How Much Does Accountants and bookkeepers Insurance Cost?
If you run a bookkeeping practice, the typical cost of a Business Owner's Policy (BOP) is about $45/month, or $535/year, per Insureon (the median of policies it sold to its bookkeeper customers); MoneyGeek models a close blended average of $46/month ($551/year) for a 1–4 employee practice. If you're an accountant or CPA, you pay more: Insureon puts a median BOP at about $60/month ($719/year), and its accounting-firm aggregate runs roughly $56/month ($671/year).
This is an independent guide from QuoteSweep, which maps the modern commercial insurance landscape. Every figure below is attributed to its source. This is the cost companion to our guide on what accountants and bookkeepers need — head there for how each coverage actually works; this page focuses only on price.
TL;DR: For a bookkeeper, the typical BOP is $45/month ($535/year) per Insureon, or a modeled $46/month ($551/year) per MoneyGeek. For an accountant/CPA, it's $60/month ($719/year) per Insureon (accounting-firm aggregate $56/month, $671/year). The line that separates the two trades is professional liability (E&O): $37/month ($441/year) for a bookkeeper versus $45/month ($537/year) for an accountant, per Insureon — CPAs pay more because tax and audit errors carry larger financial stakes. Insureon figures are medians of policies actually sold; MoneyGeek figures are modeled averages from ~6M standardized quote estimates. Treat all as data-provider estimates, not fixed prices.
How much does accountants and bookkeepers insurance cost?
Unlike many trades, this one has dedicated, published cost data — so you don't have to rely on a proxy. Two independent providers report it, and they agree within a normal range.
If you're a bookkeeper, the most defensible single number is Insureon's median BOP of $45/month ($535/year) (Insureon). MoneyGeek lands almost on top of it, modeling a blended all-coverage average of $46/month ($551/year) for a 1–4 employee practice.
If you're an accountant or CPA, you pay more. Insureon reports a median BOP of $60/month ($719/year); its accounting-firm aggregate page shows $56/month ($671/year). Across all coverage lines, MoneyGeek and other aggregators put a small accounting firm around $55/month ($660/year) on average, ranging $18–$169/month by coverage mix and state.
For broader context that isn't trade-specific: if your business does $1M or less in revenue, you'll typically pay roughly $700–$3,000/year for general liability or a BOP and $1,200–$2,200/year for professional liability, per Coverdash data cited by NerdWallet (2025). For a wider view across trades, see our small-business insurance cost guide.
One thing to keep in mind on all of these numbers: Insureon's figures are medians of policies actually sold to its customers (outliers excluded), while MoneyGeek's are modeled averages from about 6M standardized quote estimates across 10 insurers and all 50 states, for a 1–4 employee profile at $1M limits. Both are provider estimates, not guaranteed prices.
Cost by coverage
Both trades have figures published by coverage line. The table below is Insureon medians unless noted; the split between the two trades is the story to watch.
| Coverage | Bookkeeper | Accountant / CPA | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| General liability | $29/mo ($350/yr) | $30/mo ($357/yr) | Insureon |
| Business owner's policy (BOP) | $45/mo ($535/yr) | $60/mo ($719/yr) | Insureon |
| Professional liability (E&O) | $37/mo ($441/yr) | $45/mo ($537/yr) | Insureon |
| Workers' compensation | $32/mo ($389/yr) | $34/mo (~$404/yr) | Insureon |
| Cyber liability | $47/mo ($561/yr) | $80/mo ($964/yr) | Insureon |
| Fidelity bond | $38/mo ($454/yr) | $38/mo ($454/yr) | Insureon |
General liability. General liability is close between the two trades: Insureon puts a bookkeeper at $29/month ($350/year) and an accountant at $30/month ($357/year), both at $1M/$2M limits. MoneyGeek models a lower $17/month ($207/year) for a bookkeeper. Insureon's most common GL limit here is $1M/$2M (88% of accounting firms).
Business owner's policy (BOP). A BOP bundles general liability with commercial property. Insureon puts a bookkeeper BOP at $45/month ($535/year) and an accountant BOP at $60/month ($719/year); its accounting-firm aggregate page lists $56/month ($671/year). It's typically cheaper than buying GL and property separately.
Professional liability (E&O). This is where the trades diverge most. Insureon puts a bookkeeper's E&O at $37/month ($441/year) ($1M/$1M limits, $1,000 deductible) versus an accountant's at $45/month ($537/year); the accounting-firm aggregate is $42/month ($500/year). MoneyGeek models a higher $50/month ($603/year) for a bookkeeper. You pay more as a CPA or tax/audit preparer than as a pure bookkeeper because the financial stakes of an error are larger. On Insureon's aggregate, 26% pay under $30/month and 74% pay under $60/month for professional liability, and the most common limit is $1M/$1M (48% of accounting firms).
Workers' compensation. Workers' comp only applies once you have employees. Insureon reports $32/month ($389/year) for a bookkeeper and $34/month (~$404/year) for an accountant; MoneyGeek models about $15/month (~$178/year) per employee for a bookkeeper.
Cyber and fidelity bonds. Accounting firms hold Social Security numbers, bank details, and full financial records, so cyber is a top line — and a big driver. Insureon puts cyber at $47/month ($561/year) for a bookkeeper and $80/month ($964/year) for an accountant (accounting-firm aggregate $58/month, $701/year). A fidelity bond runs about $38/month ($454/year) for either trade. For accountants who drive to client sites, Insureon lists commercial auto at $245/month ($2,942/year).
