Workers Compensation Insurance

Table of Contents

49 U.S. states require employers to carry workers compensation insurance in case an employee gets injured on the job. Don’t let an accident trip you up — meet legal requirements and stay prepared for workplace accidents with affordable coverage from Insurance Canopy!

What Is Workers Compensation Insurance?

Workers compensation insurance provides medical and disability benefits to workers (aka employees of a business) who suffer from an injury or become ill due to a work-related incident.

This coverage is considered a “no-fault” policy because employees do not have to prove that their employer was at fault or negligent to receive compensation. Even if the employee’s own actions led to their injury, they are still covered under a workers compensation insurance policy.

Is Workers Compensation Insurance Required By Law?

Workers compensation insurance provides medical and disability benefits to workers (aka employees of a business) who suffer from an injury or become ill due to a work-related incident.

This coverage is considered a “no-fault” policy because employees do not have to prove that their employer was at fault or negligent to receive compensation. Even if the employee’s own actions led to their injury, they are still covered under a workers compensation insurance policy.

What Does Workers Compensation Insurance Cover?

Workers compensation insurance covers costs associated with work-related illnesses and injuries. These expenses often include:

  • Medical costs
  • Lost wages
  • Disability benefits
  • Ongoing care
  • Funeral costs

What It Doesn’t Cover

Typically, workers compensation policies will not cover the following:

  • Injuries intentionally caused
  • Money a court orders you to pay because of bodily injury to an employee working for you illegally (aka punitive and exemplary damages)
  • Fines or penalties imposed for violating federal or state law
  • Bodily injury occurring outside the United States, except for injury to a citizen employee who is temporarily outside the country
  • Any obligation of yours imposed by an occupational disease, unemployment compensation, disability benefits law, or any similar law
  • Damages arising out of coercion, criticism, demotion, evaluation, reassignment, discipline, defamation, harassment, humiliation, discrimination against or termination of any employee, or any personnel practices, policies, acts or omissions

While these are common exclusions, please note that they may differ from your policy. Please refer to your policy for actual coverages, limitations, and exclusions.

Who Needs Workers Compensation Insurance?

In general, anyone with at least one employee should carry a workers compensation policy, including part-time and seasonal employees. However, exact requirements differ by state.

For example, Texas does not require private employers to carry workers compensation coverage. In contrast, Florida requires it for construction companies with at least one employee and non-construction companies with four or more employees.

Understanding your state requirements for self-employed individuals, volunteers, interns, and independent contractors is vital. Penalties for violating these requirements carry hefty fines and legal action that can place a financial strain on your business.

Professionals who may need workers compensation insurance include but are not limited to:

Don’t see your business or industry here? Find out more about the types of businesses Insurance Canopy insures.

Real Examples of Workers Compensation Claims

A woman working in a job that involved heavy lifting injured her lower back while carrying a box, which required expensive surgery. Total payout: $1,016,944

A tile setter who ran his own business suffered a back injury on the job that led to multiple different medical treatments and evaluations. Total payout: $490,000

An employee was seriously injured in a car accident while driving for work, which resulted in hospital stays and medical treatment. Total estimated payout: $89,000

How Much Does Workers Compensation Insurance Cost?

The median cost of workers compensation insurance from Insurance Canopy is $1,255 per year, but this number can vary greatly depending on the following factors:

  • The type of business you run and your industry (aka your class code)
  • Your payroll and the number of employees working for you
  • The risks each employee faces based on their job duties
  • How long you’ve been in business (aka your experience rating)
  • Your claims history (aka your loss experience)

Additional Coverage You May Need

Work-related injuries are a risk most businesses need to be ready for, but they aren’t the only claims you can face. To properly shield your finances from the impact of accidents ranging from third-party injuries to defamation suits, we offer several essential coverage options:

How to Get Your Free Quote

You don’t even have to leave the house to get your free workers compensation insurance quote from Insurance Canopy. Fill out our online application with all the required information about your business and we’ll send your quote right to your email inbox!

To speed up your application process, make sure you have this information at the ready:

  • Your business’ legal status (sole proprietorship, LLC, etc.)
  • Your federal employer ID number
  • Your annual payroll
  • The number of employees on your payroll (both full-time and part-time)
  • Information about any owners, partners, or relatives you want to include or exclude from coverage (birthdate, relationship to you, ownership percentage, payroll, etc.)

Why Small Businesses Love Insurance Canopy

With Insurance Canopy, you get A+ rated insurance at an affordable price, meaning you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for the coverage you need. See what our customers have to say about us!

  • TLJ's Mobile Mixology, LLC had been insured with Insurance Canopy since it's inception and we have no complaints.

    Tenisha J. Avatar Tenisha J.
    February 4, 2025

    Knowledgeable, kind, attentive and professional. She helped me to feel comfortable, well taken good care of and get the service possible.

