Best Workers’ Comp Insurance: Finding the Right Policy

There’s no one-size-fits-all workers’ comp policy because every business faces different risks. The right coverage for you depends on your team’s specific needs. The Hartford offers tailored options, claims support and built-in benefits to help safeguard your employees in the workplace.
Author:
Chloe Silverman
Chloe Silverman,Staff Copywriter
Chloe Silverman
Staff copywriter specializing in small business insurance for The Hartford.
Updated: 02/18/2026
Read Time: 8 minutes
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Key Takeaways

  • Workers’ comp insurance helps protect your employees by covering medical costs and lost wages if they have a work-related injury or illness.
  • Most states require businesses to have workers’ compensation insurance if you have any employees.
  • When selecting a workers’ compensation insurance provider, you should consider whether the company offers cross-state coverage, flexible payment options, bundling, a network of healthcare providers and has positive customer or third-party reviews.

How To Find the Best Workers’ Comp Insurance

There isn’t a single best policy for small businesses because each one has their own unique needs. The best workers’ comp insurance for your business should cover the specific risks your employees face on the job. Workers’ compensation insurance can help pay for your employees’ medical care and expenses if they get hurt or sick from their job. Workers’ comp can also help replace some of their lost wages if they take time off to recover after covered workplace injuries or illnesses.
 
Most states require this type of business insurance. Employers should review their state laws and requirements to understand which businesses need workers’ comp coverage. To ensure you’re following the laws in your state, you should consider buying workers’ compensation insurance coverage from a:
 
  • Private insurance carrier
  • Monopolistic state fund, if applicable in your state

The Hartford’s Workers’ Compensation Insurance Benefits

  Yes No
Cross-State Coverage ✓  
Flexible Payment Options ✓  
Bundling Options ✓  
Help Finding Healthcare Providers ✓  
Satisfied Customers ✓  

What Is the Best Workers’ Comp Insurance? Key Questions To Ask

Choosing the best insurance company for your workers’ comp policy depends on several factors. When researching the best workers’ comp insurance companies to work with, be sure to consider these questions:
 

Do You Need a Cross-State Coverage Policy?

Cross-state coverage can help protect your business if your employees work in another state. Workers’ compensation coverage from The Hartford allows you to extend coverage to another state if you provide notification within 30 days.
 
Your workers’ comp policy may not include stop gap coverage if you’re in a monopolistic state, such as North Dakota, Ohio, Washington and Wyoming. Stop gap coverage protects employers from getting sued for work-related injuries and illnesses. If you’re not in a monopolistic state, your workers’ comp coverage likely includes stop gap coverage.
 

How Much Do You Pay for Workers’ Comp?

Most of The Hartford’s customers with less than $300,000 in payroll pay an average of $81 a month for workers’ compensation insurance.** When you get a workers’ comp policy, you’ll have to pay a premium, also known as your cost for insurance. We offer small business owners two options to pay their small business workers’ comp costs:

Annual Payments

Business owners looking to keep billing simple can pay 100% of their workers’ comp premiums annually. Paying everything up front may help reduce installment fees, and some states may offer additional discounts.

Pay-As-You-Go

Pay-as-you-go workers’ compensation lets you make monthly payments for your workers’ comp coverage, which can be a great option for new businesses that don’t have enough cash on hand to make one large payment. It also lets you consolidate your workers’ comp payment with other insurance payments. 
 

Does the Insurance Company Offer Bundling Options?

Every small business is unique. At The Hartford, we work with small businesses to help them get the types of business insurance coverage they need.
 
Some insurance companies also offer discounts for bundling different coverages. With The Hartford, you can bundle your workers’ comp policy with:
 

Does the Insurance Company Have a Network of Healthcare Providers?

A workers’ comp program typically includes a network of healthcare providers. If one of your employees has a work-related injury or illness, they can get treatment from a doctor in this network.
 
With The Hartford, your employees have access to our preferred medical provider network. It includes over 1 million providers with extensive work-related injury experience and access to more than 65,000 pharmacy locations. Having a large network of healthcare providers means your employees can easily find an expert to treat their injuries or illnesses.
 

What Is the Insurance Company’s Ability To Pay Claims?

You want to be sure your insurance carrier can pay claims and provide necessary workers’ comp benefits for work-related injuries or illnesses. That’s why checking the insurance carrier’s claims process and ratings is important when choosing the right workers’ comp insurance provider.
 
Third-party ratings, such as Moody’s or AM Best, can help you get a better financial picture of the insurance company. As of July 2025, AM Best rates The Hartford’s financial strength as an A+. This means we have a “superior ability” to meet insurance obligations.1
 

Does the Insurance Company Have Positive Customer and Third-Party Reviews?

