Workers’ compensation insurance is designed to protect workers when they have been injured on the job. The policies also protect employers from being sued by a disgruntled employee who blames the company for their injury. Workers’ compensation rules vary by state, so it’s essential to learn the regulations where you live. Today, we’re looking at Houston, Texas, and how workers’ compensation works there.
- 5 best workers’ compensation insurance companies in Houston, Texas
- Workers’ compensation laws in Houston, Texas
- What does workers’ compensation insurance cover in Houston, Texas?
- How much does workers’ compensation insurance cost in Houston, Texas?
- How to find cheap workers’ compensation insurance in Houston, Texas?
5 best workers’ compensation insurance companies in Houston, Texas
After researching various companies that offer workers’ compensation insurance in Houston, Texas, these five are our top picks.
- CoverWallet: Best for comparing quotes online
- The Hartford: Best overall
- Pie: Best for fast online quotes
- Employers: Best for small businesses
- AmTrust Financial: Best international
For our top three picks, we requested quotes for a small accounting firm with two employees and annual revenue of $400,000 to help you see how the quote process differs between companies. You’ll find the results below.
CoverWallet: Best for comparing quotes online
CoverWallet is an online insurance broker. That means that they shop for quotes from multiple companies at once. You give them your information once, and they provide quotes to match your criteria. Usually, they provide three quotes for you. Sometimes, you might get fewer quotes than that, depending on your information.
Getting a quote from CoverWallet requires responses to a short questionnaire about your business. It took us 5-10 minutes to get the quote for our hypothetical company from start to finish.
The Hartford: Best overall
The Hartford has been in the insurance business since 1810. So, they know insurance. They are one of the largest insurance companies in the United States. They fall under a traditional insurance company category, meaning that while they offer online quotes, they are still largely agent-based. They are dipping a toe into the electronic world, which helps them remain relevant in the insurance game.
Getting a quote from The Hartford was the most difficult of the three we pulled for this article. That was due to technical difficulties on their end. It took us three attempts to get a quote without getting the “we’re experiencing technical difficulties” error message. Luckily, we weren’t in a rush, and we could continue trying; once we navigated the error zone successfully, getting a quote was simple.
Pie: Best for fast online quotes
Pie is one of the new insuretech companies that is reinventing the way we think about insurance. Their focus is on providing cheap workers’ compensation insurance and doing so with a quick online experience. It only took us about three minutes to get a quote from them. As you can see, their quote was lower than the other quotes we got based on a monthly premium.
Once you pull a quote from them, you have an option of buying right then making the entire quote to purchase experience take approximately five minutes. Pie’s claim to fame is that they focus on workers’ compensation, and they claim their rates are up to 30% less than those of other companies.
Employers: Best for small businesses
Employers Insurance focuses on small businesses. That is their niche. Employers Insurance is only available in 44 out of 50 states, so it’s essential to check for their availability before attempting to get a quote.
Employers is solid financially speaking. They are also known for quick claims processing.
AmTrust Financial: Best international
AmTrust Financial offers a variety of insurance products to small businesses. They have taken their policies global. So, suppose you are a company that hopes to break into the international scene. In that case, AmTrust could be the company you need for your business insurance as they already understand what it takes to do business in a global market.
Workers’ compensation laws in Houston, Texas
Texas is the only state in the union that doesn’t currently require workers’ compensation insurance. The only businesses that are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance are those that contract to work with the government. While it isn’t a required business expenditure, it’s a good idea to have workers’ compensation insurance to protect yourself from the possibility of claims.
What does workers’ compensation insurance cover in Houston, Texas?
Workers’ compensation insurance protects you and your employees should an accident happen that causes someone to get injured on the job. Your typical workers’ compensation policy will cover
- Medical bills
- Missed wages
- Lawsuits
- Death benefits
- Vocational training
The vocational training portion of the policy kicks in if, for some reason, the injury prevents your employee from returning to the same job they were already doing.
If the employee decides to sue you because they were injured at work, the policy will cover legal charges such as court costs. It will also help you pay any settlements that are made with the employee.
If an accident becomes a fatal occurrence, the funeral and burial expenses would be covered under a workers’ compensation policy. Additionally, the employee’s family would receive a compensation settlement to help them with living expenses.
Workers’ compensation policies also cover illnesses that are associated with the workplace as well. Known occupational hazards such as carpal tunnel syndrome fall under this portion of the workers’ compensation policy.
What doesn’t workers’ compensation insurance cover?
You shouldn’t expect workers’ compensation insurance to cover everything. There are limits to what it covers. For example, if an employee chooses to work under the influence of drugs or alcohol and gets injured, the workers’ compensation policy won’t cover the injury. The policy also won’t cover if someone intentionally gets hurt or if someone gets hurt during an act of vandalism. OSHA fines are also not covered by these policies.
Client injuries aren’t covered under workers’ compensation policies. Those are liability claims for other business policies. Independent contractors who get injured won’t be covered under your workers’ comp policy, and neither will the wages of a temporary worker that you hire to cover for an injured worker. Injuries off the clock aren’t covered either, provided the injuries weren’t part of a job-related task.
How much does workers’ compensation insurance cost in Houston, Texas?
The cost of workers’ compensation insurance in Houston, Texas, varies with a few factors playing a role in determining the price. The number of employees you have and the amount of your total payroll factor into the cost of your workers’ comp policy. Other factors include the level of risk assessed to your industry and the location of your business.
Your claims history is another important factor in calculating the amount of your workers’ compensation policy. Coverage limits also help determine the rates as they do with any insurance policy. The good news is that over time, your experience will help to drive your workers’ compensation rates down unless you have claims against your policy.
To get the cheapest workers comp insurance rates for your business, be sure to shop around with a few companies. Working with a broker like CoverWallet or Citizen General Insurance, or commercialinsurance.net is a good way to compare several quotes online easily to select the cheapest and the best one for your company.
Learn more about the average cost of workers comp insurance for businesses in different industries
How to find cheap workers’ compensation insurance in Houston, Texas?
If you are looking for cheap workers’ compensation insurance in Houston, Texas, here are some tips to help you in your search.
- Compare rates. A digital broker such as CoverWallet is an excellent way to do this. Regardless of your method, don’t settle for the first quote you get, and make sure you compare equal coverages.
- Ask about discounts. Some companies will give discounted rates for documented safety programs, while others will provide discounts if you have multiple policies with them.
- Verify the employee codes you use with your policy writer. Different industries incur different risks, so it’s essential to have your employee worker classifications coded correctly.
Learn more at the cheapest workers comp insurance companies
How is workers’ compensation insurance different than general liability insurance?
Workers’ compensation insurance covers employees who are injured or become ill on the job. However, those policies won’t cover anyone else like clients or bystanders. However, an excellent general liability insurance policy will cover if a customer or even a looky-loo at your window gets hurt while on your property and files a claim against you.
Final Thoughts
Workers’ compensation insurance isn’t required in Texas, but it’s a good idea to protect yourself and your employees by having a policy. Learning the regulations for workers’ compensation policies is the best starting point if you want to purchase workers’ compensation insurance in Houston, Texas.
