How much does insurance cost for RIAs and financial planners?

Errors and omissions (E&O) insurance costs an average of $287 per month, or $3,443 annually, for financial and investment advisers. This coverage is also called professional liability insurance or malpractice insurance.

An errors and omissions insurance policy covers the cost of lawsuits over claims that your financial and investment advising services were unsatisfactory, negligent, or late.

For instance, if you miscalculate a client's net worth or provide financial advice that causes a client to lose money on their financial goals, an E&O policy would cover your legal defense costs, settlement, and other financial losses if the client sues over professional negligence.

Below is the average errors and omissions insurance policy for financial advisors and investment advisors who buy from Insureon:

Premium: $287 per month
Policy limits: $1 million per occurrence; $1 million aggregate
Deductible: $2,500

Several factors impact the cost of errors and omissions insurance, including the types of wealth management and tax planning services you offer, your claims history, fee structure (flat fee vs. hourly fee), and the policy limits you choose.

As with other types of insurance, you can save money on errors and omissions coverage by choosing lower limits or a higher deductible.

Reducing your risks also helps you avoid claims of negligence, which in turn helps keep your premium low. This includes clear communication with clients and thorough documentation of all communications and agreements.

Finance and investing advising professionals pay an average of $41 per month, or $487 annually, for general liability insurance. This policy is sometimes called public liability insurance.

General liability insurance covers common third-party risks at financial and investment firms, such as a client who slips in your office and suffers a bodily injury, or accidental damage to a client's property.

For example, if you drop and break a client's smartphone while showing them their financial plan, general liability insurance coverage would pay for the repair costs or legal costs if the client sues over property damage.

It also helps pay for attorney's fees and other legal expenses if someone sues your business over copyright infringement or other advertising injuries, including defamation.

Below is the average general liability policy for financial advisors and investment planners who buy from Insureon:

Insurance premium: $41 per month
Policy limits: $1 million per occurrence; $2 million aggregate

The per-occurrence limit is the maximum your insurer will pay for a single covered incident, while the aggregate limit is the most the insurer will pay for all liability claims during the policy period, typically one year.

General liability insurance costs depend on factors such as the coverage limits and deductible you choose, and the types of financial and investment services you offer, such as retirement planning, mutual funds, estate planning, and life insurance.

Your business income, fee structure (hourly rate, annual fee, commission-based, having a retainer, etc.), and any additional insured endorsements you select also impact your costs.

Learn more about how your insurance premium is calculated and how to save money on your general liability coverage.

Financial and investment firms pay an average of $64 per month, or $772 per year, for a business owner’s policy.

A business owner's policy, or BOP, bundles general liability coverage with commercial property insurance to cover both third-party risks and your business property. It typically costs less than purchasing each policy separately.

A BOP protects against client injuries, property damage, and vandalism. It also covers damage to your office equipment, as well as your building. Because of its increased coverage and affordability, it’s the policy most often recommended by Insureon’s agents for those who rent or own a building.

This is the average BOP for financial advisors and investment planners who buy from Insureon:

Insurance premium: $64 per month
Policy limits: $1 million per occurrence; $2 million aggregate
Deductible: $500

Small, low-risk financial and investment companies are often eligible for a business owner's policy.

Policyholders may see higher costs if they choose to add endorsements to their policy. Insurance endorsements, such as business interruption insurance or equipment breakdown coverage, are often recommended to help pay for lost income if a fire or power outage forces your business operations to cease for an extended period of time.

The cost of a business owner's policy is based on many factors, including the value of your business property, where you are located, the number of employees you have, and your specialty.

For financial and investment advising companies, the average cost of workers’ compensation insurance is $41 per month, or $486 annually.

This policy covers medical expenses and lost wages related to employee injuries. It usually includes employer's liability insurance to protect against lawsuits from workers who get injured or ill on a jobsite.

Businesses with employees typically must purchase workers' comp to comply with state requirements and avoid penalties.

For example, all finance businesses in California, Pennsylvania, and New York must carry workers' comp if they have one or more full-time or part-time employees. Florida businesses need coverage when they have four or more employees, and coverage is optional in Texas.

Since health insurance plans can deny claims for injuries related to your job, workers' comp coverage is also recommended for self-employed financial advisors and investment planners as a financial safety net against medical bills and for peace of mind.

The cost of workers' comp depends on several factors, primarily the number of employees you have and their occupational risks. You can save money on workers' comp coverage by classifying your employees correctly and implementing a risk management plan to avoid work-related injuries and subsequent claims.

Financial planners and investment advisors spend an average of $76 per month, or $915 per year, on cyber insurance. This policy is also called cyber liability insurance or cybersecurity insurance.

Cyber insurance helps finance and investment businesses recover financially after a cyberattack or data breach. It can cover data breach investigations, cyber extortion payments, and costs related to complying with your state's data breach laws.

A cyber liability insurance policy is especially crucial for financial business owners who store sensitive client information, such as credit card data, Social Security numbers, and email addresses.

The cost of cyber insurance and the coverage you need depend on the amount of sensitive information you handle at your financial or investment management firm.

Small business owners, including certified financial planners and investment advisors, pay an average of $147 per month, or $1,762 per year, for commercial auto insurance.

This type of insurance pays for legal fees and medical costs if your company vehicle injures someone or damages their property in an accident. It can also cover vehicle theft, vandalism, and weather damage.

Most states require commercial auto insurance for vehicles owned by a finance or investment planning business. For personal, rented, and leased vehicles used for work purposes, look to hired and non-owned auto insurance (HNOA) instead.

The cost of commercial auto insurance depends on several factors, including additional insured endorsements and other coverage options you choose, any exclusions in your policy, the number and value of your vehicles, and the driving records of anyone permitted to drive.

For financial service businesses, the average premium for a fidelity bond is $38 per month, or $454 annually.

Fidelity bonds provide reimbursement if one of your employees commits fraud, theft, or forgery against a client or your business, including illegal electronic funds transfer. They are often required by client contracts.

The cost of a fidelity bond primarily depends on the size of the bond. It is usually a small percentage of the bond's total amount of coverage.