Ranked
Best Business Insurance in South Africa (2026)
Five places to buy business insurance in South Africa, compared on how you buy, published prices and cover, read at each insurer's own site.
When it comes to insuring a small business, the question shouldn't be whether to insure, because insurance only proves its worth on the day of a disaster. The right question is: who can cover you properly, and how fast.
And sometimes the choice is made for you: a landlord wants proof of public liability before you get the keys, a shopping centre names a limit in the lease, or a client will not sign until you send a certificate.
I read the business insurance pages of eight South African insurers this week. One had no business cover at all, and one had no business-insurance page I could find. The five below all sell to small businesses, and the biggest difference between them is how you buy. One sells online in minutes, three take your details and phone you back or let you start a quote, and one will only deal with you through a broker.
How I ranked them
As a disclaimer, I have not claimed on any of these policies, and nobody told me from the outside which insurer pays claims best. So this ranking uses only what you can check yourself before you speak to anyone.
How you buy
Online in minutes, a call-back, or only through a broker. If a contract needs a certificate by Friday, this decides it.
What is published
Whether the insurer shows any price at all. Business cover is usually quoted, so a published starting price is rare and useful.
What they sell to a small business
Liability, premises and stock, vehicles, goods in transit, professional indemnity. Not every insurer sells every one.
Who carries the risk
The name on the policy wording is the company that pays a claim. On a platform, that can be a different insurer for each product.
The order below follows those four, weighted towards a small business that needs cover without a long process.
This guide gives information, not advice
mashjoy.com is not a financial services provider, and nothing here says which policy suits your business. Read the policy wording, or speak to a licensed broker, before you buy. Every fact below comes from the insurer's own website on the date shown.
The five, side by side
Read the first two columns before anything else. They tell you whether you can get covered today, and whether you can see a price before someone calls you.
Five insurers that sell business cover to small businesses, on what each publishes.
Business insurers in South Africa, compared
| How you buy | Published price | Liability | Vehicles | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Bi-me | Online, in minutes | From R258 p/m | Public, PI, cyber, event | Not sold | See it |
| 2Santam SmartSME | Quote, call-back or broker | Quote only | Public, employer's | Up to 5 | See it |
| 3OUTsurance | Online quote or phone | Quote only | Business liability | Motor and fleet | See it |
| 4Miway | Call-back | Quote only | Public, professional | Motor and fleet | See it |
| 5King Price | Broker only | Quote only | Public, employers' | Motor | See it |
From each insurer's own business insurance page. 'Quote only' means no premium is published. Bi-me's price is a starting price for public liability and depends on your business.← scroll sideways on a narrow screen →
One of the five publishes a price. The other four quote every business individually.
So the fastest way to a number is Bi-me, and the way to compare the rest is to ask two or three for a quote on the same limits.
Three ways to buy business insurance
First, an online platform. You answer questions about your business, see a quote and buy without waiting for a call. Bi-me works this way. It is a licensed financial services provider rather than an insurer, and the insurer behind your policy depends on the product: Discovery Insure, Hollard, iTOO, Dotsure or Genoa, according to Bi-me's own list.
Second, a direct insurer. You deal with the insurer itself, online or by phone. Santam, OUTsurance and Miway all sell small-business cover this way. None of them publishes a business premium, so expect a conversation about your premises, stock, turnover and claims history before you see a number.
Third, a broker. A licensed intermediary compares insurers for you and can advise on what your business needs, which none of the first two routes does. King Price sells business cover only this way, and Hollard's business page sends you to a broker or adviser. OUTsurance also offers some businesses a dedicated broker of its own, depending on how complex the business is.
If you only need one type of cover, such as public liability for a lease, the first route is the quickest. If you have a building, stock, staff and vehicles to cover together, the second or third will usually suit you better, because a single policy can carry all of them.
1. Bi-me - the only one with published prices
Bi-me is the one to try first if a contract is waiting on a certificate. It is the only one of the five that shows a price before you give your details: public liability from R258 a month, and professional indemnity from R448 a month. It sells public liability at five limits, from R1 million to R10 million, so you can match the figure your landlord or client names.
1Only published prices
Bi-me Public Liability
Why it ranks first
Bi-me publishes a starting price, sells public liability at five limits and issues cover online.