    Ed Levitt Avatar Ed Levitt
    February 3, 2025

    As a Massage Therapist, I was not aware until a few years ago that I did not have to be part of an Organization to get my liability insurance! I... Read More

    Kristie Williams Avatar Kristie Williams
    January 30, 2025
  • This insurance has helped me secure events with my corporate and local government clients. They have great customer service and are always willing to help.

    Tony Felix Avatar Tony Felix
    January 23, 2025

    Representative was clear & concise in explaining specifics of the policy. Cost of policy very reasonable.

    John B Avatar John B
    January 16, 2025

    I’m very happy with my purchase of liability insurance for a one-off event. I was even able to edit the policy after it had been issued with the help of... Read More

    jay gedeon Avatar jay gedeon
    January 6, 2025
  • Super easy to use and great service; I had a little error from my part and needed to correct it customer service was super helpful they guided me through the... Read More

    Ana Zavala Avatar Ana Zavala
    January 6, 2025

    I needed some liability insurance for my business. The team at Insurance Canopy had great recommendations and the insurance was reasonable for the coverage. Web site and process... Read More

    Susan Tedesco Avatar Susan Tedesco
    January 6, 2025

    Great coverage, excellent price, terrific customer service. I checked out a lot of different carriers and they had the best reputation and coverage. Since most venues require insurance, it was... Read More

    Steve Bryant Avatar Steve Bryant
    January 6, 2025
  • Was waiting for two other insurance companies to get back to me for over 2 1/2 weeks and losing money every day. Sitting here, frustrated I asked ChatGPT what... Read More

    Chad Laibly Avatar Chad Laibly
    January 6, 2025

    Great and affordable insurance

    Peter DAntoni Avatar Peter DAntoni
    December 6, 2024

    Being a caricaturist, I never understood why I needed liability insurance, but it got to that point where I was missing opportunities because of it. So, I researched a bit... Read More

    Paul McNeilly Avatar Paul McNeilly
    November 12, 2024
  • I’m just saying that is easy to get the vendors insurance with this company

    Silvia Delgado Avatar Silvia Delgado
    November 6, 2024

    Definitely a great asset to my business, I have never had a problem getting what I need from IC. Good communication skills, always get help from the agents, attenuative on... Read More

    Robert Avila Avatar Robert Avila
    November 6, 2024

    Your site was extremely easy to use, I was able to get my event insured for what the event planners wanted. The price was so affordable. Even chatting... Read More

    Rebecca Ruby Avatar Rebecca Ruby
    November 6, 2024
  • Quick easy sign-up convince is great

    Vincent Davanzo Avatar Vincent Davanzo
    November 6, 2024

    Great to work with. Always available for assistance.

    Two Pour Girls Bartending Avatar Two Pour Girls Bartending
    November 6, 2024

    Best customer service I have ever had in regards to insurance.

    Edward Findley Avatar Edward Findley
    November 5, 2024
  • Super easy and convenient. Just renewed, thanks.

    Wendy Berg Avatar Wendy Berg
    November 3, 2024

    Great to work with. Always available for assistance.

    Courtney Araneo Avatar Courtney Araneo
    November 3, 2024

    This is only the second year I have had this insurance. Haven't had to use it. But it's nice to know i have it. The price is great too

    Vickie Sundgren Avatar Vickie Sundgren
    November 3, 2024
  • Canopy insurance has been great for my business. Definitely a five star definitely recommend it..

    Fernando Ferreira Avatar Fernando Ferreira
    October 12, 2024

    Very easy and straight forward experience! The agent and live chat were instrumental in acquiring my policy.

    Jacob Smith Jr Avatar Jacob Smith Jr
    October 7, 2024

    Rey was amazing. So easy! So fast!

    Herman Koch Avatar Herman Koch
    September 30, 2024
  • Always treated well. They take care of my business insurance and I don’t have to worry about anything with insurance canopy in my corner. 10 year customer.

    Mark Paquin Avatar Mark Paquin
    September 14, 2024

    Excellent rates and coverage! Did a lot of homework before going with Insurance Canopy, by far the best bang for the buck 🙂

    Alana Wyld Avatar Alana Wyld
    September 14, 2024

    She is positive and friendly !

    Alan Dynin Avatar Alan Dynin
    September 14, 2024
  • Had a great experience obtaining a policy quickly for a solo musical act. After a year, modified my policy to a fully staffed production easily using the chat feature of... Read More

    Paul Tolle Avatar Paul Tolle
    September 6, 2024

    I am a professional mobile DJ. I use Insurance Canopy for a policy to cover my equipment and liability. They are easy to do business and the website makes... Read More

    Don Kirby Avatar Don Kirby
    September 6, 2024

    Best price I have found! Excited to be a customer

    Dustin Price Avatar Dustin Price
    September 6, 2024
  • TLJ's Mobile Mixology, LLC had been insured with Insurance Canopy since it's inception and we have no complaints.

