business products or items if they cause property damage or bodily injury
Cyber liability–Helps your business respond to cyber-attacks and data breaches and protect its reputation
The general liability coverage included in your publishing insurance package typically has a $1 million to $2 million per occurrence and aggregate limit.
Yes, typically, general liability insurance will feature injury protection against lawsuits involving libel, invasion of privacy, slander, and copyright infringement. If you write something on social media, you are generally covered by these perils. To be safe, you may also want a media liability insurance policy to get you more protection in the media environment.
| 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 |
Use professional liability insurance for web publishers and book publishers as protection from lawsuits and claims filed due to your mistakes or negligence. Some examples to look at include:
Your business makes a miscalculation in the commercial direction of the magazine content that causes a client to lose money
An oversight in your business process allows clients to receive bad advice, which costs them financial damage
Excess liability–Gives you a boost to your policy's coverage limit so you can cover financially devastating events
Extended reporting period–Gives you more time to file claims, even past when your policy is set to expire
The professional liability coverage of your publishing insurance package will have $1 million per occurrence and $1 million aggregate limit.
Publishers errors and omissions insurance is another name for professional liability insurance. It will cover the same types of liabilities, including things like missed deadlines, undelivered services, and breach of contract.
Media liability insurance protects your business against claims that content you have published has harmed someone financially through claims like copyright infringement and defamation. Example situations include:
A book you helped publish defamed a person in the story who sues you for damages
One of the magazines you helped publish stole work from a competitor, who sued you for copyright infringement
This type of insurance for internet publishers will have a coverage limit of in a range between $500,000 and $1 million. These limits are available at higher levels for bigger publishers and more expensive policies.
Yes, because media liability insurance protects businesses that disseminate media content, it is an essential pickup for publishers who deal with claims like plagiarism, unfair competition, technological activities, and published content.
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 an excellent addition to your book publishing insurance package because it helps you pay for damages to your business property. Below are a few situations this policy can come in handy.
Someone starts a fire in your business building that damages some equipment you need for your daily operations
A vandal throws bricks through your office window
Earthquake protection–Protects your property from earthquake damage, mudslides, and landslides
Outdoor signs–Helps protect any signs you may use to advertise your publishing business located outside your business property
A typical commercial property coverage limit for publishers will be around $60,000.
No. In fact, there are many kinds of weather events that insurers will typically exclude. Earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, and other forms of natural disasters will require additional coverage.
| 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 for your publishing business because it conveniently combines multiple forms of coverage together. It will bundle commercial property and general liability into one policy. Example coverage includes:
A customer injures themselves and damages your property at the same time.
A thief breaks into your publishing office and steal some of your electronics
Inland marine–Adds protection for your tools and equipment when they are being transported over land, like by a truck or train
Employment practices–Protest your business from employee claims of wrongful termination, discrimination, and workplace harassment
Your business owner’s policy can have a coverage limit of $1 million for general liability claims and around $50,000 for commercial property claims.
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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 |
Your publisher's tools and equipment policy can help you replace damaged or stolen tools and equipment. This protection can even apply to when tools are used off your commercial premises. Example situations will include:
You take a laptop to meet a client, and it gets stolen during the course of business
A piece of equipment in your office gets vandalized and is no longer functional
Floodwater protection–This helps you get covered for flooding and water damage that your tools and equipment might get exposed to, which takes them out of commission
Inland marine–Allows your tools and equipment to be protected if they are transported to different locations over land by vehicles like a truck or train
A tools and equipment policy will cover costs between $5,000 and $10,000. Higher limits may be available depending on what your insurer has to offer.
Workers’ compensation insurance is a policy that publishers with employees will need. It will cover employee expenses, like lost income and medical treatments in case someone sustains injuries on the job. Examples of when to use this coverage include:
An employee develops a chronic condition from sitting at their desk for long periods and needs surgery to help alleviate its symptoms
One of your publishing house employees trips at work and temporarily cannot work due to a back injury
No, workers' comp benefits are not subject to federal income taxes. An employee does not have to worry about paying the benefits back to the government.
Yes, medical benefits are not subject to waiting periods like wage replacement benefits might be subject to. Employees often need to report their injury through their employer to start coverage, but sometimes a medical provider can also help file a claim.
