WrenchStack

Insurance · Recommended

Simply Business Review

Online insurance broker (Travelers-owned) — shops multiple carriers and lets you compare quotes in one form

Tier S broker direct digital
Founded 2005 HQ Northampton, UK (US HQ in Boston, MA; acquired by Travelers 2017) Quote speed: Online quote comparison in 10-15 minutes Verified: 2026-05-28
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Quick verdict

Simply Business is best for SMB contractors (1-25 employees) who want multi-carrier comparison without agent phone calls, and prefer the broker-of-record service model for policy changes and renewals. Quote speed: Online quote comparison in 10-15 minutes. Pricing: $40-$200/mo for GL on a 1-5 person trades shop. Quote variance across carrier panel can be wide, carrier availability varies by state, claims experience depends on selected carrier rather than Simply Business directly — but the platform solves a real contractor problem and does it well.

About Simply Business

Simply Business is the online insurance broker model done well — owned by Travelers (one of the largest US commercial insurers) since 2017, the platform shops multiple carriers behind a single quote form and presents the contractor with comparison-ready options. For SMB contractors who want the agent-shopped-multiple-carriers benefit without the agent phone-call cycle, Simply Business is the dominant digital broker option.

The mechanic: contractor enters business details (trade, employees, revenue, coverage limits needed) into a single form, and Simply Business's underlying carrier panel returns 3-5 quotes from carriers including Travelers (the parent), Liberty Mutual, Markel, Nationwide, and various specialty carriers depending on trade. The contractor compares quotes side-by-side, picks the best fit, and binds online. The Travelers ownership provides reliable claims infrastructure if the contractor selects a Travelers policy; other carriers' claims flow through Simply Business as the broker-of-record.

Reddit and small-business-forum sentiment is consistently positive on Simply Business. The common refrain: 'I got 4 quotes from Simply Business and saw which carriers were competitive for my profile, picked the cheapest, was insured in 20 minutes.' The platform doesn't have the same brand recognition as Hiscox or NEXT but it solves a real problem (multi-carrier comparison without agent phone tag) that contractors value.

The affiliate program is direct — Simply Business runs its own publisher partnerships with documented payouts. Per-quote economics are in the same range as NEXT and Hiscox (~$25-$40 per qualified lead), and the conversion rate is comparable. For editorial publishers like WrenchStack, Simply Business is a strong recommendation candidate: it solves a real contractor problem (comparison shopping), it has stable corporate parent (Travelers), and the affiliate program aligns incentives properly.

How it works

Visit Simply Business website, enter business details (trade, employees, revenue, location, coverage limits needed) in a single form. The platform runs the request against its carrier panel and returns 3-5 quotes within 5-10 minutes. Compare quotes side-by-side; each quote shows carrier name, premium, coverage limits, and notable terms. Pick a quote, complete carrier-specific binding questions, pay, and receive a bound policy with downloadable COI. Simply Business is the broker-of-record for service inquiries; claims flow through the carrier directly.

Pros & cons

What works

  • Compare 3-5 quotes in one form

    Solves the core SMB contractor problem: 'I want to shop carriers but I don't have time to call 5 agents.' Simply Business handles the carrier-shopping behind a single form. The 10-minute time investment yields comparison-ready options from carriers that would otherwise take days to gather quotes from individually.

  • Travelers ownership = stable parent + carrier backing

    Owned by Travelers since 2017. The Travelers ownership provides operational stability, reliable claims handling for Travelers-issued policies, and a corporate parent with deep industry expertise. Lower 'will this broker still exist?' risk than venture-backed alternatives.

  • Direct affiliate program with documented terms

    Simply Business runs its own publisher affiliate program with documented per-quote payouts. Editorial sites can recommend with aligned commercial incentives and the affiliate-economics make Simply Business one of the highest-revenue insurance recommendations in this directory.

  • Carrier panel includes well-known carriers

    The carrier panel includes Travelers (parent), Liberty Mutual, Markel, Nationwide, and specialty carriers depending on trade. Contractors see brand-name carriers in the comparison set rather than unfamiliar names — which improves comfort with the eventual choice.

  • Broker-of-record means single service contact

    Simply Business is your broker-of-record for service questions even after binding a policy with a specific carrier. Need to add a vehicle, modify coverage, or get a COI? Simply Business handles it as broker rather than the contractor calling the carrier directly. Reduces friction on policy changes.

What doesn't

  • Quote variance can be wide across the carrier panel

    The 3-5 quotes can show meaningful price variance ($800-$2,000 annual GL premium spread is common for the same coverage). The variance reflects different carriers' underwriting appetites — but it can be confusing if contractors expect a tight comparison set.

  • Not all carriers available in all states

    The carrier panel varies by state. Some specialty carriers aren't available in certain states; some quotes may be limited compared to other states. Geographic coverage is solid but not uniform.

  • Claims experience depends on selected carrier

    Simply Business doesn't handle claims — claims flow through the specific carrier whose policy you bound. If you pick a Travelers policy, you get the Travelers claims experience; if you pick a specialty carrier, you get that carrier's experience. Read carrier-specific claims reviews before binding.

  • Less direct-carrier-relationship than going to NEXT or Hiscox directly

    Simply Business is a broker layer between you and the underlying carrier. For some contractors who want a direct relationship with a single carrier, the broker layer is unnecessary overhead. For contractors who want multi-carrier comparison, the broker layer is exactly what they want.

Coverage

Insurance lines
general liabilityworkers compcommercial autotools equipmentbopumbrella
Geographic coverage
Available in all 50 states; carrier panel varies by state
Typical premium range
$40-$200/mo for GL on a 1-5 person trades shop
Quote speed
Online quote comparison in 10-15 minutes
Affiliate program
direct. Direct publisher affiliate program with documented per-quote payouts (~$25-$40 range).

External ratings & sentiment

Trustpilot

4.5 / 5

BBB

A+ (BBB-accredited)

A.M. Best

Underlying carriers rated separately (Travelers A+, Liberty Mutual A, etc.)

Reddit

positive — 'easiest way to actually compare carriers' is a common refrain

Frequently asked

Is Simply Business a carrier or a broker?

Broker — Simply Business shops multiple carriers behind a single form and presents you with comparison-ready quotes. The underlying carriers are companies like Travelers, Liberty Mutual, Markel, and specialty carriers. Simply Business is your broker-of-record for service inquiries; claims flow through the specific carrier whose policy you select.

How is Simply Business different from NEXT?

NEXT is a direct carrier — they underwrite and issue their own policies. Simply Business is a broker — they shop multiple carriers and show you the options. If you want speed + single-carrier simplicity, NEXT. If you want multi-carrier comparison + broker-of-record service, Simply Business.

What does the Travelers ownership change?

Travelers acquired Simply Business in 2017. Operationally, Simply Business continues to run as the broker layer. Travelers' ownership provides corporate stability, deep carrier relationships, and reliable claims infrastructure (when you select a Travelers policy). It doesn't bias the carrier comparison — Simply Business surfaces competitive non-Travelers carriers when they have better quotes.

Who handles claims?

The carrier whose policy you bound, not Simply Business. If you bind a Travelers GL policy, claims flow through Travelers' claims process. If you bind a Markel commercial auto policy, claims flow through Markel. Simply Business handles policy-level service (changes, COIs, renewals) but not claims.

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