Screen Printing Insurance

It's easy to get screen printing business insurance if you have your company information on hand. Our application will ask for basic facts about your business, such as revenue and number of employees. You can buy a policy online and get a certificate of insurance with Insureon in three easy steps:

1. Complete a free online application.
2. Compare insurance quotes and choose policies.
3. Pay for your policy and download a certificate.

Insureon's licensed insurance agents work with top-rated U.S. insurance companies to find the specific coverage your printing business needs, whether you work independently or hire employees.

Errors and omissions (E&O) insurance—also known as professional liability insurance—helps protect your screen printing business if a customer claims your work didn’t meet expectations or caused them financial harm.

Even when you deliver high-quality work, disputes can still happen. A client might allege you used the wrong design, printed incorrect colors, missed a deadline for an event, or produced a batch that didn’t match approved proofs. If that mistake leads to financial loss, reputational damage, or additional costs for the client, they could demand compensation or file a lawsuit.

E&O coverage can help pay for legal defense costs, settlements, or judgments related to these types of claims up to your coverage limits. Without it, your business would have to cover those expenses out of pocket, which can be especially challenging for small or growing screen printing operations.

This type of insurance adds an extra layer of protection against the financial risks of dissatisfied clients, helping you resolve disputes and keep your business running smoothly.

It can, depending on the policy. In many cases, general liability insurance includes coverage for certain intellectual property (IP) claims, such as copyright infringement tied to your advertising or completed work.

For screen printers, this could come into play if a customer provides a design that turns out to be copyrighted or trademarked—like a logo, slogan, or artwork—and the rights holder claims you reproduced it without permission. If they file a lawsuit over the unauthorized use of that design on printed shirts or other merchandise, your general liability policy may help cover legal defense costs, settlements, or judgments.

However, coverage isn’t unlimited. General liability typically applies to specific types of IP claims (most often copyright or advertising-related issues), and it may exclude others—like patent infringement or intentional wrongdoing. It also may not apply if you knowingly used a protected design without proper rights.

Because IP disputes can be complex, some screen printing businesses choose to add intellectual property (IP) insurance for broader protection. This coverage is often available as an endorsement to errors and omissions (E&O) insurance and can help cover IP-related claims that general liability doesn’t.

Businesses may also reduce risk by carefully reviewing client-provided designs and using clear contracts that shift responsibility for design ownership.

Product liability insurance is an important safeguard for screen printing businesses that sell physical goods like t-shirts, hoodies, or other printed merchandise.

This coverage can help protect your business if a product you create causes harm or is alleged to be defective. For instance, a customer might claim they had an allergic reaction to the ink or materials used in the printing process, or that a chemical or toxin in the product caused irritation or injury. Product liability insurance can help cover medical expenses, legal fees, and potential settlements in these situations.

It can also apply to claims involving defective products. If a client alleges the print is peeling, cracking, or washing off prematurely—resulting in lost sales or a damaged reputation—they may seek compensation. Product liability coverage can help with the legal costs associated with defending your business against these types of claims.

Having a home-based screen printing business doesn’t mean you’re covered by your personal insurance policies.

Most homeowners or renters insurance policies are designed to cover personal activities, not business operations. That means if a client is injured while picking up an order, your equipment is damaged in a covered event, or a customer files a lawsuit related to your products or services, your personal policy may deny the claim.

Screen printing insurance helps fill that gap by providing coverage for business-related risks—even when they happen at home. This can include protection against customer injuries, property damage, equipment loss, and claims tied to your work or products.

In short, small business owners running a business out of their home can still face many of the same risks as a commercial operation, and having the right business insurance ensures those risks are properly covered.