Publisher excess liability insurance is a way to extend a coverage limit for an underlying policy. It is typically applied to general liability or professional liability insurance. Examples of when to use this coverage include:
Your publisher's professional liability insurance policy reaches a coverage limit, so your excess liability coverage can kick in
You purchase excess liability coverage for a lawsuit that your existing policy doesn't have enough coverage left to protect you from
Excess liability insurance can be available for up to $25 million for some insurers.
Yes, publishers may be more vulnerable to legal challenges from issues like copyright infringement than other businesses. This means that your business may be more likely to need excess liability coverage than other industries.
| Cost per Month | Cost per Year | Deductible | |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Liability Insurance | $39 | $468 | $0-$500 |
| Professional indemnity insurance | $44 | $528 | $500-$1,000 |
| Commercial property insurance | $79 | $948 | $1,000-$2,000 |
| Business owner’s policy | $118 | $1,416 | $1,500 |
| Tools and equipment insurance | $42 | $504 | $500-$1,000 |
| Workers compensation insurance | $96 | $1,152 | $2,000-$5,000 |
The average publisher insurance cost is $39 per month or $468 per year for a $1 million general liability policy. 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 insurance from companies we recommend:
| Cost per Month | Cost per Year | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEXT | $25 | $300 | Best overall; Fastest general liability insurance for publishers |
| CoverWallet | $27 | $324 | Workers compensation insurance for publishing companies |
| The Hartford | $29 | $348 | Comparing publisher insurance quotes online |
| Tivly | $30 | $360 | Comparing publisher insurance quotes over the phone |
| Thimble | $32 | $384 | On-demand coverage for publishers |
| Hiscox | $35 | $420 | Publisher insurance with automatic renewal |
Get all the best quotes from leading providers in a click of a button!
Here are some of the companies to consider working 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 publishers
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 plethora of insurance options that are tailored by the industry. They offer publisher insurance policies like general liability, commercial property, and business owner’s policy. Another accolade to their name is the B+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
Best for: Best overall; Fastest general liability insurance for publishers
Average cost: $25 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Renowned company for workers compensation insurance
Straightforward online quoting
Can underwrites specialized policies for high-risk customers
Some find bundling policies more expensive than other competitors
The Hartford has a range of policies and has experience tailoring them to the publishing industry. They offer essential options like general liability, commercial property, and business income insurance.
Best for: Workers compensation insurance for publishing companies
Average cost: $27 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Compare quotes online
HNOA coverage automatically included in general liability insurance
Manage your policies easily online
Not an insurance company
CoverWallet is an insurance platform with resources catered to publishers and the types of insurance they want. They offer quotes both online or through a CoverWallet consultant. Policies you can get from this company are general liability, commercial property, professional liability, and more.
Best for: Comparing publisher insurance quotes online
Average cost: $29 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Partnered with big names like The Hartford, Liberty Mutual, and Gallagher
Offers policies to help bloggers, book authors, publishers, and other writers
Compare quotes over the phone
You need to call to get a quote
Tivly has a platform for you to explore your insurance needs. With over 200 partners, there is no shortage of selection. They offer policies like media liability, cyber liability, and workers comp insurance. The company recommends a $1 million/$2 million general liability policy at a competitive price for publishers. Call now to get a quote
Best for: Comparing publisher insurance quotes over the phone
Average cost: $30 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Sells coverage by the day, month, or even hour
Fast-growing insurance company
Allows you to purchase general liability insurance as a short-term coverage
You can’t reach customer service by calling
At Thimble, you will find a company that respects your time. Not only do they claim to get you covered quickly, but they also allow you ultimate freedom in choosing your policy duration. They offer commercial property, workers comp, business equipment insurance, and more.
Best for: On-demand coverage for publishers
Average cost: $32 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Media liability insurance with $15 million capacity
Optional coverage extensions are available
14-day money-back guarantee
Online quoting might not be available all the time due to periodic site maintenance
At Hiscox, you get a small business experience with helpful tools like policy comparisons and sales tools to get the most information possible for your publisher insurance policy. They offer many excellent products publishers might need, including cyber, crime, and general liability insurance.
Best for: Publisher insurance with automatic renewal
Average cost: $35 per month
Our rating: 10/10
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.
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
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.
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!
Not all those who wander are lost.
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