- LimitsR1m, R2.5m, R5m, R7.5m or R10m
- Also sellsProfessional indemnity, cyber, event liability
- Insurers usedDiscovery Insure, Hollard, iTOO and others
- LicenceFSP 51534
- Sells tobusinesses that need liability cover or a certificate without a call
- Check in your quotewhich insurer underwrites it, and the excess
you'll go to bi-me.co.za
Both prices are starting prices. Bi-me says its public liability pricing depends on your risk profile, and that small businesses have paid between R448 and R870 a month on average for professional indemnity. A cleaning company that works inside clients' homes will not pay what a graphic designer pays.
Best for: a business that needs liability cover, professional indemnity or an event certificate, and wants to see the price and buy without waiting for a call. Bi-me does not sell vehicle cover, so a business with a bakkie will still need a second insurer.
2. Santam SmartSME - a small-business bundle with clear limits
Santam is the only insurer here that tells you in advance whether your business is small enough for its SME product. SmartSME is for a business whose buildings and contents are worth less than R5 million together, with no more than five vehicles. If you fit, you can start a quote online. Santam also sells motor, property and liability cover separately, through a call-back or an intermediary.
2Clearest SME bundle
Santam SmartSME
Why it's on this list
Santam SmartSME publishes who it is for: under R5 million of buildings and contents, and up to five vehicles.
- Who it's forBuildings and contents under R5m, up to 5 vehicles
- Also sellsMotor, property, public and employer's liability
- LicenceFSP 3416
- Sells toa shop, office or workshop with premises, stock and a few vehicles
- Check in your quotewhat SmartSME leaves out that a full commercial policy includes
you'll go to www.santam.co.za
Best for: a small business with its own premises, contents and up to five vehicles that wants them on one policy from a large insurer. Santam also lists specialist products for guesthouses, tourism and leisure, and sectional title schemes.
3. OUTsurance - start online, get a broker if you need one
OUTsurance lets you start a business quote online and hands more complex businesses to a dedicated broker of its own. It covers business vehicles from motorcycles to buses and trailers, premises, equipment and stock, and liability. It also has separate lines for fleets, farms, engineering projects, motor traders, restaurants and accommodation.
3Online start, broker help
OUTsurance Business Insurance
Why it's on this list
OUTsurance takes a business quote online and can assign a dedicated Business OUTsurance Broker.
- How you buyOnline quote or 08 600 60 000
- CoverMotor, premises, stock, liability
- Industry linesFleet, agri, engineering, motor traders, hospitality
- Sells toa business with vehicles and premises that wants one insurer
- Check in your quotewhether your business qualifies for a dedicated broker
you'll go to www.outsurance.co.za
Best for: a business that relies on its vehicles as much as its premises, and wants to start online without giving up a person to deal with later.
4. Miway - liability and professional indemnity by phone
Miway sells the widest mix here without a broker: premises, vehicles, goods in transit, public liability and professional indemnity. You leave your name and number and a consultant calls you to build the policy. Miway's own FAQ says there is no standard price. It also covers e-hailing drivers, motor traders and trailers, and offers cover into various African countries.
4Broadest by phone
Miway Business Insurance
Why it's on this list
Miway sells property, vehicles, goods in transit, public liability and professional indemnity to small businesses directly.
- How you buyCall-back form
- CoverProperty, stock, vehicles, transit, PL, PI, interruption
- LicenceFSP 33970
- Sells toa business that wants liability and vehicles from one insurer
- Check in your quotewhat MiBusiness Assist includes, and whether it costs extra
you'll go to www.miway.co.za
Best for: a business that transports goods or runs vehicles and also needs liability cover, and would rather explain the business on a call than on a form.
5. King Price - the longest cover list, through a broker
King Price publishes the longest list of business cover here, and sells none of it directly. Its business page says it works only through brokers, and it will find you one if you do not have one. The list runs from business all risks, buildings, fire and business interruption to fidelity, accounts receivable, goods in transit, machinery breakdown, money, and public and employers' liability.
5Longest cover list
King Price Business Insurance
Why it's on this list
King Price lists the widest range of business cover and includes a broker's advice in how you buy.
- How you buyThrough a broker only
- CoverAll risks, buildings, interruption, fidelity, motor
- LicenceFSP 43862
- Sells toa business that wants advice on its risks, not only a policy
- Check in your quotehow the broker is paid, and which other insurers they compared
you'll go to www.kingprice.co.za
Best for: a business with more to protect than one policy type, whose owner wants a broker to explain the risks and the wording. It is the slowest route to a certificate here, and the only one that includes advice.
Also in the market: Hollard and Discovery
Hollard sells business insurance through brokers and advisers, and its business page lists specialist sector cover, liability, group risk and accident and health cover rather than a small-business product. You can also buy two Hollard policies, comprehensive business cover and contractors all risk, online through Bi-me.