The takeaway: you pay less as a bookkeeper than as a CPA or auditor on professional liability and BOP, because your services carry lower financial-error exposure.
What drives the cost for accountants and bookkeepers
Several factors move your premium, in rough order of impact:
Service type and risk of the work. Tax preparation, audit, and advisory work cost more on professional liability than pure bookkeeping, because the financial stakes of an error are higher (Insureon, MoneyGeek). This is the single biggest reason a CPA quote outruns a bookkeeper quote.
Annual revenue and client size. Professional liability often runs roughly 0.5%–1% of firm revenue — a firm around $200k in revenue pays about $1,000/year for E&O (MoneyGeek).
Number of employees and payroll. More staff drives workers' comp — priced per $100 of payroll, roughly $0.57–$1.62 per month per $100 (NASI, via NerdWallet) — and adds liability exposure.
Policy limits and deductibles. Most accounting firms choose $1M/$1M professional liability and $1M/$2M general liability (Insureon); higher limits raise the premium, and a higher deductible lowers it.
Claims history. One prior claim can raise your premiums for up to about five years (MoneyGeek).
Location and state. A state's litigation climate and tax complexity move E&O rates — MoneyGeek shows professional liability for bookkeepers ranging $44–$59/month by state.
Coverage mix. Buying a bundled BOP versus standalone policies, and adding cyber (a top driver at $47–$80/month, Insureon) or fidelity bonds, changes your total spend.
How to lower your premium
- Bundle general liability and commercial property into a BOP instead of buying them separately — typically cheaper than standalone policies (Insureon).
- Right-size your policy limits to your actual client-contract and lender requirements rather than defaulting to the highest limits.
- Choose a higher deductible to lower the premium (Insureon models bookkeeper E&O at a $1,000 deductible).
- Keep a clean claims history — one claim can elevate your rates for about five years (MoneyGeek).
- Pay annually rather than monthly, and shop and compare quotes across multiple carriers via a broker or marketplace.
- Match coverage to your actual scope of services — a pure bookkeeper carries less E&O exposure than a tax/audit CPA, so don't over-insure for work you don't perform.
- Improve your risk posture — engagement letters, documented review processes, and cybersecurity controls can support lower professional-liability and cyber premiums.
Affordable options
If you want to shop accounting or bookkeeping coverage directly, these are insurtechs QuoteSweep has profiled independently. Compare at least two — appetite and pricing vary by carrier and by business.
Hiscox is the specialty benchmark for professional liability (E&O) bought direct, and it's strong in small professional-services firms — exactly the profile of a solo bookkeeper or small accounting practice. If E&O is your foundation line (and for this trade it is), Hiscox is the first quote to pull.
Embroker packages professional plus management liability by industry and names accountants directly, so its program is shaped around how a firm actually buys — E&O bundled with the other lines you need rather than pieced together. A good fit if you want a purpose-built accounting program from one place.
Vouch fits venture-backed and growing firms, so if your practice is scaling — adding staff, taking on larger clients, or building toward advisory work — Vouch is worth a quote alongside the specialty E&O markets.
Coalition is the category leader for cyber liability bundled with active security monitoring — and cyber is a top cost driver for accountants, at $47–$80/month per Insureon, because you hold some of the most sensitive data any small business touches. If cyber is a real line for you (it should be), Coalition is the one to compare.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does bookkeeper insurance cost per month?
The typical BOP for a bookkeeper is about $45/month ($535/year), per Insureon's median of policies sold to its bookkeeper customers; MoneyGeek models a close $46/month ($551/year) for a 1–4 employee practice. Individual lines run lower — Insureon puts general liability at $29/month ($350/year) and professional liability (E&O) at $37/month ($441/year).
How much does accountant or CPA insurance cost?
Insureon puts a median accountant/CPA BOP at about $60/month ($719/year), with its accounting-firm aggregate at $56/month ($671/year). Professional liability (E&O) runs $45/month ($537/year) on the accountants page (aggregate $42/month, $500/year), and cyber runs $80/month ($964/year) — all per Insureon.
Why do accountants pay more than bookkeepers?
Because tax preparation, audit, and advisory work carry higher financial-error stakes than pure bookkeeping, so professional liability and the BOP price higher (Insureon, MoneyGeek). Insureon's split makes it concrete: E&O is $37/month for a bookkeeper versus $45/month for an accountant, and the BOP is $45/month versus $60/month.
What's the cheapest way to insure an accounting or bookkeeping practice?
Bundle general liability and property into a BOP rather than buying them separately (Insureon), right-size your limits to what client contracts actually require, choose a higher deductible, and pay annually to avoid installment fees. Keep a clean claims history — one claim can raise rates for about five years (MoneyGeek) — match coverage to the services you actually perform, and compare at least two carriers.
The bottom line
If you're a bookkeeper, anchor on Insureon's $45/month ($535/year) median BOP (MoneyGeek's modeled $46/month ($551/year) agrees); if you're an accountant or CPA, expect closer to $60/month ($719/year), per Insureon. The gap is driven by professional liability — $37/month for a bookkeeper versus $45/month for an accountant — because CPA and tax/audit work carries larger error stakes. Every figure here is a provider estimate (Insureon medians of policies sold, MoneyGeek modeled averages), not a fixed price, and your real number moves with your services, revenue, staff, limits, claims history, and state. For which coverages you actually need and why, read what accountants and bookkeepers need; for how price varies across trades, see small-business insurance cost. The only way to know your number is to quote it — compare at least two carriers.