    Tenisha J. Avatar Tenisha J.
    February 4, 2025
  • Knowledgeable, kind, attentive and professional. She helped me to feel comfortable, well taken good care of and get the service possible.

    Ed Levitt Avatar Ed Levitt
    February 3, 2025
  • As a Massage Therapist, I was not aware until a few years ago that I did not have to be part of an Organization to get my liability insurance! I... Read More

    Kristie Williams Avatar Kristie Williams
    January 30, 2025
  • This insurance has helped me secure events with my corporate and local government clients. They have great customer service and are always willing to help.

    Tony Felix Avatar Tony Felix
    January 23, 2025
  • Representative was clear & concise in explaining specifics of the policy. Cost of policy very reasonable.

    John B Avatar John B
    January 16, 2025
  • I’m very happy with my purchase of liability insurance for a one-off event. I was even able to edit the policy after it had been issued with the help of... Read More

    jay gedeon Avatar jay gedeon
    January 6, 2025
  • Super easy to use and great service; I had a little error from my part and needed to correct it customer service was super helpful they guided me through the... Read More

    Ana Zavala Avatar Ana Zavala
    January 6, 2025
  • I needed some liability insurance for my business. The team at Insurance Canopy had great recommendations and the insurance was reasonable for the coverage. Web site and process... Read More

    Susan Tedesco Avatar Susan Tedesco
    January 6, 2025
  • Was waiting for two other insurance companies to get back to me for over 2 1/2 weeks and losing money every day. Sitting here, frustrated I asked ChatGPT what... Read More

    Chad Laibly Avatar Chad Laibly
    January 6, 2025
  • Great coverage, excellent price, terrific customer service. I checked out a lot of different carriers and they had the best reputation and coverage. Since most venues require insurance, it was... Read More

    Steve Bryant Avatar Steve Bryant
    January 6, 2025

FAQs About Workers Compensation Insurance for Small Businesses

You can purchase a workers compensation policy from us if you live in any state except North Dakota, Ohio, Washington, and Wyoming. If you live in one of these four states, you are not allowed to get this coverage from a private insurer and must purchase it from a state fund instead.

To file a workers compensation claim, document the incident in an injury report and file a claim by following these steps:

  1. Log in to your user dashboard
  2. Go to “Manage Policies” and click on “File a Claim”
  3. Complete each field with information about your claim and submit

Injured employees are often legally required to report workplace injuries within a certain timeframe (usually 24–72 hours).

You may also be required to use state-specific workers compensation claims forms and posting notices. Refer to your state for these requirements.

If you are self-employed with no employees or uninsured independent contractors, you may not need workers compensation insurance, depending on the state where you live. Always check your state laws for exact requirements.

Independent contractors are generally not covered under your workers compensation policy. Typically, there needs to be an employer-employee relationship for someone to be eligible for coverage.

However, if the independent contractor does not meet the definition of an “independent contractor” or doesn’t carry their own workers compensation coverage, you could be liable for their work-related injury or illness.

Some of the benefits available to employees under a workers compensation policy include:

  • Coverage for medical treatment (doctor visits, hospital stays, physical therapy, etc.)
  • Disability benefits (fully or partially replacing lost wages)
  • Job placement assistance (if the employee can no longer perform the duties of their job due to injury)

Additionally, if an employee dies on the job, their spouse and/or dependents can receive financial compensation for funeral/burial costs as well as loss of companionship (aka loss of consortium).

If you have employees working in other states, notify your insurance carrier. These states will need to be added to your policy’s declaration page.

If employees work temporarily in another state, your existing workers compensation policy may automatically provide coverage for a work-related injury. “Other State Insurance” provisions are designed to provide coverage for employees working in states not specifically listed in your policy.

Always refer to your policy or speak with your insurance carrier to confirm the scope of your coverage.

Workers Compensation Resources

Picture of <span style="font-weight: 600; font-family: open sans; font-size:14px;">Written By:</span><br>Chris Van Leeuwen | VP of Agency Development
Written By:
Chris Van Leeuwen | VP of Agency Development

Chris Van Leeuwen is the VP of Agency Development for Insurance Canopy. He has held the prestigious Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation since 1996.

Because he strongly believes in the importance of helping business owners understand their insurance coverage, Chris uses his wealth of experience to offer insights to small business owners across the country who are looking to navigate business liability insurance.

Chris Van Leeuwen is the VP of Agency Development for Insurance Canopy. He has held the prestigious Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation since 1996.

Because he strongly believes in the importance of helping business owners understand their insurance coverage, Chris uses his wealth of experience to offer insights to small business owners across the country who are looking to navigate business liability insurance.