I Ignored Business Insurance as a Freelancer—Until a $12,000 Mistake Changed Everything

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A bold thumbnail for freelancers showing the text "$12K client lawsuit" with a red gavel icon and a green 'FOR FREELANCERS' banner on a beige background


 “It’s just me and my laptop. Why would I need business insurance?”

That was me in early 2024—naive, confident, and honestly, a bit cheap.

Then one mistake on a design project led to a client lawsuit… and a $12,000 legal bill.

I didn’t have insurance.
I didn’t even know where to begin.

But after that mess, I made it my mission to figure this out—and here’s what I wish I knew before things got ugly.

Why Freelancers Need Business Insurance (Even Solo Ones)

  • You can still be sued for “professional negligence”

  • One data breach = thousands in fines

  • Some clients require proof of insurance

  • Health/home insurance ≠ liability protection

If you’re a designer, developer, writer, or even a dog walker—you’re exposed.

The 3 Best Business Insurance Platforms for Freelancers (2025)

PlatformBest ForCoverage TypesStarting PriceGet a Quote
Next InsuranceFreelancers & solopreneursGeneral liability, professional liability$11/monextinsurance.com
HiscoxSpecialized professionsE&O, cyber, business owner’s policy$13/mohiscox.com
ThimbleFlexible, short-term coverageHourly/daily options, gig-friendly$5/daythimble.com

What I Use (and Why)

I use Next Insurance because:

  • It took less than 7 minutes to get a quote

  • I could choose only what I needed (no upselling)

  • They emailed me a COI (certificate of insurance) instantly for a new client

“Having that COI got me a $3,200 project I would’ve lost otherwise.”

What Type of Coverage Do You Actually Need?

SituationRecommended Insurance
Client work with deliverablesProfessional Liability
You visit client sitesGeneral Liability
You handle data/emailsCyber Insurance
You rent an office spaceBusiness Owner’s Policy (BOP)

Final Advice (From Someone Who Paid the Price)

  • Don’t wait until you get sued

  • Get at least a basic general liability policy

  • Make sure your clients know you’re insured

  • Save your COI in Google Drive—clients will ask

I never thought a lawsuit could come from a PDF error. But here we are.
Now? I sleep better.

🔗 Official Links

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