- Workers' comp providers at a glance
- Ten places to get workers' compensation cover
- Buy direct, compare through a broker, or bundle with payroll?
- What the cover does, in plain terms
- Why the rules change when you cross a state line
- Seven questions before you take out a policy
- My plain advice on workers' comp cover
- Frequently asked questions
Workers' compensation insurance covers medical care and lost wages for employees hurt or made ill by their work. US small employers can buy it direct from an insurer, compare quotes through a broker, or arrange it alongside payroll, and the rules on who has to carry it vary by state. Ten providers follow, in no particular order.
Hire your first employee in the US and workers' comp is one of the first insurance questions you'll face. The search results mix insurers, brokers and payroll companies as if they were the same thing, and they aren't.
The ten names below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and the list is for US employers. Every description comes from each company's own website, as of Nov 2026. I've kept premiums out because they depend on your state, payroll and type of work, and only a quote can tell you yours.
Workers' comp providers at a glance
| Tool | Type | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| AmTrust | Specialty insurer | Workers' comp plus excess workers' comp cover |
| Berkshire Hathaway GUARD | Property and casualty insurer | Workers' comp within a small commercial range |
| Embroker | Business insurance broker | Workers' comp beside tech and professional cover |
| Insureon | Online insurance agency | Comparing workers' comp quotes from several carriers |
| Liberty Mutual | Commercial and specialty insurer | Workers' comp beside surety and umbrella cover |
| Next Insurance | Online small business insurer | Getting a workers' comp quote online |
| Paychex | Payroll and HR provider | Workers' comp alongside payroll and HR |
| Pie Insurance | Small business insurer | Online workers' comp quotes for small firms |
| Tivly | Insurance matching service | Matching with licensed commercial insurance partners |
| Travelers | Commercial insurer | Workers' comp from a long-established insurer |
Ten places to get workers' compensation cover
AmTrust
Best for: Employers wanting workers' compensation and excess workers' compensation from a specialty insurer that also lists a businessowners policy, general liability and cyber cover.
Berkshire Hathaway GUARD
Best for: Small businesses buying workers' compensation direct from a commercial property and casualty insurer with a wider small commercial product range.
Embroker
Best for: Tech and professional firms that want workers' compensation arranged by a broker alongside professional liability and tech errors and omissions cover.
Insureon
Best for: Owners who'd like to compare workers' comp quotes and buy online, with a state-by-state section on its workers' comp page.
Liberty Mutual
Best for: Employers who want workers' compensation from a commercial insurer whose menu also lists surety, umbrella and excess liability and third party administration.
Next Insurance
Best for: Small teams who'd rather get a workers' comp quote online than call an agent, from an insurer that now trades under a new name.
Paychex
Best for: Businesses that want workers' compensation handled by the same company that runs their payroll, HR and benefits.
Pie Insurance
Best for: Firms wanting a quick online quote for workers' comp insurance that the insurer says is made for small businesses.
Tivly
Best for: Owners who'd rather be matched with insurers than search one by one, picking workers' compensation on a quote form that also covers general liability and commercial auto.
Travelers
Best for: Companies wanting workers' comp from an insurer whose page also lists captive programmes, managed care plans and loss-sensitive programmes beside its claim services.
Buy direct, compare through a broker, or bundle with payroll?
These names sell the same cover in four different ways, and that's the first thing to sort out.
Direct and online insurers. Pie Insurance's page says it serves small businesses in 40 states and Washington DC and that you can get a quote online. Next Insurance's page says NEXT is now ERGO NEXT Insurance, uniting digital-first innovation with Munich Re's financial strength. Travelers says it's been providing workers compensation cover for more than 100 years. Berkshire Hathaway GUARD lists workers' compensation among its small commercial products and says it's rated A+ Superior by AM Best (its own claim), while AmTrust and Liberty Mutual both list it on their commercial menus.
Brokers and quote services. Insureon's page says workers' comp is required in almost every state for businesses with employees, and it compares quotes from several carriers. Tivly says it connects small businesses with a network of 450+ licensed commercial insurance partners. Embroker is a broker that tailors commercial cover to your industry.
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Payroll. Paychex lists workers' compensation among its payroll, HR and benefits services, so it can sit beside the payroll you may already run there. If you're still choosing a payroll system, my roundup of payroll software for small businesses is a good place to start.
So decide first whether you'd like to buy direct from one insurer, compare several through a broker, or bundle it with payroll. That one choice narrows the list faster than anything else.
What the cover does, in plain terms
Workers' compensation insurance pays towards medical care and lost wages when an employee is injured or falls ill because of their job. The details, including what's covered and who has to carry it, are set state by state. My workers' compensation explainer goes into more depth, and if you employ people in the UK, the closest equivalent is employers' liability insurance.
Why the rules change when you cross a state line
Who has to carry workers' comp, and from which point, isn't the same everywhere. Requirements vary by state and by employer, so check your own state's workers' compensation rules on the state's official website before you buy, and read the insurer's own state pages alongside them. If you've got staff in more than one state, ask whether one policy can cover them all.
Seven questions before you take out a policy
- Do you write workers' comp in every state where my employees work?
- Can I get a quote and buy online, or do I need to speak to an agent?
- Are you the insurer, or a broker placing me with a carrier?
- How do I report a claim, and who handles it?
- Is there an audit at the end of the term to check my real payroll against the estimate?
- Can I add general liability or a businessowners policy with the same company?
- Can it be linked to my payroll, so the payroll numbers stay in step?
Do you make a workers' compensation insurance product or quote service? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on workers' comp cover
Work out how you want to buy before you compare anyone. If you like dealing with one company, a direct insurer keeps it simple. If you'd rather see several options side by side, a broker or quote service does the shopping for you. If payroll's already in place, ask your payroll provider whether it arranges workers' comp. Whichever route you take, check your state's own rules first and read the policy wording in full, because the cover you get is what the policy says, not what the homepage says.
This isn't insurance advice. A licensed agent or broker is the right person to talk to about your business.
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Frequently asked questions
What does workers' compensation insurance cover?
It pays towards medical care and lost wages when an employee is hurt or made ill by their work. What's covered in detail is set by each state's rules and by the policy wording.
Is workers' comp required for small businesses?
It depends on the state and the business. Requirements vary by state and by employer, so check your own state's official rules before you assume either way.
Can I buy workers' comp online?
Yes, several insurers and quote services here let you get a quote online. Others work through agents or brokers, so check each company's own page.
What's the difference between an insurer and a broker?
An insurer writes the policy and carries the risk. A broker or quote service compares policies from several insurers and helps you buy one, but the policy itself still comes from an insurer.
Does workers' comp cover me as the business owner?
It depends on the state, how your business is set up and the policy. Ask the insurer or broker directly rather than assuming you're included or left out.
Is workers' comp the same as employers' liability insurance?
They're related but not the same. Workers' comp is the US state-based system for work injuries, while employers' liability insurance is the UK cover for claims from your own staff.
