Best Workers’ Compensation Insurance in Florida

There’s clearly more to Florida than endless beaches and pickleball — it’s got the 4th largest economy in the U.S. Tourism may be the largest sector in Florida’s booming economy, but agriculture, fishing and mining are close behind. Workers’ compensation insurance in Florida helps care for workers in all industries if you get hurt on the job.

The Best Worker's Compensation Insurance in Florida:

• The Hartford: Best Overall
• Simply Business: Best for Tailored Coverage
• AIG: Best for Mid-to-Large Businesses in Florida
• Progressive: Best for Speed and Simplicity
• Liberty Mutual: Best for Labor-Oriented Businesses
• biBERK: Best for Small Businesses in Florida
• Suracy: Best for Service Businesses

Protect your business while helping your employees. Getting workers’ compensation insurance is one way to do that. Workers’ comp safeguards your business from lawsuits. It also helps your employees if they suffer from a workplace injury or illness. 

Here are the best workers’ comp insurance providers in Florida:

1. The Hartford

With more than 200 years of experience, The Hartford is selected among the nation’s top workers’ comp insurance carriers. The insurer is considered the best choice for worker’s compensation policies because of its preferred medical provider network with more than 1 million providers who treat workplace injuries.

It also offers more than 65,000 pharmacies in the U.S. to fill prescriptions usually with no out-of-pocket expense for injured workers, and a network of nurse care managers to help coordinate the injured workers’ care with doctors and therapists.

The Hartford offers companies pay-as-you-go billing solutions based on actual payroll, which can help manage cash flow and reduce audit surprises.

2. Simply Business

Simply Business offers a comprehensive suite of business insurance that specializes in making it easy to insure your business. 

Whether you’re looking for construction workers' insurance or insurance for your startup, Simply Business helps you find the right coverage at the right price. 

Tell Simply Business a little bit about your business and you'll get almost-instantaneous affordable quotes from top insurance providers. You can look into workers’ comp insurance that will cover everyone on your team, and you can get covered in accordance with Florida law without overspending. 

Building your business is hard enough. Let Simply Business make it easier. Get a quote from Simply Business today.

3. AIG

Safety and prevention. AIG’s workman’s comp insurance focuses on reducing risk. Their team of experts “combine data-driven insights and the latest safety technology to help your company reduce risks, prevent accidents and help keep workers safe.”

Still, if an accident happens, they’re at-the-ready to process claims to get employees the right care quickly. Additionally, they offer flexible program structures and finance options so you can get the insurance you need and pay in a way that works for your business.  

4. Progressive

Progressive offers one-stop shopping for workers’ compensation insurance through their Progressive Advantage Business Program. This program offers small businesses an array of insurance solutions underwritten by specially chosen carriers.

Getting a quote is easy online through our partner or live on the phone with a trained expert. The specially trained experts help ensure tailored insurance coverage to match your needs.

5. Liberty Mutual

Liberty Mutual comes to the table touting knowledge and resources to protect your business and help your employees. It offers risk control services to avoid accidents including access to customizable videos to use as tools for accident prevention.

In the event of an accident, Liberty Mutual is ready to assist workers with speedy claims services and access to quality, affordable care. Additionally, it offers you and your employees toolkits with helpful information on what to do after an accident. The insurer claims to close claims faster and at a lower cost than the industry average.

6. biBERK

Berkshire Hathaway’s biBERK provides small business owners a straight-forward, cost-effective workers’ compensation insurance. biBERK takes the middleman out of the fray so you get insurance straight from the source. According to its website, you’ll likely save up to 20% on costs. Plus, you’ll save time from the get-go with its easy online quote tool and claims process.

Finally, as the inimitable Warren Buffett leads Berkshire Hathaway, you can rest easy knowing that biBERK inherits the experience, stability and dependability from its parent. 

7. Suracy

Suracy, previously AmVenture, provides a complement of services to protect your business, mitigate risk and foster growth. Going beyond the standard quote and coverage, Suracy helps businesses big and small assess and manage risk. Suracy tailors its offering to the current state of your business.

It will alter your coverage appropriately as your business changes and grows. Current Suracy customers include franchises, multi-location businesses, nonprofits, unions, associations and religious organizations. Suracy’s 24/7 online claims service assures that claims processing will be quick. 

Workers’ compensation, sometimes called workman’s comp, covers the cost of medical care and rehabilitation as well as lost wages. It also provides benefits for dependents in case of an accident results in death. For businesses, workman’s comp is important to mitigate liability or the financial and operational risk by reducing the risk of lawsuits by employees for medical care, lost wages and even death benefits. 

