What is a BOP (business owners policy)?

Short answer

A BOP is a package policy that combines general liability with business property and business income coverage for small and mid-sized businesses. It usually costs less than buying those policies separately, but it does not include professional liability or workers compensation.

What a BOP includes

  • General liability for third-party bodily injury and property damage
  • Business property coverage for buildings, equipment, and inventory
  • Business income and extra expense after a covered loss
  • Often added: equipment breakdown, spoilage, and limited cyber or crime cover

What a BOP leaves out

A BOP does not cover professional services, product-related injury, employment claims, or employee injuries. Those exposures need professional liability, product liability, EPLI, and workers compensation respectively.

Who should buy a BOP

Businesses with a physical location, equipment, or inventory: offices, retail, salons, restaurants, and light service operations. Businesses without property exposure, such as home-based consultants, sometimes buy standalone general liability instead.

Common questions

Is a BOP cheaper than separate policies?
Usually yes, because the package shares one policy period and often one deductible structure. Pricing still depends on revenue, location, property values, and claims history.
Does a BOP cover professional liability?
No. A BOP excludes claims about professional advice or services, so firms with E&O exposure need a separate professional liability policy.
Can I add cyber coverage to a BOP?
Some BOPs include a small cyber sublimit or offer an endorsement. For real breach response and third-party privacy claims, a dedicated cyber policy is usually the better fit.

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Professional Resource Insurance Agency, LLC. CA License #0G81238. Definitions are general information, not coverage advice for a specific policy.