Commercial Insurance for the Small Businesses That Keep East Tennessee Running

We work with contractors, restaurants, churches, and lawn care operators across Northeast Tennessee — and we build coverage around what your business actually does, not what a template policy assumes.

Off-the-Shelf Insurance Doesn't Fit Custom Work

A lot of small business owners in the Tri-Cities area are carrying a policy they bought quickly, at the lowest price they could find, without anyone ever asking what they actually do every day. That works fine — until it doesn't. A contractor who hauls equipment. A restaurant that hosts private events. A church with a daycare on the property. Each one has a different exposure, and a policy that wasn't built around that exposure may leave the most important things uncovered.


We ask the questions before we quote. Tell us what your business does, who it serves, and what keeps you up at night — and we'll build coverage that fits.

Coverage Types We Place for Small Businesses

These are the five coverage areas we work with most often for commercial clients across East Tennessee. Most small businesses need a combination of these — and the right mix depends on what you do.

Barista serving two customers at a café counter beside a display case of pastries

Covers bodily injury and property damage claims that arise from your operations, your products, or your completed work. This is the foundation of almost every small business policy.

General Liability

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If a vehicle is used for business purposes, a personal auto policy won't cover it. Commercial auto covers owned vehicles, hired vehicles, and non-owned vehicles used in the course of business.

Commercial Auto

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Covers the physical assets of your business: your building, equipment, inventory, and tools. Especially important for businesses with significant property exposure.

Commercial Property

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A bundled policy that combines general liability and commercial property into one package, typically at a better rate than purchasing each separately. Well-suited for most small and mid-size businesses.

Business Owners Package (BOP)

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Required by law in Tennessee for most employers with five or more employees. Covers medical expenses and lost wages when an employee is injured on the job.

Workers' Compensation

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We'll help you understand which of these apply to your situation and where your current coverage may have gaps.

We Know the Businesses We Insure

We work with small business owners across Northeast Tennessee every week — not as a niche specialty, but as a regular part of what we do. If your business fits one of these categories, we've almost certainly insured one like it.

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Contractors and Trades

Whether you're a general contractor, an electrician, a plumber, or a landscaper, your liability exposure moves with you from job to job. We place contractor insurance in Tennessee that accounts for the work you do, the tools you carry, and the vehicles you drive.

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Restaurants and Food Service

A restaurant has property risk, liability risk, liquor liability if you serve alcohol, and often employees — all under one roof. We work through your full exposure before we quote, so nothing gets missed.

Black lawn mower with grass clippings flying, shown in simple line art.
Lawn Care and Outdoor Services

Lawn care operators and outdoor service businesses often underestimate their commercial auto and equipment exposure. We make sure the trucks, trailers, and equipment that run your business are actually covered when something goes wrong.

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Churches and Community Organizations

Churches carry a unique combination of property, liability, and sometimes daycare or event exposure that many agencies aren't set up to handle well. Church insurance in Tennessee is something we take seriously — these organizations matter to the communities they serve, and they deserve coverage that reflects that.

Street food cart with vendor standing beside a covered cart
Small Businesses Across the Board

If your business doesn't fit neatly into one of the categories above, that's fine. We work with a wide range of small businesses across the Tri-Cities area and can place commercial insurance for most operations in the region.


The Same Agent for Your Business Policy as Your Home Policy

One of the frustrations small business owners tell us about most often is dealing with a national call center when something happens to their business. You wait on hold, you get transferred, you explain your situation three times to three different people — and you still don't have an answer.


That's not how we work. When you call about your business policy, you reach the same person you'd call about your home or your truck. Same agent, same number, same conversation. We handle commercial insurance for small businesses across Kingsport, Johnson City, and the broader Tri-Cities market the same way we handle everything else: directly, and without the runaround.

Frequently Asked Questions About Small Business Insurance in East Tennessee

  • Do I need commercial insurance if I'm self-employed or a sole proprietor?

    In most cases, yes. A personal auto or homeowners policy won't cover losses that occur in the course of business activity. Even a one-person operation can face a liability claim, and without a commercial policy in place, that claim comes out of your pocket. We can help you figure out the minimum coverage your business actually needs.

  • What's the difference between a BOP and a general liability policy?

    A general liability policy covers third-party bodily injury and property damage claims. A Business Owners Package (BOP) bundles general liability together with commercial property coverage, typically at a lower combined rate. For most small businesses with a physical location or significant equipment, a BOP is the more complete option.

  • Can I get small business insurance quotes from multiple carriers through Mark Britt Agency?

    Yes. As an independent agency, we work with multiple carriers — including Progressive, Travelers, National General, and others — which means we can compare options and place your business with the carrier that fits your coverage needs and your budget. You're not locked into one company's offerings.

  • Do you insure businesses outside of Kingsport?

    We do. We serve small businesses across Northeast Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, and Western North Carolina, including the Johnson City and Bristol markets. If your business operates in this region, we can help.

  • What information do I need to get a commercial insurance quote?

    The basics: what your business does, how many employees you have, whether you own or lease your space, what vehicles are used for business, and your current coverage if you have it. The more we know about your actual operations, the more accurate the quote — and the less likely you are to end up with a gap you didn't know was there.

Talk to an Agent Who Understands Small Business

If you're a small business owner in the Tri-Cities area and you're not confident your coverage fits what you actually do, give us a call. We'll take the time to understand your business before we ever talk numbers.

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