Best Workers' Comp Insurance

Keep in mind that these providers should only serve as starting points in your workers' compensation insurance search. Below you can compare these top insurers and why they made it into the top 5.

ERGO NEXT offers the most affordable workers' comp rates across the widest range of business types, with average rates of $86 per employee monthly ($324 per employee annually), which saves businesses 24% compared to the national average. This provider ranks first in affordability for the following business profile areas:

• General industries most often cheapest for: Beauty, Body & Wellness Services, Marketing & Communications, Childcare Services, Food & Beverage, Retail & Product Rental, Pet Care Services, Education, Fitness Services, Repair & Maintenance, Arts, Media & Entertainment, Recreation & Sports, Cleaning Services, Manufacturing, Agriculture & Natural Resources, Wholesale & Distribution, Construction & Contracting, Transportation & Logistics
• Employee counts most often cheapest for: one to four employee businesses
• States/Regions most often cheapest in:
  • Southeast: AL, GA, NC, SC, TN
  • Midwest: KS, OK, WI
  • Mountain: CO, MT, UT
  • West: AK, AZ, OR
  • Northeast: CT, DE
  • South: KY, LA
  • Pacific: HI

ERGO NEXT leads in the buying process with top ratings across all areas. Our team got quotes in under 10 minutes with straightforward class code and payroll intake. The company also excels in policy management through its digital platform and mobile app. Customers praise instant certificate generation, payroll reporting tools and 24/7 document access.

Claims handling ranks third overall with mid-pack performance. Some customers report slower processing than expected, though the company assigns dedicated claims advocates. 

The table below shows how ERGO NEXT performed in our analysis of workers' comp customer experiences, online reviews and direct testing.

Policies include state-mandated workers' comp benefits plus employers' liability coverage with adjustable limits.

• Core limits: Employers' liability limits range from $100,000 to $1 million per accident, per employee and in aggregate. These limits protect you when employees sue for workplace injuries beyond standard workers' comp benefits.
• Endorsements: Business owner coverage adds protection for sole proprietors and partners who want coverage for their own work-related injuries. Blanket waiver of subrogation and custom certificate language are available when required by contracts.

The Hartford offers average rates of $93 per employee per month ($1,116 per employee per year), representing an 18% reduction compared to the national average. The provider ranks first in affordability for the following business profile areas:

• General industries where rates are most competitive: Financial Services, Consulting Services, Real Estate & Property Services, Other Professional Services, Tech/IT, Hospitality, Travel & Tourism, Healthcare & Medical, Nonprofit & Associations
• Employee counts most often cheapest for: Five to 19 employee businesses
• States/Regions most often cheapest in:
  • Northeast: CT, DE, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT
  • Southeast: FL, VA, WV
  • Midwest: IA, IN, MI, MN, MO, NE, SD
  • South: AR, MS, TX
  • Mountain: ID, NM
  • West: CA, NV

The Hartford ranks seventh in the buying process, with weaker performance across class code accuracy and quote speed.

Policy management ranks second. The Hartford's portal and mobile app provide certificate access, bill payment and audit submission. Customers report mixed experiences with premium audits and billing reconciliation.

Claims handling ranks second. The Hartford's medical network exceeds one million providers with nurse case managers coordinating care. Some customers praise detailed communication, while others report progress delays when adjusters rotate.

The Hartford's performance across MoneyGeek's analysis criteria:

The Hartford focuses on standard coverage with service support rather than customizable options. All policies include state-mandated benefits plus employers' liability coverage, with limits that vary by state and business profile. Nurse case managers coordinate care through a network of over one million providers. Pay-as-you-go payment allows premiums to be calculated on actual payroll rather than estimates.

For service-based and fitness businesses, Coverdash offers the lowest rates at $111 per employee per month ($1,327 per employee per year), 2% below the national average. It ranks first for affordability in these business types:

• Most competitive rates for: Nanny Service, In-Home Daycare, Yoga Studio/Instructor, Zumba Class/Instructor, Pilates Class/Instructor

Coverdash pulls quotes from major carriers quickly, with comparison tables loading in under a minute. Users report same-day coverage and lower costs.

The purchase process is smooth, but class code accuracy, coverage clarity and eligibility transparency are average. Quotes arrive quickly, but class codes and coverage details should be verified independently rather than relying on the platform to flag issues.

Coverdash is an aggregator. Policy management and claims go through the carrier selected, not Coverdash. That works for straightforward coverage but not for businesses that require ongoing broker support. Coverdash's scores from MoneyGeek's customer experience survey are below:

Coverage varies by carrier given the multi-insurer platform structure.