Don’t forget to also check customer reviews when choosing a workers’ compensation insurance company. Customer and third-party reviews are a good way to see what people think of the insurance carrier. The Hartford is recognized as one of the best workers’ compensation insurance companies, and our customers rate us 4.8 out of 5 stars for their workers’ comp claims experience.* Reading these workers’ compensation insurance reviews can give you an idea of what it could be like if you ever have to file a claim for an injured employee.
 
We’re backed by over 200 years of insurance experience, and our team of specialists are dedicated to serving you. They can help walk you through the claims process and answer any questions you have.

Know the Workers’ Compensation Requirements in Your State

When you’re looking for the best workers’ compensation insurance, make sure the insurance company you’re considering provides coverage in the states where your business and employees are located.
 
To get the best workers’ compensation insurance for your business, you need to know what’s required in your state. Most states require you to have workers’ comp coverage, but depending on where you live, you might have different regulations.
 
In addition, how you buy workers’ comp can be different in each state. Businesses in North Dakota, Ohio, Washington and Wyoming need to get coverage through a monopolistic state fund, while a state compensation insurance fund may be available in other states. Most states have competitive workers’ compensation where you can purchase coverage from insurance companies like The Hartford. To learn more, get a quote for workers’ comp insurance today.
what is workers comp insurance video

Get the Best Workers’ Compensation Insurance Quote

Workers’ compensation insurance helps cover your employees if they get hurt or sick from their job. We understand the unique risks small businesses face. Our specialists can help you find the right insurance solutions to protect your team and your livelihood. Get an insurance quote today or contact an insurance agent to get workers’ comp insurance for your business.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Best Workers’ Comp Insurance

Workers’ compensation insurance helps your employees recover from work-related injuries or illnesses. It can help pay for their:
 
  • Medical bills
  • Ongoing care costs
  • Lost wages
  • Disability benefits
Nearly all businesses that have employees need workers’ compensation insurance. Most states require businesses to have workers’ comp to protect employees who get hurt or sick on the job. Even if your state doesn’t require this coverage, you may want to consider getting it to protect your business from lawsuits.
Most of our customers with less than $300,000 in annual payroll paid an average of $81 a month for workers’ compensation insurance. Some policies can start as low as $13 a month.** It’s important to note that your workers’ comp insurance cost will vary because every business is unique. Insurance companies look at different factors when determining premiums, so there’s no standard cost. Learn more about workers’ compensation insurance costs.
Insurance providers consider several factors when calculating your workers’ compensation insurance rate, including:
 
  • Workers’ compensation class codes
  • Location
  • Payroll size
  • Industry
  • Claims history
  • Coverage limits
The best way to find out your workers’ compensation insurance cost is to get a free online quote today.
If one of your employees tells you they’ve been injured or ill due to their job duties, you should follow these steps to file a claim:
 
  1. Give your employee a workers’ comp claim form.
  2. Submit official claim paperwork to your insurance company.
  3. Provide job accommodations when your employee returns to work.

Related Articles

** Costs, premiums, and coverages mentioned are estimates and are not guaranteed. Actual cost, premium, and coverage are determined at the time of quote or issue and are specific to an individual risk. Premiums are based on information provided to The Hartford, including, but not limited to, underwriting and rating criteria. All examples included on this website or in an advertisement are intended for informational purposes only and are not an offer or a guarantee of premium or coverage. Coverage and products described are subject to the terms and conditions found in the policy contract. Any educational information provided about available coverages does not modify the policy language or imply that any claim is covered. Products are not available in all states or for all businesses.
1 A.M. Best, “Best’s Financial Strength Rating Guide”, viewed on January 2026.
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The Hartford shall not be liable for any damages in connection with the use of any information provided on this page. Please consult with your insurance agent/broker or insurance company to determine specific coverage needs as this information is intended to be educational in nature.
 
The information contained on this page should not be construed as specific legal, HR, financial, or insurance advice and is not a guarantee of coverage. In the event of a loss or claim, coverage determinations will be subject to the policy language, and any potential claim payment will be determined following a claim investigation.
 
Certain coverages vary by state and may not be available to all businesses. All Hartford coverages and services described on this page may be offered by one or more of the property and casualty insurance company subsidiaries of The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc. listed in the Legal Notice.
 
The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc., (NYSE: HIG) operates through its subsidiaries under the brand name, The Hartford, and is headquartered in Hartford, CT. For additional details, please read The Hartford’s Legal Notice.
 
* Customer reviews are collected and tabulated by The Hartford and not representative of all customers.