Employers conducting work in Florida are required to provide workers’ compensation insurance for their employees, according to the Florida Division of Workers Compensation. Specific employer coverage requirements are based on the type of industry, the number of employees and entity organization.  

Not everything is covered by workers’ comp. Examples include:https://www.benzinga.com/money/best-pet-insurance-in-florida/

• Injury, illness or death as a result of alcohol or drugs
• Mental anguish due to stress from the job or by a boss

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 3 most common causes of fatal workplace incidents in 2016 were:

• Transportation incidents 
• Slips, trips and falls
• Exposure to harmful substances or environments

Let’s take a look at some high-level stats regarding fatalities and cost:

• Number of fatal injuries annually: In 2016, 5,190 workers died as a result of fatal occupational injuries in the U.S. In the same year, 309 workers died in Florida as a result of fatal occupational injuries.
• Employers cost per $100 of covered payroll: The 2016 employers cost per $100 of covered payroll in Florida was $1.32. 
• National ranking (1= largest % increase from 2012–2016): Florida ranks 39th for the largest percent increase in the cost of workers’ comp insurance.
• Low rate per $100 in payroll: The low rate per $100 in payroll is $0.26 for clerical employees in Florida. 
• High rate per $100 in payroll: The low rate per $100 in payroll is $19.40 for labor employees in Florida. 

Workers' compensation is insurance coverage purchased by the employer/business that provides benefits for job-related employee injuries. Florida law requires all employers to purchase workers' comp coverage, with a few exceptions. Under a workers' comp policy, employees are compensated for occupationally incurred injuries, regardless of fault. This coverage makes employers immune from some injury lawsuits by employees. Businesses with less than 4 employees and corporate officers can file to be exempt from Florida’s workers’ compensation law.

According to FindLaw.com, “Most employers must provide workers' compensation insurance for their employees. In Florida, workers' comp benefits are a form of wage replacement. How much an employee is entitled to receive depends on how much the ability to work is impacted.

Florida workers do not need to prove that their employer was at fault for the injury — only that the injury occurred while working. Most accidental injuries and occupational diseases are covered by workers' compensation. Mental or nervous injuries, unless they stem from a physical injury, aren’t covered.

Workers in Florida suffering from a workplace injury or illness must report their injuries to their employers within 30 days. 

While Florida is well-versed in fairy tales and fantasy, running a business is reserved for the real world. Cold, hard facts often come into play in the real world. And that means that you can’t just look at the human side to caring for your workers. You need to look at the cost of having workers, too.

One element contributing to the cost of workers is securing workers’ comp insurance to protect your business from liability. Workers' comp costs in Florida varies according to the type of job. The following table gives examples based on a business with 5 employees and estimating a $250 state fee.  

*This table assumes the employer has 5 employees with an experience modifier of 1 and a state fee of $250*

The following are the 4 types of workers’ compensation benefits: 

• Wage replacement benefits: This typically amounts to 2/3 of the worker's average wage up to $939 per week in Florida as of January 2019. This benefit isn’t taxed, which helps match the weekly amount a worker normally receives in pay. Employees start collecting after missing a few days of work because of injury or illness.   
• Permanent partial disability benefits: This benefit pays an employee who’s sustained a permanent disability, but the disability doesn’t completely eliminate their ability to work. Carpal tunnel syndrome is one type of permanent partial disability. The amount of the benefit depends on the body part or condition of the disability. 
• Vocational rehabilitation benefits: These benefits help a worker who cannot return to their previous job as a result of an injury. Workers get help finding new employment through counseling, job retraining, job placement, job development and vocational monitoring. 
• Medical benefits: All necessary and reasonable medical care is provided to injured workers. Employees choose their own physicians unless they’re subjected to a managed care plan. If the employee chooses not to use the managed care provider, they may instead pay copays for doctor and hospital visits.

The following are exceptions according to the Social Security Administration:

• The federal government covers its employees and administers the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, enacted in 1927. 
• Coal miners suffering from pneumoconiosis are covered by the Black Lung Benefits Act of 1972.
• The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act of 1990 provides lump-sum compensation payments to individuals who contracted certain cancers and other serious diseases as a result of exposure to radiation released during above-ground nuclear weapons tests or during employment in underground uranium mines. 
• The Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program provides lump-sum payments up to $150,000 to civilian workers (or their survivors) who became ill as a result of exposure to radiation, beryllium, or silica in the production or testing of nuclear weapons. 

Take Action Now for a Better Tomorrow

It takes hard work to get from birth to beach. Somewhere in between, there’s business. And, when you’re running that business, you need to make sure you’ve got the right pieces in place. Workers’ compensation insurance is one of those pieces. It helps protect the business you’ve built and helps employees should an accident occur.   

Frequently Asked Questions