Security Company Insurance Cost Estimator
A rough annual planning range for the two core coverages a new guard firm budgets for: general liability and workers compensation. Built from commonly published market ranges for small firms, so treat it as a budgeting bracket, never a quote. Your state, claims history, venues, and carrier appetite can move real premiums outside these bands.
General liability
$2,000 to $4,500 / yr
Banded from roughly $400 to $900 per unarmed guard per year, with armed guards commonly costing two to three times unarmed, and a small-firm minimum-premium floor. Client contracts often demand $1M/$2M limits; ask your broker how assault and battery and firearms are treated, because exclusions matter more than price.
Workers compensation
$3,000 to $7,500 / yr
Banded at roughly $2 to $5 per $100 of payroll for unarmed work and $3 to $7 armed, blended by your armed mix. Actual class rates are set per state and carrier from your payroll audit. Most states require this coverage once you have employees.
Planning bracket, core coverages
$5,000 to $12,000 / yr
Excludes any surety bond your state requires, umbrella limits a client may demand, E&O, auto, and equipment coverage. Budget the bracket, then get two or three real quotes from brokers who write security firms.
This tool is an educational planning aid using published typical ranges, not an insurance quote, rate filing, or advice. Premiums vary widely; only a licensed broker or carrier can price your firm. GuardFirmReady is not an insurance broker.
Get quotes that come back comparable
The License Kit includes the broker request letter that puts your state's exact specification in front of multiple security-specialty brokers, plus the full licensing path it plugs into.
See the Security Company License Kit