Discovery Insure underwrites comprehensive business cover and public and product liability sold on Bi-me. On Discovery's own site, the business section I found was about medical aid, group risk and Vitality for employees, and I could not find a business-insurance page, so it is not ranked here.
Naked came up in my research as a business car insurer. Its business page returned an error, and its site lists personal cover such as car, home contents, buildings, pets and phones.
If you work from home, or on your own
A household insurance policy is written for a household. If clients visit your home office, or your laptop, stock or tools earn you an income, read your household policy's wording for business use before you assume it covers you. Many policies limit or exclude business equipment and business visitors, and the only way to know is the wording itself or a question to your insurer, in writing.
A sole trader can buy business cover too. Miway's business FAQ speaks to home-based and one-person businesses directly, and says they need cover as much as anyone. What changes for a sole trader is who a claim is made against: without a company between you and the claimant, a liability claim is made against you personally, which is the reason public liability matters more, not less, when you work alone.
What to check before you sign
Two quotes can look alike and pay very differently. These five checks take ten minutes and are where claims usually fail.
Match the limit your contract names
If the lease or client contract says R5 million public liability, a R2.5 million policy will not satisfy it. Ask for the certificate to show the limit and the name of the party it must protect.
Find the excess
The excess is what you pay on each claim before the insurer does. A low premium often comes with a high excess.
Read the exclusions
Every policy lists what it will not pay for. Look for your own type of work in that list, especially if you work at heights, with food, or inside clients' homes.
Confirm Sasria is on the schedule
Riot, strike and public disorder damage is covered by Sasria, which you add through your insurer, not buy separately. July 2021 is why this matters.
Ask who underwrites it
On a platform or through a broker, the insurer can differ by product. That company is the one that pays your claim.
If a declined claim cannot be resolved with the insurer, South Africa has an independent ombud for financial services. Your policy documents name it.
The bottom line
Start with the cover someone is asking you for. For most small businesses that is public liability, and Bi-me is the only one of the five where you can see a starting price and buy online.
If you have premises, stock and vehicles to protect as well, get quotes on the same limits from two of Santam, OUTsurance and Miway, and compare the excess and exclusions as closely as the premium. If you want someone to tell you what your business needs, that is a broker's job, and King Price will only sell to you through one.
Not sure which type of cover to start with? The four questions below point you to the cover that matches how your business works. They do not choose an insurer for you.
Four questions
Which business cover do you need first?
Answer for your own business. This points to a type of cover, and names who sells it that way.
1Has someone asked you for proof of insurance?
2Where does your work happen?
3What would hurt most to lose?
4Do you keep clients' personal or payment details?
Before you answer
Public liability, for most small businesses
It is the cover landlords, centres and clients ask for most, and it pays when someone is hurt or their property is damaged because of your business.
The trade-off: it does not cover your own stock, building or vehicles.
This points to a type of cover from how you answer, and names who sells it that way, from each insurer's own site on 24 September 2026. It is general information, not advice: read the policy wording, or speak to a licensed broker, before you buy.
Questions people actually ask
Which insurance companies offer business insurance in South Africa?
Santam, OUTsurance, Miway, King Price and Hollard all sell business insurance, and Bi-me sells business cover online from insurers including Discovery Insure, Hollard and iTOO.King Price and Hollard sell business cover through brokers. Checked 17 September 2026.
How much does business insurance cost in South Africa?
Most insurers quote each business individually and publish no price.Bi-me publishes starting prices: public liability from R258 a month and professional indemnity from R448 a month, with small-business PI premiums averaging R448 to R870 a month by its own analysis. Prices depend on your business and the limit you choose.
Can I buy business insurance online in South Africa?
Yes. Bi-me sells public liability, professional indemnity, cyber and event cover online, and OUTsurance and Santam let you start some business quotes online.Miway takes your details and calls you back, and King Price sells business cover only through brokers.
Is it better to use a broker or buy business insurance directly?
A broker can compare insurers and advise on what your business needs; buying directly or online is faster but comes without advice.For one simple cover, such as public liability for a lease, buying direct is usually quicker. For premises, stock, staff and vehicles together, many owners use a broker.
Does Naked offer business insurance?
Not on 17 September 2026.Naked's business page returned an error, and its site listed car, home, contents, building, single item, pet, phone and caravan cover.
Is Sasria cover included in business insurance?
Sasria covers riot, strike, civil commotion and terrorism damage and is added to a business policy through your insurer or broker.It is not bought directly from Sasria, so check that it appears on your policy schedule.