• Core limits: Employers' liability limits differ by carrier across three categories: bodily injury per accident, disease (policy limit) and disease (per employee). AmTrust, for example, offers $100,000 per accident, a $500,000 policy limit and $100,000 per employee for disease claims. Employers' liability covers the business when an injured employee sues for negligence beyond standard workers' comp.
• Endorsements: Owner/officer coverage is optional and can be added to the policy when coverage is desired. Corporate officers are included automatically but can opt out. Partners and sole proprietors are excluded by default but can elect coverage.

Nationwide offers the most competitive workers' comp rates across many business types, with average rates of $108 per employee per month ($1,299 per employee per year), representing a 4% reduction compared to the national average. The provider ranks first in affordability for the following business profile areas:

• Subindustries with most competitive rates: Small Farm, Poultry Farm, Dairy Farm (Small), Greenhouse Operation, Screen Printing
• Employee counts with most competitive rates: 20 to 49 employee businesses

For operations that prioritize claim handling over application speed, Nationwide is a strong fit. The provider ranks fourth in claims, with 24/7 nurse triage, dedicated adjusters maintaining regular contact and quality medical provider networks across most states. Return-to-work coordinators help transition injured workers to modified duty, though some employers report difficulty reversing claim decisions during appeals.

Policy management ranks third, with certificate generation through the Business Insurance Center portal and mobile app access. Premium audits offer mail, phone or online submission options, though documentation requirements create confusion in some industries.

Buying ranks eighth due to agent-dependent quoting, resulting in turnaround times of one to five days. Agents may also misclassify complex businesses, leading to premium adjustments at audit, so class codes should be confirmed to match the operation before binding.

Nationwide's customer experience scores for workers' comp insurance policies:

Nationwide offers flexibility in employers' liability limits and optional endorsements for specialized situations. Coverage structure varies by business profile and state requirements.

• Core limits: Employers' liability coverage offers three limit options: $100,000/$500,000/$100,000, $500,000/$500,000/$500,000 or $1,000,000/$1,000,000/$1,000,000 (per accident/policy limit/per employee). Higher limits provide stronger protection when injured employees sue for negligence beyond statutory benefits.
• Endorsements: Voluntary compensation extends coverage to independent contractors, sole proprietors or corporate officers. Waiver of subrogation, alternative employer, United States Longshoremen's and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (USL&H) for maritime workers and foreign coverage endorsements are available based on the business needs and contract requirements.

Thimble ranks 4th overall for workers' comp insurance affordability and does not stand out for long term coverage for most businesses. Even so, with an average rate of $115/mo it is competitive with our 3rd place pick biBERK, making it an option to consider if you're looking for low-cost coverage. In our analysis, they are particularly affordable for those in contracting and construction with an average monthly savings of $66/mo, ranking them 2nd cheapest provider for this group.

Thimble has a top-heavy customer experience performance, having the 2nd best process for buying a workers' comp insurance policy and progressively gets worse as you move to policy management (4th) and claims (7th). This is primarily due to their lack of availability of on the phone agents and you can only connect with a service representative over email. 

So, if you're looking for personalized service and fast response times, Thimble will be a much weaker option due to this limitation. If you are considering buying a policy, we and many customers found the process simple and straightforward, that policy terms were very transparent (even into the fine print) and it offered the 2nd fastest quote times under 6 minutes on average.

Coverage options for workers' comp policies are much more limited with Thimble, offering only three core workers' comp insurance options for per occurrence only and lacking more minutia add-on customization (forces tiered coverage packages). While this is the case, it does specialize in offering temporary coverage that for as little as a per hour basis that can be beneficial for event-based and single job contract focused businesses.

Workers' comp pricing shows your business's risk profile, and costs can shift when your operations change. Predictable pricing over time outweighs low initial quotes. Your premium can be affected by:

• Total payroll and number of employees
• Industry classification code and associated injury rates
• Claims history and loss experience
• State requirements and where your employees work

Surprise rate increases at renewal disrupt budgets.

Workers' comp requires regular interaction with the insurer, from day-to-day policy management to required audits. The strongest insurers make these interactions straightforward:

• Obtaining certificates of insurance for client contracts
• Reporting payroll changes and workforce adjustments
• Filing claims when employees are injured
• Clear guidance on documentation requirements for audits
• Correct job classifications during audits
• Fast audit completion without repeated requests

Because workers' comp is highly regulated, insurers audit the business to verify payroll and employee information. When touchpoints with the insurer break down or audits require multiple rounds of paperwork, contract delays, employee frustration and unexpected premium adjustments that disrupt the budget are likely to follow.

State law dictates coverage limits for employee medical benefits and lost wages, but employer's liability limits (Part B of the policy) provide protection when an employee sues outside the workers' comp system. Insurers that offer higher limits beyond the standard $100,000 provide stronger protection for businesses with larger payrolls or higher-risk operations. Features that simplify policy management are also worth considering:

• Pay-as-you-go payroll reporting (prevents unexpected audit bills)
• Online certificate generation (instant proof of coverage for contracts)
• Streamlined audit processes (less paperwork at year-end)